Motown India May 2014

VOL-4 • ISSUE-8 • MAY 2014 • 100

IN MO E T IK

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INDIA

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PULSE OF THE AUTOMOTIVE BUSINESS WORLD

A Greedy Tussle Toyota Etios Cross | Harley-Davidson Street 750 | Toyota Camry Hybrid | Tata Nano Twist | New Audi A8 L

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National Engineering Industries Ltd., Khatipura Road, Jaipur – 302006 CIN: L29130WB1946PLC013643 | Phone: +91 141 222 3221 | Fax: +91 141 222 1926 | E-mail: neisales@nbcbearings.in

EDITOR’S NOTE

T

he Indian Automotive industry is going through a terrible phase. Sales of cars, trucks and buses have slumped. In this terrible scenario, nothing can be worse than a strike by workers at a plant. Strikes in industries are almost always instigated by trade unions that are controlled by various political

parties. In the past, strikes in Indian automotive plants have led to complete shut downs resulting in losses worth hundreds and thousands of crores to companies. In several cases, property has been destroyed and lives lost.

The last few years have been bad for the automotive industry in the country. Sales have plunged and led to under utilisation of plant capacities. Bad business for OEMs also means it’s bad business for component players. Yet, the last few years have seen its share of industrial strikes leading to violence and destruction of property. Motown India magazine becomes the first automotive magazine in the country to carry a comprehensive cover report on industrial strikes in the Indian automotive industry.

We have carried exclusive pictures of the latest strike at the Pathredi (Rajasthan) plant of Shriram Pistons & Rings Ltd (SPR). The exhaustive report on strikes has taken into account the latest ones at SPR, Bajaj Auto and Toyota Kirloskar. It also debates on the recent strikes at several other automotive plants and finds out the reasons behind these strikes.

Apart from the cover report, we have a lot of news from the automotive world. We have changed the page size of our Motown India supplement. It looks refreshingly good and carries some great reviews on some great products that include the soon to be launched Etios Cross. Again, we become the first automotive magazine in India to carry this report! Other reviews include that of the Harley Street 750, the Toyota Camry Hybrid and the Nano Twist.

P. Tharyan ptharyan@motownindia.com ptharyan@gmail.com www.motownindia.com

EDITOR P. Tharyan -------------------------News Coordinator & Design Head Jisha P Senior Photographer Mohd. Nasir Sr. Correspondents Avdesh Kumar, Seema Paul Correspondents S. Madhavan, Rahul Kapoor, Tripti Singh, Jasbeer Kohli -------------------------For Editorial, contact (editorial@motownindia.com) -------------------------For Marketing & Sales contact Anuj Srivastava (sales@motownindia.com +91-9958125645) -------------------------For Accounts Contact Ankit Sharma (ankit@motownindia.com +91-9654005547) -------------------------For Circulation & Subscription Contact Dalip Singh Bagdwal (subscription@motownindia.com +91-9811305822) -------------------------EDITORIAL DELHI OFFICE 145 B/9, First Floor, Kishangarh, Next to United Free Church, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi 110070, Tel: 011-26122758/59, Tele Fax: 011-26122757 -------------------------DISTRIBUTED BY Central News Agency, New Delhi -------------------------EDITORIAL CONTENT The publisher makes every effort to ensure that the contents in the magazine are correct. However, he can accept no responsibility for any effects from errors or omissions.

Any unauthorised reproduction of Motown India content is strictly forbidden.

-------------------------Motown India is printed, published, edited and owned by Punnoose Tharyan and published from 4058 / D-4, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi-110070.

Printed at Pearl Printers, C-105, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase 1, New Delhi.

This issue of Motown India magazine contains 60 pages including both covers and a 32-page booklet.

May 2014

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CONTENTS STRIKE IN MOTOWN A GREEDY TUSSLE 26

HIGHLIGHTS

8

Indian customers retain factory fitted tyre brand

TÊTE-À-TÊTE

Joe King, Head, Audi India

Mahindra Logistics receives 200 crore investment

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Mercedes-Benz GL 63 AMG is launched at 1.66 crore Setco Automotive, Lingotes of Spain form joint venture Anand Mahindra appointed to USIBC Board Maruti Suzuki recalls 103,311 vehicles

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INDIA REPORT

3RD INDIA COMMERCIAL VEHICLE SUMMIT Growth opportunities in CV industry amidst present day gloom, feel industry experts

Honda 125cc automatic scooter for 52447

20

36 Shah Rukh Khan is ‘Goodwill’ envoy for S. Korea

TAFE’s Mallika Srinivasan conferred Padma Shri 6

May 2014

Continental acquires Emitec shares from GKN

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HIGHLIGHTS

Anand Mahindra appointed to USIBC Board Anand Mahindra, Chairman, Mahindra Group, has been appointed to the Board of the U.S. – India Business Council (USIBC). As a member of the board of directors, Mahindra will help promote the policy advocacy priorities of the USIBC and advice members and senior USIBC staff on a wide range of topics.

Formed in 1975 at the request of the U.S. and Indian governments, the U.S.-India Business Council (USIBC) is the premier business advocacy organisation advancing U.S.-India commercial ties.

Today, USIBC is the largest bilateral trade association in the United States, with liaison presence in New York, Silicon Valley, and New Delhi, comprised of 300 top-tier U.S. and Indian companies. Ajay Banga, President & CEO of MasterCard, is USIBC’s Chairman.

“I am honoured to be appointed to the USIBC board and look forward to contributing to the dialogue between the United States and India. The board is committed to advancing the commercial ties between both countries by focusing on key areas, including the lifting of FDI caps in sectors like insurance and defence, energy security, tax policies, protection of intellectual property, and immigration reform,” said Mahindra in a company statement.

The appointment was announced following the USIBC’s annual spring meeting. Mahindra joins a prestigious list of CEOs and Executives on the board, including Ellen Lord, President & CEO, Textron Systems and Banmali Agrawala, President & CEO, South Asia, General Electric.

Autodesk unveils 2015 Design Suites in India Autodesk, Inc. has announced the release of its Autodesk 2015 Design Suites in India, Pradeep Nair of Autodesk along with other company officials at featuring the unveiling of Autodesk 2015 Design Suites in New Delhi tighter integration with Autodesk cloud services. The difference in how much easier it is to 2015 Design Suites offer customers the get their work done with the Autodesk ability to collaborate, simulate, analyse 2015 Design Suites. And with Autodesk and more, with just one click from Subscription, users get flexible options within the suite. to utilise cloud services for design.”

According to a company release, Manufacturing industry customers each Autodesk 2015 Design Suite will now have easy access to new includes AutoCAD 2015, the most offerings such as Process Analysis 360, advanced version of the software. a cloud-based service that shall help AutoCAD 2015 comes with a new engineers and system designers in interface and enhanced productivity modelling, studying, and optimising tools that will enable customers to manufacturing processes. This experience a new standard in design accessibility – combined with other and documentation. Additionally, feature enhancements and refinements Autodesk Subscription offers customers –obliterates the barriers to entry so even more convenient, flexible ways that everyone can design and engineer to access necessary tools as per their great products. requirements, to help grow their Rajiv Bajaj, Head - Manufacturing, at business. Autodesk subscription Autodesk India said, “Autodesk 2015 connects customers with software Product Design Suite and Factory updates, services and support that help Design Suite provide designers and get the most out of their investment engineers with a complete set of tools in Autodesk software now and in the and cloud services that allow them future. to simplify design, visualisation and Pradeep Nair, Managing director, simulation workflows from product Autodesk, India and SAARC said, “The development through to delivery. By Autodesk portfolio now has something offering solutions that are scalable, cost for everyone who is involved in the effective and open, our customers have design and making of products and the opportunity to design, manufacture projects. Users will notice a significant and sell great products.”

Audi showroom for pre-owned luxury cars On April 19, 2014 Joe King, Head, Audi India inaugurated an Audi Approved: Plus showroom in Gurgaon on the outskirts of New Delhi which would cater to those keen to buy second hand luxury cars. The second hand cars will cover all luxury brands including Audi.

The showroom is owned

by Audi Gurgaon, the highest selling Audi dealership in the

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May 2014

country. King along with Rashy Todd, Managing Director, Audi Gurgaon (Zenica Cars India Pvt Ltd) inaugurated the showroom.

The evening programme was graced by Bollywood star Abhishek Bachchan who was at the showroom for a while.

The Audi Approved: Plus showroom, is the largest preowned outlet in India covering 26,000 sq feet of space with an

area to display 33 cars. King standards, thus free of defects,” noted that every car that would said King. be sold at this outlet would be put through a rigorous programme by highly trained Audi engineers followed by thorough 110 multi-point checks. The vehicles Joe King along with Bollywood star are technically Abhishek Bachchan conditioned to Audi

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HIGHLIGHTS

India offers tremendous opportunities, feels Scania

Anders Grundströmer, MD, Scania India with Banashri Bose Harrison, Indian Ambassador to Sweden

India offers tremendous business opportunities with its young and aspiring population, its rapidly growing middle class, its diversity and rich cultural heritage. All these aspects were dynamically explored and highlighted during a recent event-filled India Unlimited week in the Swedish capital, Stockholm.

According to Scania global news, India Unlimited was organised by the Embassy of India to Sweden with Scania as the primary sponsor. Scania thereby manifests its firm commitment to India, having since last year established a production unit for trucks and buses near Bangalore, said the statement from Scania. This is Scania’s first industrial investment in Asia.

Scania flags off new bus service in Mumbai

On April 9, 2014, Scania Commercial Vehicles India flagged off the first buses for SVLL Connect of Scania Metrolink Services in Mumbai. These buses will connect travellers from Mumbai to Surat and other destinations, according to a company statement.

Anders Grundströmer, Managing Director Scania Commercial Vehicles India and Senior Vice President Scania Group said, “This is an important milestone for the Scania Metrolink Luxury Intercity Coach. The commencement of SVLL Connect services using the Scania Metrolink, is a proof of concept, that what Scania has developed for India, is also well appreciated by India’s bus operators, as well as passengers.”

As part of the company’s strategy, Scania will inaugurate Phase II of the company’s production facility – the bus factory in Narasapura, Karnataka, India this year. The company is establishing a complete service and dealership network in the country starting from South and West and later North and East. Scania will also, going forward, focus on newer concepts like operating lease to customers, alternate fuels, etc.

The industrial operation at the factory currently consists of final assembly of trucks with bodywork and will shortly begin with building of complete buses with bodywork. The service workshop and a central parts warehouse, is housed at the same site.

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May 2014

Scania Metrolink buses for Kerala Scania Commercial Vehicles India, a leading commercial vehicles and engines manufacturer, has delivered the first Scania Metrolink Coaches in Kerala to Aeon Connect Travels.

These buses will connect travellers from Ernakulam to Hyderabad.

Sivakumar V, Sales Director, Scania Commercial Vehicles India said, “This handover confirms Scania’s ability to offer comprehensive solutions for a broad range of passenger transport needs and the entry of Scania in Kerala. Our vehicles are recognised for their safety, high level of uptime and efficiency in fuel consumption, important features for a quality public transportation system.”

Aeon Connect Travels has been founded

by Aby George, first time entrepreneur and businessman from Indore with interests in construction. He has been the brainchild of a number of projects in Indore. His passion and vision to provide good quality transportation systems led him to initiate the Greenfield project of Aeon Connect Travels in Kerala. While the initial service will focus on one route, Aeon Connect

Travels will eventually be connecting many more routes from Kerala to the rest of the country.

Scania has established a relationship with EVM Motors, an exclusive dealer in Kerala for haulage trucks and buses. Today the EVM Group has gone on to become one of the most established dealerships for large organizations. The group has experienced rapid growth and innovative excellence under the leadership of Sabu Johny, Managing Director, EVM group and Jimmy Jose, Managing Partner, EVM Heavy Commercial Vehicles.

Launched at Busworld in Mumbai February last year, the Scania Intercity Coach range introduces highly reliable multi-purpose coaches for medium and long distance luxury travel for the Indian market. These luxury coaches are the product of knowledge gathered from studying the needs of long-distance bus passengers in India. Scania Metrolink HD is based on renowned Scania virtues such as robust design, maximum passenger and driver safety and comfort, leading fuel economy and a long and trouble-free service life.

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HIGHLIGHTS

Maruti Suzuki recalls 103,311 vehicles Maruti Suzuki India Limited has officially announced that it will proactively replace ‘fuel filler neck’ of 103,311 vehicles (42,481 units of DZire, 47,237 units of Swift and 13,593 units of Ertiga) manufactured between 12th November 2013 and 4th February 2014.

This exercise is limited to vehicles within the above specified range and does not pertain to any other vehicle

TIL crane awarded

of the company, Maruti Suzuki said in a press release.

In the affected vehicles there is a possibility of fuel smell and in extreme condition there may be some fuel leakage, if fuel is filled up to the fuel cap, beyond ‘Auto cutoff level’.

Maruti Suzuki dealers will contact owners of all vehicles in the above mentioned range. The Company will replace the ‘fuel filler neck’ free of cost.

Mahle is Official Partner of BMW Motorsport

Picture for representation purpose only. Picture courtesy: BMW

Following the successful launch of PIXEF – TIL’s 15 ton mobile Carry Deck crane at Excon 2013, PIXEF has recently been awarded ‘The India Design Mark (I Mark)’ recognising the good design of the product and symbolising product excellence in terms of its functionality, quality, safety, sustainability and innovation, according to a company press release.

India Design Mark is a design standard identified by a symbol and granted by Indian Design Council an autonomous body of Government of India. A sure sign of credibility and superior design, Indian Design Mark evokes trust and assurance and makes the product a preferred choice of the customers.

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The Mahle Group is the new Official Partner of BMW Motorsport in the DTM. The group, which has its headquarters in Stuttgart (DE), is one of the largest automobile suppliers in the world and an important development partner for the automobile and engine industry.

A specific motorsport department specialises in engine components for motor racing. As Official Partner, the Mahle logo will be displayed prominently on all eight BMW M4 DTMs in the 2014 season, said a company statement.

“We are delighted to welcome Mahle into our BMW DTM family as Official Partner,” said BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt, adding, “Mahle is an important supplier to the automobile industry and has made a name for itself around the world. As partners, BMW Motorsport and Mahle share a passion for innovative technology, precision and challenges in motor racing.”

Mahle has a local presence in all major world markets. In 2014, some 65,000 employees at more than 140 production locations and ten major research and development centres are expected to generate sales of around 10 billion euros. With its two business units, Engine Systems and Components as well as Filtration and Engine Peripherals, Mahle ranks among the top three systems suppliers worldwide. In 2014, the former Behr Group will be integrated into the Mahle Group as the Thermal Management business unit.

All of the group’s non-automotive activities are combined in the industry business unit with products from the application areas of filtration, thermal management, and large engines for industrial purposes. The aftermarket business unit serves the independent spare parts market with Mahle products in OE quality.

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HIGHLIGHTS

Michelin XDE 3 HD commercial vehicle tyre in India Michelin has launched its latest offer in the HD Series for commercial vehicles, the Michelin XDE 3 HD tyre which has a new radial design and is available from April 2014 for fleets across India.

According to a company statement, the new tyre is designed to meet tough driving conditions of Indian roads, the Michelin XDE3 HD has been engineered using Michelin Total Performance, the company’s technology strategy to develop tyres capable of simultaneously delivering superior levels of performance in the key areas of safety, fuel efficiency, grip, longevity and durability. Michelin Total Performance focuses on improving tyre performance across all factors, instead of focusing on only one or a few parameters.

Michelin XDE3 HD has a block pattern design with higher tread depth for increased mileage.

TRW’S innovative roof airbag technology TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. has recently started production of its roof airbag technology on the Citroen C4 Cactus. The new ‘bag in roof’ replaces passenger airbags typically mounted in the instrument panel and can allow for improved interior design aesthetics, ergonomics and functionality while saving space in the instrument panel, said a press statement With 2013 sales of $17.4 billion, TRW Automotive ranks among the world’s leading automotive suppliers. The company is headquartered in Livonia, Michigan, USA. TRW Automotive products include integrated vehicle control and driver assist systems, braking systems, steering systems, suspension systems, occupant safety systems (seat belts and airbags), electronics, engine components, fastening systems and aftermarket replacement parts and services.

Dirk Schultz, engineering director for TRW’s Inflatable Restraint Systems commented: “Interior design requirements have evolved significantly over the last decade with some manufacturers looking for more instrument panel space for the latest multimedia technologies or a means of increasing storage, or are proposing more open and airy cockpit environments.

“TRW’s new roof airbag system is a unique development and provides enhanced styling flexibility for future vehicle interior requirements in combination with excellent restraint performance.”

The airbag unit comprises a cushion, a gas diffusion channel and a gas generator within a housing which is fixed onto (or beneath) the headlining above the windscreen.

Upon deployment, the bag unfolds along the windscreen in front of the seat occupant, rather than towards them, helping to restrain front seat passengers of varying shapes and sizes.

The product offers easy assembly with opportunities for standardisation as some of the components are common to all TRW airbag applications.

The roof airbag’s new design concept also helps to enhance development efficiency – by eliminating the need to package a passenger airbag in the instrument panel, it can significantly reduce the development costs of the dashboard as there is no need to design and test a specific ‘door’ that opens with the airbag deployment. It is also functionally compatible with a wide range of vehicle architectures.

Thierry Metais, TRW global account director for PSA added: “We are proud to launch our roof airbag for the first time on this modern, striking new vehicle which marks a new era for the French brand. Our technology has helped to deliver a decluttered, more relaxing cabin environment while supporting restraint performance across the range of occupants.”

TRW-Rane JV to manufacture airbags, seat belts TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. announced that its joint venture Rane TRW Steering Systems Limited in India has expanded to manufacture TRW airbags and the latest generation of seat belt systems.

Frank Mueller, vice president and general manager for TRW Occupant Safety Systems said in a press statement, “India is a very important market for TRW and we look forward to

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May 2014

our continued partnership with Rane to manufacture a broader range of advanced technologies that help to protect drivers and occupants there.

As a global leader in safety, we are committed to providing affordable safety for all drivers and in all regions – to deliver the safety everyone deserves.

“The investment further strengthens RTSSL’s position in providing state of the art

occupant safety solutions to its customers and is a proactive step for enhancing vehicle safety in this market.”

RTSSL is applying TRW’s global manufacturing standards to produce driver and passenger airbags and seat belts at the facility and will make around 320,000 units per annum initially, with an increase in manufacturing capacity to approximately 810,000 units in

the coming three to five years.

RTSSL is a 50:50 joint venture with the Rane Group based in Singaperumal Koil near Chennai. Since 1962, TRW has had a presence in India through its Brakes India Limited joint venture with another third party.

It has continued to establish further partnerships to offer a full range of safety products and now supports 10 manufacturing locations.

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HIGHLIGHTS

Toyota Corolla does 1.22m units in 2013 globally Whether it is used as a taxi in Dubai or a luxury car in India or as a reliable sedan in the US, the one fact that comes out clear is that the Toyota Corolla is much in demand in the 150 countries it is sold across the world. Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., has announced Corolla global sales of 1.22 million units in 2013, according to the company’s internal data based on individual vehicle sales reporting from its distributors.

According to a company statement, the 5pc year-overyear increase confirms the Corolla’s perennial popularity among loyal customers.

“The Corolla stands as the international face of Toyota and touches millions of people across the globe every day,” said Bill Fay, Toyota division group vice president and general manager. “Being the world’s best-selling car speaks volumes about the satisfaction and loyalty our customers feel about the Corolla and Toyota.”

Thanks to the recent redesign, including amplified elements of design and improved fuel economy, Corolla’s worldwide cumulative sales

since its introduction in 1966 topped 40.72 million units as of February 2014, making it the all-time best-selling vehicle model.

Based on Toyota’s analysis of Polk new vehicle registration data from IHS Automotive, which captures 96 percent of global new vehicle volumes, the Corolla is the world’s bestselling vehicle model for 2013 with global registrations of 1,098,524 million units.

This figure includes Corolla sedan and other variations in name such as Corolla Axio, Corolla Altis and Corolla EX 4-door sedans. The subscripts “Axio” “Altis” and “EX” denote trim levels of the 4-door Corolla sedan sold in various global regions, including Japan. Also included are the Corollabadged Fielder and Rumion 5-door wagons.

In the U.S., the all-new Corolla posted sales of more than 300,000 units in 2013.

Two-wheeler dealers are optimistic, says Sewells report

In a downturn in the automotive industry, the dealer fraternity is the one that gets directly impacted by the gloom.

In India, the automobile industry is reeling under severe drop in sales, except for two-wheeler manufacturers who are experiencing some modest growth. It is therefore obvious that the two-wheeler dealers will be more optimistic compared to their counterparts in passenger cars and commercial vehicles.

In the Inaugural Report of the Sewells Group Automotive Dealer Confidence Index (ADCI), the two-wheelers dealers are the optimistic ones while the car and CV dealers are a bit pessimistic about their business.

Melbourne-based Sewells Group, a global automotive retail performance solutions company, has released the inaugural report of the Sewells Group Automotive Dealer Confidence Index (ADCI) for India. The Sewells Group ADCI is an attempt to capture and quantify the sentiment of auto dealers across the length and breadth of the country, representing a host of brands across product categories.

The ADCI will be published quarterly, and will evolve to become a reliable lead indicator of retail sales across brands and vehicle categories, said a company statement.

The inaugural ADCI survey was conducted in April 2014.

Toyota recalls 44,989 Innova vehicles Just a day after Maruti Suzuki broke the news of the company planning to recall 100,000 Swift Dzire compact sedans, comes the news that Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) is recalling 44,989 units of the popular Innova multi utility vehicle that were manufactured between February 2005 to December 2008.

In a company statement, it announced a special service campaign in India that will cover

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a total of 44,989 units of the Innova manufactured between February 2005 and December 2008.

The campaign, it said, has been announced “due to an error in the spiral cable mounted on the steering wheel. This will lead to continuous illumination of an airbag warning lamp on the instrument cluster giving prior indication of a problem to the customer. In addition, the driver’s

airbag may get deactivated.”

“Toyota is currently working on obtaining the necessary replacement parts. Once the replacement parts are available, customers will be contacted by the authorised Toyota dealers.

The vehicle will be repaired free of cost. The repairs are expected to be carried out in approximately one hour. The company is conducting this special service campaign keeping

the “Customer First” philosophy in mind in order to avoid inconvenience to customers.

The company regrets the inconvenience caused and seeks the customer’s cooperation and understanding during this time.”

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HIGHLIGHTS

Honda’s CB Shine creates new milestone

(L-R) YS Guleria, Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Toshinobu Motai, Sr VP & Director, Manufacturing and Keita Muramatsu, President & CEO, HMSI Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. (HMSI) has created a new milestone on April 23, 2014. According to a company statement, overtaking many pre-existing competition models of this segment, CB Shine has become India’s all time highest selling 125cc motorcycle and also first ever 125cc motorcycle to achieve 30 lakh unit mark.

On the global platform too, CB Shine has raced ahead to become Honda Motor Company, Japan’s Number One selling motorcycle across Honda’s two-wheeler operations worldwide for the first time ending FY’13-14.

Celebrating this milestone, Keita Muramatsu – President & CEO, HMSI rolled out the epic 30th lakh CB Shine produced at Honda’s second plant at Tapukara, Rajasthan.

Sharing CB Shine’s performance on global platform, Muramatsu said, “We thank our valued customers, business partners and associates for this remarkable feat.

CB Shine is not only No. 1 selling 125cc motorcycle in India but also the world! For the first time ending FY’14, CB Shine has become No. 1 selling motorcycle for Honda Motor Company, Japan worldwide.”

Expressing sincere thanks to Honda customers, Y. S Guleria, Vice President, Sales & Marketing, HMSI said, “CB Shine has become India’s first ever 125cc motorcycle to achieve 30 lakh unit sales.

This reaffirms that CB Shine is a true winner’s choice and is universally accepted by valued customers. We firmly believe customer experience and customer loyalty is priceless and will work to delight our customers in future too.”

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Honda 125cc automatic scooter for 52,447 Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. (HMSI) has launched the new Activa 125 Honda’s first 125cc automatic scooter for India. The scooter is priced at 52,447 for Standard variant and 58,156 for the Deluxe variant (both prices Ex-showroom, Delhi).

The all new Activa 125 is specially developed to retain both existing automatic scooter customers who want to upgrade their ride and add new customers who now want much more from Honda, said YS Guleria (L), Vice President, Sales & Marketing and a company statement.

Keita Muramatsu, President & CEO, Honda Motorcycle The Activa 125 is powered & Scooter India by a newly developed 125cc engine delivering elegant digital meter, durable metal body, 8.6bhp@6500rpm and a torque of tubeless tyres maintenance free battery, 10.12Nm@5500rpm. The Activa 125 sturdy 5 spoke alloy wheels and viscous air delivers a mileage of 59kmpl as per i-CAT filter. The front panel comes with a chrome certification. bar, headlight, instrument cluster and stylish Giving priority to rider safety, Honda’s indicators. The X shape broad tail lights and proprietary Combined Braking System or robust grab rail enhance the style quotient.

CBS comes as a factory fitted standard in The scooter has longer and wider seat, Activa 125 while deluxe variant is loaded bigger 12” rim size at front wheel, longer with 190mm front disc brakes for superior wheelbase and comfortable upright sitting and controlled braking. CBS BS is a front posture. It also has a Convenient Lift up and rear wheel interlocking braking system Independent Cover (CLIC) mechanism and

by Honda which reduces braking distance ample storage space. The CLIC mechanism by 24pc compared to conventional brakes. makes maintenance easy and simple to Features of the scooter include an operate.

Activa, India’s No. 1 selling 2-wheeler Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. (HMSI) is in the news once again. This time it’s for the Activa scooter. Activa is India’s largest selling automatic scooter and has dethroned well entrenched competition motorcycle models to become India’s No. 1 selling Two-wheeler in March’14. This is second time in FY’13-14 that Activa is No. 1 model in Indian 2-Wheeler industry.

Activa sales grew a phenomenal 65pc from 108,815 units sold in March’13 to 179,956 units in March’14 and Activa is leading by a good margin of nearly 13,000 units over the 2nd largest selling two-wheeler model in India.

It was on barely a few days back on April 23, 2014, that HMSI had

said in a company statement that the CB Shine had become India’s all time highest selling 125cc motorcycle and also first ever 125cc motorcycle to achieve 30 lakh unit mark.

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2013 Range Rover Vogue

2012 BMW 640D Gran Coupe

2011 Rolls Royce Ghost

2012 Porsche Boxster S

2010 Jaguar XKR Coupe

2012 Audi A8L

sales@bigboytoyz.in www.bigboytoyz.in

HIGHLIGHTS

Buchmann is VW India Head, Group After Sales

Berndt Buchmann has been appointed as Director, Group Service of Volkswagen Group Sales India Private Limited with effect from May1, 2014. As the Head of Group After Sales, he will be responsible for parts operations and warehousing, technical service and warranty, training academy for sales and after sales and vehicle logistics for Volkswagen Group Sales India.

Buchmann (48) is an Austrian national with Diploma in Master of Business Administration, has been in the automotive industry for over 20 years with rich experience in the areas of manufacturing, wholesale and retail.

Buchmann started his career with Audi AG in Ingolstadt/Germany. He spent 10 years at Audi where he held various management positions. Buchmann started off in the field of Pre-series Production and Program Readiness and then continued in various areas such as running a CKD project for Audi AG in India and After Sales Manager for Austria, Switzerland and Germany.

TAFE’s Mallika Srinivasan conferred Padma Shri Ms. Mallika Srinivasan, Chairman & CEO of TAFE Group was conferred the Padma Shri by the Government of India for her contribution to Trade & Industry. Ms. Srinivasan received the award from President Pranab Mukherjee at a function held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on April 26, 2014.

TAFE is the world’s third largest tractor manufacturer and second largest in India by volumes with an annual sale of over 170,000 tractors,. It is also India’s largest exporter of tractors with a turnover in excess of 9,500 crores.

“I am deeply honored on being recognised with the Padma Shri award by the Government of India. I would like to acknowledge the efforts of the TAFE team, both past and present, for raising TAFE to its current status, transitioning from a domestic company to a conglomerate centered around human values, and acclaimed for its mass manufacturing capability,” Ms Srinivasan said in a company release.

“I believe that Indian enterprise and engineering has evolved to attain international levels of competence, and all that remains for us is to invest in processes and relevant technology to offer products for global markets. I would also like to thank my family for their support,” she added.

Under Mallika Srinivasan’s stewardship, TAFE emerged as one of the world’s top three tractor

manufacturers and India’s largest exporter of tractors. A renowned name for her contribution of Indian industry and academia, she is recognised for her commitment to excellence in operations, redefining the farm machinery business and for transforming the landscape of Indian agriculture by leveraging TAFE’s competencies to deliver products of high quality and relevance with an inherent customer focus.

Ms. Srinivasan initiated steps to tap global markets to balance the swings in demand in a cyclical industry. She significantly contributed to developing new products of TAFE to meet emerging customer demands for tractors and agriculture machinery, and exponential growth of TAFE’s exports. TAFE’s products are now sold in over 75 countries spanning South Asia, Eastern Europe, Africa and North America, resonating with its corporate vision of ‘cultivating the world.’

VW India exports its 50,000th car, a left hand drive Vento India is increasingly becoming an export hub with almost all car majors including Maruti Suzuki, Nissan India, Hyundai Motor India, Renault India and Volkswagen India exporting their vehicles to countries abroad.

Germany car major Volkswagen India has rolled out its 50,000th car, a left hand Vento, off its assembly line in Chakan, Maharashtra for export to North America. Approximately 5,000 units of the Vento are shipped every month from Chakan and the German

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carmaker states that one in every three cars produced from its Pune plant is headed for Mexico in the coming year Since the inception of its export business, Volkswagen India has been able to ramp up the export volumes and in just two and half years, 50,000 cars have been shipped to various countries. Starting with South Africa as the first, single export market, Volkswagen India now exports to 32 countries across three continents.

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Indian customers retain factory fitted tyre brand In India factory fitted tyres generate an element of trust and satisfaction among customers. And when the time comes for the vehicle owners to replace their tyres, a majority prefer to repurchase the same brand of tyres that were factory-installed on the vehicle when it was new. This trend has emerged in the J.D. Power Asia Pacific 2014 India Original Equipment Tire Customer Satisfaction Index (TCSI) Study.

According to a press statement, customer retention for original equipment (OE) tyre brands has increased steadily during the past three years to 65pc 2014 from 57pc in 2012.

“Brand familiarity and perceptions of safety are key drivers of tire purchases,” said Mohit Arora, executive director, J.D. Power Asia

Pacific.

“The majority of vehicle owners tend to refit the same brand of tyres as their OE fitment because of familiarity and perceptions of safety, assuming that the vehicle manufacturer would have tested the tyres on critical quality and safety parameters before fitment,” he added.

Satisfaction with original tyre brands is directly correlated with customer loyalty and advocacy. Customers who are highly satisfied (916 points and higher on a 1,000-point scale) are more than twice as likely to recommend or repurchase their current brand as highly dissatisfied customers (782 and below).

The study, now in its 14th year, measures

satisfaction among original equipment tyre owners during the first 12 to 24 months of ownership across four factors (listed in order of importance): appearance, durability, traction/handling and ride.

MRF ranks highest in overall customer satisfaction for a fifth consecutive year, with a score of 850 points. MRF performs particularly well in the appearance, durability and ride factors. Bridgestone ranks second with a score of 848.

The 2014 India Original Equipment Tire Customer Satisfaction Index Study is based on 4,449 responses from new-vehicle owners who purchased their vehicle between May 2011 and August 2012. The study was fielded between May and August 2013.

Fiat India rolls out 3 lakh passenger cars

An innovative ‘Effi-cycle’ for physically challenged

Fiat India Automobiles Ltd (FIAL) has rolled out the 300,000th car and from its Ranjangaon plant in Pune. This plant rolled out its 500,000th engine in August 2013. FIAL is a joint venture between Fiat S.p.A and Tata Motors. FIAL also produces and supplies petrol and diesel engines to leading automobile companies in India like Maruti Suzuki and TATA Motors.

The plant is capable of producing 200,000 cars and 300,000 engines annually besides 300,000 parts and accessories. FIAL manufactures the Linea, Grande Punto, Tata Manza, Indica Vista and Indica V2 from this facility. The facility also manufactures Fiat’s successful 1.3 litre Multijet diesel engine and 1.2 & 1.4 litre Fire gasoline engine. The investment in this Ranjangaon facility already exceeds 4,000 crore. The facility supports both the partners, Fiat and Tata Motors. According to a company statement, spokespeople of both partners share that the Ranjangaon facility

The students of MCKVIE, an engineering college based in West Bengal, have designed an Effi-cycle, a vehicle especially designed for physically challenged or aged persons. This was done as part of a project undertaken by the students.

Its comfort, efficiency and seven-way hybrid technology helps those who are physically challenged to use this vehicle for their day to day mobility.

According to a university statement, the cost of the vehicle is very low compared to electric wheel chairs, and therefore that it can be used by those who are not affluent. The vehicle has been conceptualised in such a way that the components which have been used in it are easily available even in rural markets.

Effi-cycle is a hybrid three wheeler, a two seat vehicle that can be driven by both human power and electric motor, or by the combination of both. It is a seven-way hybrid vehicle i.e. it can be driven in seven different ways or seven different combinations, with a top speed of 20km/hr. The battery operated motor may be replaced by solar energy.

The vehicle’s front suspension system has been designed such that it can be used in rural areas and can bear all off-road conditions The vehicle, once charged can go up to 60 kilometers by motor power, depending on the road conditions. It can also be used for transportation. The weight carrying capacity of this vehicle is 200 kgs (the weight of two drivers, and an external load of 60 kg).

The vehicle has been designed such that its roll center and the center of gravity (C.G.) lies close to the ground and at the centre of the vehicle. This makes this vehicle highly stable and safe- it will not overturn even when it takes a sharp turn at 20kmph.

will continue to produce world class products that demonstrate engineering ingenuity keeping the current market needs in mind.

“The manufacturing facility has enabled us to leverage synergetic benefits and will further aid us in tapping the potential that the growing Indian market has to offer. The facility will also be utilised for manufacturing of some of the new products that will be launched in future by both the partners,” they said.

The manufacturing facility is spread over 200 acres and is located at Ranjangaon near Pune. Over 4000 highly trained personnel are directly or indirectly employed by the plant.

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HIGHLIGHTS

Mahindra Logistics receives 200 crore investment Mahindra Logistics of Mahindra Group has received an investment of 200 crore for a significant minority stake from Kedaara Capital, according to a media release from the company. This is the venture capitalists’ maiden investment and is an endorsement of the long term growth potential of the Indian logistics sector, it said.

Mahindra Logistics Limited (MLL), a subsidiary of Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd, is India’s leading Third Party Logistics service provider.

Over the past four years, MLL has grown rapidly by diversifying its industry segment focus, developing an integrated supply chain services portfolio, and unique people transport solutions.

In 2009, the Mahindra Group identified logistics as a key focus area,

Mercedes-Benz GL 63 AMG is launched at 1.66 crore

Luxury car maker Mercedes-Benz India unveiled a powerful luxury SUV, the GL 63 AMG. The SUV has been priced at 1.66 crore, ex showroom Mumbai.

The GL 63 AMG has a 5.5-litre V8 Biturbo engine, which develops a peak output of 557hp (the highest in its segment) and maximum torque of 760 Nm. The AMG Ride Control sports suspension with Active Curve System roll stabilisation provides high-level driving dynamics and the comfort. Eberhard Kern, Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India said “The GL 63 AMG packs the perfect blend of style, luxury, sportiness and performance driving which are associated with the Mercedes-Benz and AMG brands.

It is one of the most revolutionary products to come from Mercedes-Benz demonstrating the rich blend of sophistication with the latest design and technology.

This is the perfect car for our customers and enthusiasts, who are passionate about performance driving and want an adrenaline gushing experience from their cars. The GL 63 AMG is a testimony to our continued endeavour to offer a thrilling experience to our customers in India.” To enhance efficiency, the AMG Speedshift Plus 7G-Tronic automatic transmission incorporates a fuel-economy converter with centrifugal pendulum, bearings designed for reduced friction loss and a transmission-oil thermal management system.

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and since then MLL has been part of the Mahindra Partners division, the US$ 800 million quasi private equity division of the Mahindra Group.

Commenting on the deal, Pirojshaw Sarkari, CEO, MLL, said, “We are delighted to have Kedaara on board with us. They will add significant value to our expansion plans as well as in evaluating and executing an acquisition led growth strategy. This is a significant step towards an IPO by 2017 and achieving our vision of being India’s most preferred integrated logistics service provider.”

Manish Kejriwal, Managing Partner, Kedaara Capital, said, “This investment is in line with our focus of partnering with leading Indian business groups to enhance the value of their businesses.”

Setco Automotive, Lingotes of Spain form joint venture

Vicente Garrido (3rd from left), Chairman - Lingotes Especiales with Harish Sheth (4th from left), CMD - Setco Automotive and other senior officials of the company Setco Automotive Ltd (Setco) and Lingotes Especiales S.A. (Lingotes) have announced the formation of a 30 million Euros ( 250 crore approx.) joint venture over threeyears called Lava Cast Pvt Ltd, focused on developing and manufacturing fully machined ferrous casting products for the automotive and other industries, according to a company statement.

Lava Cast Pvt Ltd (The JV Co.) will have equity participation by both companies.

As part of this agreement, Lingotes Especiales will come on board of Lava Cast as the Technology Partner.

“The World class Lava Cast foundry is the next step in our vision which will make Setco Automotive the preferred OEM supplier/ partner globally. In Lingotes, we found a strategic partner to help us achieve this vision. Bringing over 40 years of experience in the foundry industry and key OEM clients;

Lingotes will help us to extend our reach into new customer bases and to build our collective product portfolio in the coming years.

“The Indian foundry market currently holds great promise and has the potential to emerge as a key global export hub. We are looking to create a niche for ourselves in this market with a world class fully machined casting set up, which will add tremendous value. With the support of Lingotes Especiales, Lava Cast is confident of becoming a reliable company meeting global quality standards. Setco will also off take the castings for its own captive consumption” said Harish Sheth, Chairman & Managing Director, Setco Automotive.

This global alliance between Setco and Lingotes was carried out at a function held at the foundry site at Kalol (PMS), Gujarat on May1, 2014.

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Lubrizol invests 299cr in India plant

Members of Lubrizol’s executive staff, guests and dignitaries ceremoniously break ground on the site of the Corporation’s new CPVC compounding plant in Dahej, Gujarat.

Lubrizol Corporation has announced the groundbreaking for a new TempRite chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC) compounding plant in Dahej in India’s Gujarat state. The estimated investment in the new plant is more than $50 million U.S ( 299 crore approx.), and it will have the capacity to produce approximately 55,000 metric tons of compounds annually, according to a company statement.

This investment is part of a $400 million global expansion of its resin and compounding manufacturing capacity.

Lubrizol is the first major global producer of CPVC to establish operations in India.

The plant will be strategically located in the Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC), which is one of the largest chemical parks in the country. Many of the raw materials required for Lubrizol’s specialty chemical product portfolio are produced in GIDC. The plant is located near excellent infrastructure and is well-positioned geographically to serve the growing Indian market as well as support the emerging growth of the TempRite CPVC business in South Asia, the Middle East and East Africa.

The Lubrizol Corporation, a Berkshire Hathaway company, is a technologydriven global company that combines complex, specialty chemicals to optimise the quality, performance and value of customers’ products while reducing their environmental impact. It produces and supplies technologies to customers in the global transportation, industrial and consumer markets. These technologies include lubricant additives for engine

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oils, driveline and other transportationrelated fluids, industrial lubricants, as well as additives for gasoline and diesel fuel.

In addition, Lubrizol makes ingredients and additives for home care and personal care products and pharmaceuticals, and specialty materials, including plastics technology and performance coatings in the form of specialty resins and additives.

“Our investment in India is a major step forward for our customers based in the region,” explains Manoj Dhar, head of TempRite Engineered Polymers in South Asia. “With the projected growth of our FlowGuard hot and cold plumbing system products, this plant will be instrumental in enabling us to better meet the growing demands in the market.”

“Lubrizol remains committed to supplying our customers and manufacturing partners with quality piping solution products for their continued global growth,” states John Nunnari, global general manager of TempRite Engineered Polymers.

“Utilising the most advanced compounding technology developed in the U.S., the India compounding plant is expected to provide us with a strong, reliable manufacturing base for India and other nearby markets.”

A groundbreaking ceremony at the Dahej site on April 4, 2014 was attended by Eric Schnur, president of Lubrizol Advanced Materials; John Nunnari, global general manager of TempRite Engineered Polymers; Timothy Madden, managing director of Lubrizol Advanced Materials, South Asia; and various other members of the Lubrizol India management team.

Daimler India crosses sale of 10,000 trucks

Daimler India Commercial Vehicles Pvt. Ltd. (DICV), the 100pc wholly-owned subsidiary of Daimler AG, seems to defying the gloom in the Indian commercial vehicle market. The company in a press statement has noted that it has crossed the sale of its 10,000th truck, since its market launch. This achievement of sales of 10,000 trucks was done in 18 months.

DICV launched its heavy-duty trucks in September 2012 and followed it by the launch of its medium-duty range in February 2013. In January 2014, it launched its tractor and construction mining models, covering the entire range of trucks in the medium and heavy duty segments. DICV has gained a substantial market share in the Southern region and has been registering a steady growth in other markets of West, North and Central. The company also sold 1,000 units in a month, for the first time in March 2014.

Sale of BharatBenz trucks grew over 67pc in the 1st quarter of 2014 (2,203 units) as compared to the same period in 2013 (1,316 units) with a significant market share of 5.3pc in addressable markets above 9T segment, while the overall truck market >6T decreased by another 22pc in the same period.

Marc Llistosella, Managing Director and CEO, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV), said, “The year 2014 began well for us and it underlines some key developments in the company. The sale of the 10,000th truck is a remarkable achievement for us, given the fact that we have made it in just 18 months of operations in the country.

Another notable aspect is that these trucks were sold with transparent pricing without any discount. This is a clear testimony of the trust we have built in our customers, dealer and supplier partners who have partnered us in this successful journey so far.”

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Shah Rukh Khan is ‘Goodwill’ envoy for S. Korea Photography: Mohd. Nasir The South Korean government has appointed Indian Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan as its ‘Goodwill Ambassador for Public Diplomacy’ on April 11, 2014. At a function in Gugaon near New Delhi he was conferred the post.

The Korean government had initiated the public diplomacy agenda ‘The Goodwill Ambassador for Public Diplomacy’ in 2012 based on the importance of the public diplomacy in the global times. In the span of the last two years movie stars from Indonesia, Bangladesh and Brunei were conferred this post.

Shah Rukh Khan is not only Bollywood’s iconic star but is known in the automotive industry for his role in promoting Hyundai Motor India’s Santro car when it was first introduced in the country many years back.

He was the brand ambassador for the company and his endorsement did wonders to the sale of the Hyundai small car. Later he endorsed several car models for Hyundai

Motor India.

Incidentally, the role of the Goodwill Ambassador is interesting as the person is entitled to enjoy the privilege of honour as Goodwill Ambassador and has a chance to visit Korea by the invitation of the Korean Government once during his two years tenure.

The Ambassador also plays a constructive role in enhancing the friendship and bilateral relations between Korea and India by attending important events such as National Day Reception, etc. At the event held in Gurgaon, several officials of the Korean Embassy, along with Indian government officials from the Ministry of External Affairs and Indian Council for Cultural Relations were present.

Bo Shin Seo, Managing Director of Hyundai Motor India gave a congratulatory message while the Korean envoy to India Joongyu Lee spoke during the occasion.

Continental acquires Emitec shares from GKN Germany based automotive components major Continental has strengthened its systems competencies in the field of drivetrain technologies. The company intends to purchase the outstanding shares in Emitec Gesellschaft für Emissionstechnologie mbH. Emitec, to date a 50-50 joint venture co-owned by Continental and GKN plc – will be acquired by Continental and integrated into its Powertrain Division, according to a company statement. Emitec has a plant in Pune, India, besides other spread globally.

With the planned acquisition of Emitec, Continental will emerge as a supplier of exhaust aftertreatment systems. Completion of the acquisition is subject to merger control clearance, according to a company statement.

Based in Lohmar, near Bonn, Emitec is a leading supplier of emissions technologies and was founded in 1986. Its product portfolio includes metal catalytic converters, particle filter components, and dosing

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modules for selective catalytic reduction (SCR). Since getting started, the company has produced more than 170 million of these components. Emitec has a workforce of approximately 900 employees at locations in Europe, U.S., and Asia. SCR, which is set to become increasingly important in the future, reduces nitric oxide in emissions by injecting a urea/ water solution into the exhaust system. Ever more stringent emissions limits in the years ahead will make it necessary that virtually all diesel vehicles be equipped with a SCR system.

“The intended integration of Emitec into the Continental Corporation is a strategically significant step. We will now be able to supply those of our customers requiring all-in-one solutions in the key growth market of exhaust aftertreatment.

Above and beyond this, the acquisition will enable us to realise synergies between the Powertrain Division and Emitec, touching on everything from development and production through to purchasing,” points

out José Avila, Member of the Continental Executive Board and President of the Powertrain Division.

“Emitec has been a great investment for GKN. It is a good business that will now benefit from full connection with Continental’s emissions technologies. I would like to thank everyone in Emitec and offer them my best wishes as the business enters this new phase,” said Nigel Stein, chief executive of GKN plc.

Continental has a broad product portfolio for exhaust aftertreatment involving various business areas. In the case of SCR solutions, for example, the different Business Units in the Powertrain Division develop and produce the injection system – including sensors, injectors, control devices and software – while the ContiTech Division contributes the heatable hose lines and Emitec the dosing module. The latter is a transfer unit connected to the urea tank via the flange. The underlying technology parallels that found

in the gas and diesel transfer systems offered by the Powertrain Division’s Fuel Supply Business Unit.

The envisaged Emitec acquisition will thus yield synergy potential in conjunction with these components. And whereas Emitec shares responsibility for metal substrates for catalytic converters, metal diesel particulate filters, and SCR dosing modules, Continental Powertrain will be able due to its wide product portfolio to offer emissions reduction technologies as complete systems to the customers in the future – from configuring on through to its integration, use and calibration.

One of the globally leading suppliers for metal catalytic converters and particle filter components, Emitec develops and produces the SCR dosing module at its plant in Faulquemont, France, which went into operation in 2012. The company’s other production locations are in Lohmar and Eisenach in Germany, Fountain Inn, South Carolina, in the U.S., and Pune in India.

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Queens Award for Jaguar Land Rover

Dr. Ralf Speth with the Queen The prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade has gone to Tata Motors owned Jaguar Land Rover, for “outstanding overseas sales growth over the last three years”.

The award was conferred on April 21, 2014, and the official presentation will be held in July 2014. April 21 was also Queen Elizabeth II’s birthday. In 2013, Jaguar Land Rover sold 425,006 vehicles, in more than 170 countries; 80pc of all vehicles produced in UK are exported.

Jaguar Land Rover produces cars at its three UK manufacturing plants. The company’s largest export regions are mainland Europe, North America and China, together accounting for 60pc of all export sales.

Dr. Ralf Speth, Jaguar Land Rover CEO, said of the Queen’s Award: “We are delighted and honoured to receive this recognition of Jaguar Land Rover’s contribution to British enterprise. Our success is thanks to our dedicated and passionate employees who create exciting vehicles that are in high demand with customers around the world.”

Jean-Marc Gales is new CEO of Group Lotus

Proton Holdings Berhad (“Proton”) has announced the appointment of Jean-Marc Gales as the new Chief Executive Officer of Group Lotus plc, effective May 1, 2014. Lotus is a wholly owned subsidiary of Proton and a member of the DRB-Hicom Group.

Gales, a Luxembourgian, holds a MSc in Management from London’s Imperial College, and a MSc in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Karlsruhe in Germany.

A known industry player, Gales has held several significant positions with numerous global automotive manufacturers. Prior to his new appointment at Lotus, Gales was Chief Executive Officer of the European Association of Automotive Suppliers (“CLEPA”) since 2012, where he played a key role in turning around the association through various strategic initiatives, including streamlining the working processes and increasing corporate members from 82 to 112. Gales also established

a lobbying strategy with the European Parliament and European Commission, and helped define the Industry Research & Innovation Strategy and Roadmap for 2025.

Before joining CLEPA, Gales was the President of Automobiles Citroen and Automobiles Peugeot between 2009 and 2012, where he restructured the entire sales value chain and implemented a new brand strategy for the DS Line and introduced the Citroen DS in major markets around the world. During his tenure there, the Company delivered record retail sales in 2009 and 2010.Gales’ other previous appointments include several senior positions in Daimler AG, General Motors and Volkswagen AG. Aslam Farikullah, current Chief Operating Officer of Group Lotus plc, remains as Member of the Board of Lotus Cars Limited and will continue to contribute to the growth of the business in the future.

AVL new Tech Centre in Stuttgart by 2016 AVL List GmbH will be setting up a new test and engineering centre in BietigheimBissingen near Stuttgart in early 2016, according to a company statement. The new test and engineering centre will cover an area of 20,000 sq. M and will be available to the entire automotive industry.

The centre will set new standards for innovative technologies, plant availability and confidentiality. AVL is the world’s largest independent company for development, simulation and testing technology of powertrains (hybrid, combustion engines,

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transmission, electric drive, batteries and software) for passenger cars, trucks and large engines. The high-tech company AVL employs more than 6.200 people worldwide.

AVL has a presence in India through its wholly owned subsidiary AVL India based out of Gurgaon in Haryana, near Delhi.

CEO Helmut List noted, “With the AVL Tech Center in Stuttgart, we have set ourselves the aim of erecting a test and engineering center that will meet the most advanced equipment and efficiency standards. Our decision takes account of the fact that Stuttgart is a key

center of the automotive industry. The Tech Center will incorporate AVL expertise from Graz”.

The new Tech Centre will feature two all-wheel drive chassis dynamometers for emission testing, one all-wheel drive chassis dynamometer for NVH testing, one NVH engine test bed, two powertrain test beds and eight engine test beds. In addition to vehicle and engine assembly facilities, workshops, labs and warehouses, there will also be generously laid out offices available to AVL employees and customers.

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STRIKE IN MOTOWN

A GREEDY TUSSLE S

Report P. Tharyan, Photography Mohd. Nasir

trikes and lockouts have ruined man and mankind. Whether it was a strike by workers in collieries, railways, textile mills or automotive plants, reasons for these strikes have bordered around exploitation by management, greed on the part of management and workers alike, workers being influenced by unscrupulous trade unions and a total disconnect between the management and workers. Strikes in the Indian automotive industry have in the past not only led to massive loss of revenues for companies, but has also left in its wake destruction of property and loss of lives.

Decades ago, strikes were seen as a protest against management exploitation that could be an outcome of poor working conditions, inhumane living conditions, poor pays and long working hours. According to a native saying, ‘When a leaf falls on a thorn or a thorn falls on a leaf, it is the leaf that suffers’. Strikes may have led to lockouts and closures of factories and mills, but it has only increased the suffering of the workers. There is no denying the fact that a majority of the strikes is influenced by trade unions affiliated to political parties.

Currently there are more than a dozen central trade union organisations in the country. All of them are affiliated to one political party or other. The National Front of Indian Trade Unions is affiliated to the Nationalist Congress Party, while the All India Central Council of Trade Unions is affiliated to the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist)

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Liberation. Then there is the All India Trade Union Congress affiliated to the Communist Party of India and the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh affiliated to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or the RSS. Then there is the south India based Labour Progressive Federation affiliated to the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam or the DMK party of Tamil Nadu, to name a few.

Then there are more than two dozen trade unions that are not central. These include the likes of Anna Thozhil Sanga Peravai of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam or AIAMDK of Tamil Nadu, the Bharatiya Kamgar Sena of Shiv Sena and the Kerala Trade Union Congress affiliated to the Kerala Congress and other similar political parties.

In short, no workers stir happens without the candid support of one political party or other in India. States like Kerala and West Bengal are notorious for state sponsored ‘bandhs’ and strikes.

STRIKE AND DATTA SAMANT Many of the young workers of today may or may not have been born in the 1980s when labour union leader Datta Samant was organising massive stirs in the western part of India. Samant’s name in India’s trade union movement is as infamous as that of Dawood in the world of crime. The Great Bombay Textile Strike was a textile strike called early 1982 by the mill workers of Bombay under trade union leader Datta Samant. The purpose of the strike was to obtain bonus and wage increases. Nearly 250,000 workers and more than 50 textile mills went on strike

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One of the demands of the workmen is to take back those persons who have indulged in indiscipline, given fake certificates, including some who have already taken their full and final settlement in the past months. In case of few suspended workmen, the enquiry proceedings are under way, as per law,� says A.K. Taneja, CEO & MD, Shriram Pistons & Rings

Striking workers outside Shriram Pistons & Rings Ltd. plant in Pathredi, Rajasthan

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If the demands of the union were somewhat preposterous the last time in June 2013, they are entirely insane this time around. It seems to me that with some of the irresponsible union leaders and members, the management is guilty of sparing the rod and spoiling the child,� says Rajiv Bajaj , MD, Bajaj Auto.

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File Photo: Aftermath of the violent Maruti Suzuki stir in 2012 in Bombay. Samant’s planned stir forced the entire industry of the city to be shut down for over a year.

But what was the result of these strikes? The majority of the over 80 mills in Central Mumbai closed during and after the strike, leaving more than 150,000 workers unemployed. Labour had to migrate and their lives in slums took a turn for the worse. The workers were like the leaves, torn by the thorns of protest. Samant was eulogised in Bollywood where movies portrayed leading actors as union leaders, painting the businessmen and management as villains. Many of these movies were a major hit among the masses.

But a lot has changed in the last few decades, especially in the automotive world. The work environment and compensation of workers in Indian automotive companies have over the years only got better, not worsened.

Unlike in the past where workers lived in slums and worked in some of the worst inhumane conditions, the working environment of modern day workers has changed for the better. Influenced by cultures emanating from Germany, US,

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Japan and South Korea, workers have been getting a much better deal than their counterparts several decades back. Almost all automotive companies offer free charted bus conveyance to its workers. The only thing that the management wants in return today is a lot of hard work and discipline, nothing more, nothing less.

STRIKES CONTINUE IN MOTOWN The years 2012 to 2014 have not been particularly good for Indian companies in the automotive space. Domestic demand for vehicles, both passenger and commercial, has taken a big hit. The automotive component companies have also suffered a lot. While top line growth has been tardy, bottom lines too have been affected. Even as the magazine goes to press, there is tension at Toyota’s car plant in Bidadi in Karnataka. At the Chakan plant near Pune, Bajaj Auto Managing Director Rajiv Bajaj’s tough talk seems to have worked for the time being. The protesting workers have decided to get back to work, giving time to the management to consider their demands.

At the Shriram Pistons & Rings plant in Pathredi in Rajasthan there is simmering of discontent with workers protesting both inside the plant as well as outside.

The company’s Managing Director Ashok Kumar Taneja has been appealing to the workers to join work and allow the management to carry on with peaceful parleys Early April 2014 Rajiv Bajaj sent out a a strongly worded message against his company’s union. He said the demands of the union were “entirely insane”. The union was threatening to go on strike at the Chakan plant from April 28, 2014. Bajaj even went on to say that while handling the strike in June 2013, the “management is guilty of sparing the rod and spoiling the child.”

“If the demands of the union were somewhat preposterous the last time in June 2013, they are entirely insane this time around.

It seems to me that with some of the irresponsible union leaders and members, the management is guilty of sparing the rod and spoiling the child.

“We will be certain not to repeat that error while taking all possible care to ensure the safety of the majority of our colleagues who wish to continue

to work, as also the continuity of production so as to protect the interests of our customers, dealers, and suppliers,” Bajaj said in a statement to the media.

Bajaj’s tough stand seemed to have worked. The Vishwa Kalyan Kamgar Sanghatana (VKKS), Bajaj Auto’s independent trade union, asked its people not to go on a strike and rejoin work. About 2,000 workers are at the facility, making motorcycles like the Pulsar, Avenger, Ninja and KTM. In June 2013, the union had announced a strike for 50 days. It was called off unconditionally in August 2013. Subsequently, the union had sought shares free of cost and a raise in their salaries.

Bajaj, had at that time said he was okay if the plant was shut for several days but the company wouldn’t give a single share for free.

While the Bajaj Auto strike and the Toyota Kirloskar strike were just about simmering, in north India workers took advantage of the ongoing elections in the country and went on a disruption mode at the Pathredi plant of Shriram Pistons & Rings (SPR), the largest manufacturer of Pistons, Rings in India and the largest supplier of Engine Valves

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File Photo: Aftermath of the violent Maruti Suzuki stir in 2012

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File Photo: Shriram Pistons & Rings plant in Pathredi. to OEMs in India.

According to the management, the workers at the SPR facility in Pathredi in Rajasthan are on an illegal sit-in strike since April 15, 2014. The company’s mother plant is located in Ghaziabad and the company established a second manufacturing unit at Pathredi, near Bhiwadi (District Alwar) in March 2011. The management noted that since April 15, 2014, approximately 1150 workmen have gone on an illegal sit-in-strike, without any notice to the Labour Department or the company. Dy. Labour Commissioner, Alwar has already submitted a report that the sit-in-strike by the workmen is prima facie not as per law, and has appealed to the workmen to evacuate the plant.

The workmen at the Pathredi plant are not allowing movement of goods or safety related maintenance, despite onsite visit and appeal by senior officials from Labour Department and police and company management.

“There is no clarity about the

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exact demands of the workmen, who have kept shifting their stance at the instance of outside, professional union leaders and persons who have no enduring interest in the welfare of the enterprise or the employees.

“One of the demands of the workmen is to take back those persons who have indulged in indiscipline, given fake certificates, including some who have already taken their full and final settlement in the past months. In case of few suspended workmen, the enquiry proceedings are under way, as per law. However, the workmen want such persons to be taken back unconditionally,” noted Taneja of Shriram Pistons and Rings while speaking to Motown India.

The company has invested to-date approximately 500 cr at the Pathredi plant and the plant has grown to 2400 employees, including about 2000 workmen, within three years.

Several workmen at the plant want to end the stalemate and return to work, but are being threatened and their identity

cards have been forcibly taken to ensure they do not leave the premises. Supervisors and managers are also being threatened and not allowed to perform their duties, he added.

SPR has three Japanese and one German partner and is major supplier of Pistons, Pins, Rings and Engine Valves to OEMs in India. Taneja revealed that barring minor hiccups, complete supplies are being made to OEMs from the plant in Ghaziabad, and with active support of company’s collaborators, who have stepped in to help tide over the crisis.

The sit-in-strike in one of the most respected enterprises, known for its professional management, is being watched

by OEMs particularly in the NCR region and also component manufacturers who are in the process of establishing a footprint in the Bhiwadi and Tapukara region.

According to Taneja, the management continues to appeal to the misguided workmen to normalise operations and discuss all issues across the table.

District authorities and Labour Department have also made similar appeals to the workmen, but the outside leaders are preventing the workmen from starting the dialogue, he said.

The Government authorities have promised to help the company resolve the stalemate and restore normal operations very soon.

WHAT REALLY IRKS THE WORKERS? Ask a workman as to the reasons for his protests and he says he wants more for the work he is doing. Ask a businessman, and he says he wants more work out of the worker. It is in this noman’s space that a trade union activist thrives. Not all strikes are according to the books, or as is reported in the media. An investigation by Motown India team revealed that a lot happens before and after a strike. The involvement of middlemen to help end a strike is one thing that is never reported or noticed because this activity happens clandestinely. Some time back an automotive firm proprietor

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COVER REPORT who was dealing with a strike in his factory got a call from an acquaintance helping to mediate. “He promised he would help end the strike if he were paid a few crores of rupees,” the businessman told this correspondent. He was shocked but politely refused. Yes, it all goes to prove that by paying off the right people you can actually call off a strike.

Then there is the case involving two major auto component players based out of North India. Motown India is privy to the happenings wherein the flash strikes by the workers were handled forcefully and deftly by the management. The workers were only allowed to enter the premises if they signed a ‘good conduct’ agreement with the management. As for those who did not agree, they were promptly replaced by contract workers.

Investigations into protests by workers in plants have revealed instances of harsh treatment meted out to workers by the management to even cases of poor pay or cut in pay by the management. On the other hand, industrialists running automotive companies have blamed the lack of labour law reforms in the country. In the aftermath of infamous stir at the Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India plant in 2005, where unruly workers were lathi-charged when they resorted to violence, both the workers and management concluded that the violence was engineered by outsiders.

Allegations ran wild during the HMSI stir where workers allegedly mentioned that a worker was ill treated by a Japanese manager and that female workers were sexually harassed by supervisors at the plant. All this was fodder to the social activists and politicians.

But industrialists in India have been demanding stricter labour laws like the ones prevailing in countries like China and elsewhere. Surinder Kapur of Sona Koyo has gone on record to say that the HMSI incident should prompt the government to take

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a re-look at the labour laws prevailing in the country. “Liberal laws are not about hire-and-fire at will but about more room for contract labour with a tenure of say, three years or so, and more temporary workers,” he said.

Wildcat strikes in auto land have been happening at regular intervals. According to a study by the All India Organisation of Employers, most of the adverse unrests were witnessed in the manufacturing, textile, automobile and auto auxiliary industries during 2008-11 and names involved Hyundai, Honda, Nokia, Bosch, Pricol, Maruti Suzuki to name a few.

Work disruptions led to loss of hundreds of crores of rupees.

“Moreover, there were a number of strikes that took place throughout the country in 2011,” the study noted mentioning the wildcat strike at General Motors’ Halol plant. “Overall, in 2008 to 2011, an increased number of strikes were witnessed in India.

To name a few—Satari based Automobile Corporation of Goa, Nestle, Mahindra & Mahindra, Hyundai India’s Chennai plant, Rico Auto, HMSI, Honda Siel (now Honda Cars), Toyota Kirloskar...”, the study mentioned.

The study further noted that among the industrial belts in the country, the GurgaonManesar belt of Haryana is often referred to as notorious belts because of a number of recurring labour disputes. In the middle of 2012, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd announced an indefinite lockout at their plant at Manesar, Haryana, after a general manager was killed and several others were injured in a violent confrontation between workers and management.

“Reports of Maruti moving out of Manesar are complete fiction,” said Maruti’s Chairman, R.C. Bhargava, in a press conference, adding that “We cannot further risk the lives, safety and health of our managers, supervisors and workers.” The Manesar facility of Maruti Suzuki has an annual capacity of more than 500,000

vehicles.

Some argue that strikes take place in plants because the management does not allow workers to form a union.

But at plants where there are unions, strikes happen there too. One thing is very clear, the genesis of any labour dispute is because of lack of trust of the employee in the employer.

Trade unions simply capitalise on this sentiment. Lack of proper communication between the management and labourers is another reason for strikes.

DON’T HURT THE INVESTMENT A major impact of any strike is on the investment climate. The Japanese have invested heavily in the northern part of India, especially the places in and around Neemrana in Rajasthan.

Neemrana falls in the Alwar district of Rajasthan where a lot of Japanese investment is in place.

A massive Japanese government investment is happening for the Delhi-Mumbai freight corridor which passes through the industrial belt of Rajasthan.

In Neemrana, an exclusive area has been earmarked for the Japanese. This will cater to only Japanese automotive players. According to sources, the Japanese are investing big in India as part of their political balancing. With China becoming an economic superpower, India is being nurtured and encouraged by the Japanese to ensure that there is a balance of sorts in this region, says an industrialist.

But now all the stirs in the region have hurt the Japanese sentiments.

The violence at the Maruti plant in Manesar was a major jolt to the Japanese sentiment. The strike at Shriram Pistons is yet one more reason for the Japanese to look at India with a critical pair of eyes. India cannot afford to progress without Japanese investment. And as for the workers, the old native saying needs to remind them of the fate of the leaf!

According to a native saying, ‘When a leaf falls on a thorn or a thorn falls on a leaf, it is the leaf that suffers’. Strikes may have led to lockouts and closures of factories and mills, but it has only increased the suffering of the workers. There is no denying the fact that a majority of the strikes is influenced by trade unions affiliated to political parties....

States like Kerala and West Bengal are notorious for state sponsored ‘bandhs’ and strikes.

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TÊTE-À-TÊTE

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TÊTE-À-TÊTE

Joe King Head, Audi India

Audi is represented in 110 countries worldwide and since 2004, Audi has been selling its products in the Indian market. In March 2007, Audi set up its own sales company for India. It established Audi India as a Division of Volkswagen Group Sales India Pvt. Ltd. in Mumbai. As a manufacturer of high-quality and innovative luxury cars, Audi is one of the world’s leading premium brands and is among the most admired on the world market.

Audi’s goal is to become the leading automobile luxury brand in the Indian market in the next few years. At present Audi is assembling the Audi A6, Audi A4, Audi Q3, Audi Q5 and Audi Q7 for the Indian market in Aurangabad.

Report: P. Tharyan, Photography: Mohd. Nasir Congratulations to the Audi team for winning the World Car of the Year title for the A3 model. How elated are you and when is this car headed for India?

We always thought this would be a game changer and I think that just goes to prove how much of a game changer it will be. Winning any award such as this is just phenomenal, I think, it bodes pretty well when our car arrives here midyear.

It’s coming. It will be the first model that will be produced from day one from our Aurangabad facility. So it’s our first model that will be produced here from Day One and we are thrilled with that.

Audi India has been scaling new heights in sales of luxury vehicles in India. Has this come as a pleasant surprise to you?

We are a company driven by success, we are the only 2nd country in Asia to be number 1, so we don’t take it lightly, its often harder to hold than it is to get there but we think we have got the right plans in place, we have the right product for the consumer and the A3 will be another model that proves that.

So we’re in really good shape for the future as well so, very

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happy with the way it’s going.

You hope that you will be able to continue with this trend in the years to come?

We are looking for profitable and sustainable growth; I think the used car facility is another big milestone in the whole story in India it’s a really important thing, it will help support our really high resale values and opens up a whole new market for us as well. And so in combination with A3, the future looks really bright.

What are your views on the future of the luxury car segment as a whole in India?

I think it’s absolutely going to grow, but I think for any emerging market, generally its volatile, I think the pleasing thing we see here is very good steady growth. It helps you plan better, helps you make a good solid business model and that’s something that we are doing.

So we see a wonderful future for India.

What are your expectations from the new government after the general elections?

There are a lot of people out there who are far more qualified to answer that because I have been here for just a while. In

general you would look for stability. Stability in policy making that’s what any business would look for.

You have new cars here, and also used cars here in India. Is there a demand for such used luxury cars?

I think it’s not measured. We see a huge potential to grow even faster than the current new car markets. So I think there is an incredible thirst for luxury in this country, the used cars opens up a whole new segment for us. That also helps us keep our customers loyal, as they get a better resale value, so they can upgrade earlier. This also fuels the new car business as well.

In your used car business, will you be selling cars that are just a year or so old?

In reality we have only been in the country for six years, so we have grown very rapidly so to take the number one position and sell 10,000 cars and be the first to do so, I guess our whole car parc is quite young. I think in time you will see it will expand even further.

It’s a fact that cars like Audi are bought by the wellheeled. But who buys the used cars from Audi, are they also

the well-heeled?

I think it’s a very broad market, I think even when you look at Audi, in general the Indian consumer is one that looks for value. I think that’s been the key to our success, we have been providing a lot of value.

We see a lot of people jump quite a few price bands if you like, to come into A4 and Q3.

We brought in the Q3S in the manual transmission and that’s done phenomenally well, and now the A3 will be another huge model for us. I think the used cars just opens up the whole value proposition also for who maybe don’t want to buy a new car, but would want real value and luxury. That’s what you can get now in used cars.

Is it fair to assume that a used car from Audi will be a rich man’s second car?

In general you will find people who really prefer to buy new, and people who prefer to buy used. So I think that’s my experience around the world, and that why I think this will open a market for those people who want and aspire to drive an Audi. But they may be seeing a great value in buying a great quality be it new, or an approved used car and that opens up a whole new segment to us.

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INDIA REPORT

3RD INDIA COMMERCIAL VEHICLE SUMMIT

Growth opportunities in CV industry amidst present day gloom, feel industry experts Report: Motown India Bureau

L

eaders and experts from the commercial vehicles industry deliberated extensively on the immense opportunities that prevailed in the Indian commercial vehicle sector, despite the fact that the industry was facing one of its worst phases in modern times.

Issues relating to commercial vehicle production and sales, safety, packaging, technology, electronics, alternate fuels, policy changes and automotive lubes were discussed and debated during the two days of 3rd India Commercial Vehicle Summit organised in Pune on April 10 and 11, 2014.

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The summit was hosted by Noppen Conference & Exhibition Pvt Ltd,a Shanghai (China) based organisation. Motown India magazine was one of the official media partners to the summit.

More than a dozen speakers made their presentation during the two days summit which was attended by more than 150 people from the commercial vehicle industry and its related fields.

The opening speech as delivered by event chairman Naresh Raisinghani. He is the CEO & Executive Director of Breakthrough Management Group International (BMGI). He talked about the road ahead in uncertain times and pointed out that in

the current scenario in the CV segment, capacities are unutilised to the extent of 30pc to 40pc, typical year on year de-growth is 15-20pc. Detractors affecting the short term include factors like freight rate weakness, increasing diesel costs, high interest rates, weak infrastructure and obviously the tardy GDP figures, he noted.

But there is light at the end of the tunnel, he said as India has a low vehicle density of 4 vehicle per km as compared to developed nations where it is more than 40 vehicles per km. The market share of road transport will increase from current share of 57pc to 69pc by 2020, he felt.

He also pointed out that there

is an export opportunity for better trucks and buses to markets of Africa, South East Asia and Middle East. Also, there is export opportunity for Indian SMEs. The overall Indian auto component market is expected to be around $110 to $120b by 2020.

With the cyclical nature of the industry it would take 12 to 18 months for the industry to bounce back with the elections acting as the inflection point, he noted.

Speaking on the future of Indian trucking, Shyam Maller, Sr. Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Eciher Trucks & Buses, delved on the evolving market scenario in the CV segment. He pointed out that in the Indian trucking

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3RD INDIA COMMERCIAL VEHICLE SUMMIT space, around 25pc of the market consists of small truckers who own between 1-5 trucks.

Around50pc is medium fleet owners between 6-25 trucks and 25pc comprise of truckers who own more than 25 trucks. Very large fleet owners (>100 trucks), make up less than 0.1pc of the owners, but account for over 5.5pc of the total industry volume.

He pointed out that the CV market was evolving and vehicle makers needed to take into account this change. More organised players were coming in and with the growth of the logistic companies, there was demand for vehicles with better

technology and design. Moreover, he said the six corridors have been identified in the country that would provide and efficient freight transportation system.

Ujjwala Karle from Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) called for use of cleaner fuel and technology. He also talked of the increasing popularity of electric vehicles and the government’s efforts in encouraging cleaner fuels and technologies.

Balraj Bhanot, Lead Technical Advisor, Rosmerta Technologies Limited spoke on the increasing cases of road accidents and the importance of speed limitation

devices (speed governors) which his company manufactures. His company offers an effective solution to prevent speeding in commercial vehicles.

Other speakers on Day 1 included Prashu Bareda of Crisil, Pranab Laskar of SKF’s Business Unit Trucks, Kushal Banerjee of HPCL, Peter Bjelovuk of Nefab and Preetham Parigi of NEA Pvt Ltd. On Day2, there were presentations from senior officials of Ashok Leyland Technologies Ltd, SKF, Saertex, John Deere, Tata Motors, Friends Auto, Fiat India, Piaggio Vehicles and APL Logistics Vascor Automotive Pvt Ltd. Nandkumar Khandare, CEO of

INDIA REPORT Ashok Leyland Technologies in his presentation talked about the technological and operational challenges faced by those in the CV industry. The challenges, he said are a result of the efforts taken by the company to address issues on the environment, safety and technology front. The technological challenges, he pointed out, are quite a few. They include downsizing of engines, light-weighting, hybridisation, use of laser technology, environment friendly manufacturing processes, etc. It is for individual companies to decide what decision to take and how to balance affordability with novelty and utility, he noted.

Nandkumar Khandare, CEO, Ashok Leyland Technologies

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3RD INDIA COMMERCIAL VEHICLE SUMMIT

In coversation with Rahul Kapoor

Arun Shivram, Director-Global Technical Centre India, SKF Pranabh Laskar, GM Sales-Business Unit Trucks, SKF What are the different businesses carried out at SKF? We have five platforms in SKF. The bearings business, in terms of our sales and revenues, is our biggest platform. Apart from bearing units, we also have seals, lubrication systems, services and mechatronics. These five platforms represent SKF. Does your bearing business cater to the automotive segment only?

Within automotive we have penetration in all segments. Apart from that even in the Industrial segment, whether it is the wind segment, off highway vehicles, construction equipment, mining segment, aerospace, we are present in most of the industry segments.

What are lubrication systems?

Lubricants are of course the oil and the grease. Basically, the lubrication system is designed to give quantitative lubrication to different chassis systems.

For example, when we talk of trucks, the truck chassis has many lubrication points. It could be the spring system with different links and joints in the chassis.

Each of these links and joints call for quantitative lubrication in a periodic manner.

Like I said in my presentation, what normally we do in Indian CV industry, the helper of the vehicle has a grease gun and he sprays it as per his choice. He knows the interval, but he does not know it the professional way nor a very technical way.

The solution we developed ensures quantitative lubrication in a fixed cycle or at intervals or periodic frequency. That ensures the machines uptime and as well as ensures the machines life is prolonged so you should not be having any downtime. Nor will there be any failure for the

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Arun Shivram (L) and Pranabh Laskar machine whether it is a truck, a conveyer system or any rotating equipment.

For lubrication systems, we have a couple of different models based on the situation and the complexity of the design. We have a progressive lubrication system, a single line lubrication system, semi-automatic, automatic, and grouping with manual lubrication systems as well. So based on the need of the customer and his budget we offer different solutions. This solution is sold through SKF Lincoln brand.

What are the R&D activities for this brand?

Lincoln is a full-fledged company, having R&D backup and a design centre. The Global Technical Centre of India (GTCI) is based out of Bangalore, and within GTCI the Lubrication Business Unit (LBU) also has a product development group which is a part of GTCI. Within GTCI we have product

engineering, product development, testing and validation centre, global metallurgy and chemistry laboratory. We also have a lubrication lab where we test the products LBU develops. There is also a product investigation centre and a mechatronic lab. Now the LBU product development engineers, they concentrate only on the LBU products. But similar to this, even for the other platforms, like the bearings and the seals, etc. we have engineers working on specific areas. And within bearings, there are many types of bearings, and for each type of bearings, there is a dedicated team working on these bearings.

Can you throw more light on your ‘Beyond Zero Portfolio’?

Beyond Zero Portfolio is normally referred to green and environmentally friendly products.

These are products aimed at

reducing the CO2 footprint.

There are many ways of doing it, primarily through bearings and all the others products involving tribology which deals with friction. So largely we have these products which reduce friction to a very large extent.

These products are also low weight, high strength type of products which basically help us contribute to reducing the entire mass of the vehicle, and there by the consumption of fuel and so on. That is our contribution to environmentally friendly products.

What about your company’s presence in motor racing in India?

We had one initiative in SKF racing In India. For Indian motorcycle racing, SKF was one of the earlier official sponsors, and we especially produced one product as SKF Enduro.

Enduro was a wheel end bearing

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3RD INDIA COMMERCIAL VEHICLE SUMMIT

for motor racing and that was specially developed for two wheeler racing.

Within the automobile segment, are you evenly spread out in the different segments?

If you see, we are in each and every application, and in each and every customer area. So we are not concentrating on one segment, we are equally distributed in passenger cars, trucks and tractors, as well as in trucks in CVs, heavy duties and light. In both the places you would be finding the distribution is almost equal. We are not like, somewhere very strong and somewhere almost nil. It’s not like that.

What are your general views on the economy, especially with elections happening in the country?

The election is a trigger and everyone thinks this trigger will actually bring something. But we strongly feel people are also postponing a lot of buying. In the CV segment you will find that people are sitting on extra

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vehicles in numbers, in terms of capacity, and now the capacity is extra and the load is not there.

And on top of that diesel prices are going up by 15pc and freight rates are going up by 8-9pc. So the gap of 6pc, you have to pay from your own pocket.

That means, at one end you are sitting on excess stock and another end you are losing on profitability, which is not a healthy sign. Our estimation is that in the 2nd or 3rd quarter or the beginning 3rd quarter, during the festive season one could see a very positive trend for Indian CV industry. That is what we are hoping and making ourselves ready for as well in terms of our capacity and our readiness for the market.

And also from the technological perspective, I think going forward we are expecting huge opportunities and SKF is very well positioned for this.

Also, if you look at any kind of norms like Bharat Stage IV, BS V, we are expecting the norms to get stricter. Even fuel efficiency norms will be put in place. India is going to catch up with the rest

of the world. We feel that this temporary phase where we are witnessing a bit of flat scenario, will settle and then we think we will move fast.

We have a lot of customers and when we have discussions with them, they want to understand how we can, as their premium suppliers, address some of these future regulations that are coming across, like fuel efficiency, or CO2 emission norms, etc. We are extremely well positioned to take those opportunities.

What do you have to say about the endurance of SKF components in the long run?

SKF’s endeavor is to create solutions to move the market

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from the initial stage to the next level. In CV parlance, the initial stage will be around 100,000km.

That is the threshold and there needs to be maintenance done every 20-25000kms. So the solution we are offering right now and with a technical innovation from our GTCI, the products we are ready with for India now will give the market a step jump and then we are talking about almost a maintenance interval of 10 times. That means if it is 20,000km, now we are talking about more than 200,000km. The 300,000km mark is the goal we have in mind. So if we increase the interval to 300,000kms, so then definitely no one’s EMI will be eaten up.

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Vidit Jain, Technical Director, Giti Tire How many plants do you have globally?

We have seven plants in China, and one plant in Indonesia. In India we plan to do business only, without setting up a plant for manufacturing. Our plan is to import to India for OEMs and replacement market for all categories--Passenger cars, light trucks and truck and bus.

We have been in India for the last 8 or 9 years, doing business in India from Indonesia. But when BIS came, we had to stop, because

we were not certified by BIS. After that it took two years to get all our plants certified.

Globally how are you placed?

Around 57pc of our global sales happens in China and the remaining 43pc comes from the tyres we export to more than 100 countries. We have a major presence in the US and Europe and now in Asia as well.

Which Indian companies do you supply to?

Currently we are supplying to Tata Motors, GM and Mahindra. We will see how it progresses. As for the CV segment, in another one year or so we will again take it up.

What is the scope of Giti tyres in the India?

The scope is tremendous. The Indian market is growing especially the truck and bus radial segment where the utilisation is only 20pc.

There is an 80pc market which needs to be covered either by Indian or foreign tyre companies.

Nirav Shah, Director, Rotex Automation Ltd What does you company manufacture?

We manufacture a lot of solenoid valves for processing industry, pneumatic actuators, pneumatic cylinders, etc with very high Nm torques and sizes. And this is one of the automotive segments where we have this particular product line which we are offering.

What about your manufacturing locations?

We have three manufacturing locations, currently. One is in

Baroda, the other is in Vitthal Udyognagar, around 40km from Baroda, and one in Dombivalli in Mumbai What about bus door systems?

We started making bus door systems around two years back, and we did a lot of innovation in that particular range, and because of that we are now getting more and more popular. We have almost 70pc market share in bus door systems. We offer a very unique product line wherein there is an integration of electronics.

We are able to provide complete

doors along with the pneumatic systems because the customers always used to have an issue with alignment. We give a complete solution where we align the doors with the pneumatic systems.

How has business been for you?

We did business worth 6cr. with bus doors, and this year we are targeting almost 18cr.

For the solenoid valves for the automotive segment we have been supplying for the last eight years for cars, and not a single quality issue has been observed.

CP Kohli, Executive Director, Friends Auto India What is your core business at present? And how many plants do you have?

We are into leaf spring suspensions, clutch plates, fasteners, but our main product line is leaf springs which are basically used in CVs. At this moment we have four plants. In all our plants in India we have an R&D wing.

We would have close to 1000 workers. We supply to Tata, Volvo and Eicher. We also cater to Ashok Leyland.

Is it only the CV segment you cater to?

Basically our business caters to

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the CV segment. But we do make products that can be fitted into other types of vehicles too. For example, fasteners can be used anywhere and clutch plates can be used in cars.

Do you export your products?

We are not doing big exports right now. We started in a small way in the last couple of years.

Now we have some big orders from South Asia. We are also looking at Europe and then maybe North America. But this product has a limitation because of its weight. Since transportation costs are much higher, our competitiveness is reduced to a

great extent.

What is your view on the gloom in the CV industry?

We had a bad two-year patch which looks like it’s getting over. In a year’s time a lot of progress is expected.

With the ban in the mining sector expected to be lifted and a revival of the industry after the formation of a new government

at the centre, the CV sector is expected to grow rapidly. Let us give it another six months to one year.

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3RD INDIA COMMERCIAL VEHICLE SUMMIT

INDIA REPORT

Peter Bjelovuk, Vice President, Business Unit Vehicles, NEFAB Can you tell us about Nefab’s presence in India?

We have been established in India since 2005. Now we have 3 plants, in Chennai, Pune and Manesar.

These are well established Indian companies. Apart from these 3 legal entities, we have six more small units (service hubs, warehousing, etc) in order to support our large customers at site.

What about your parent company?

We are a Swedish company established in 1949. We are more than 65 years old. We established as a box producing company. In the ‘60s and ‘70s we started doing business with large Swedish companies, and you know Sweden is a small country, but we have many big companies like SKF, Tetra Pack, Volvo, etc. We followed our customers in their global journey,

trying to be located close to our big customers. We started this in the ‘70s, ‘80s, and the ‘90s and eventually ended up in India in 2005. Today we are established in more than 40 countries. We have 2600 people in the group, so it’s not a huge company, but a smallbig company.

Are your products exported?

Our products are exported by our customers, by our vehicle customers, our automotive customers, and telecom customers and by our customers using equipment for power, transmission and distribution. And these export markets are global. And of course our products are used for the domestic Indian markets.

How promising is the Indian CV sector to you?

The CV industry may not be booming today, but it has been booming and will do so again.

It’s of high interest. Our core business is of import and export packaging. This is something that

makes India so interesting. We have understood that automotive is one of the key areas of focus.

Joy Joseph, Regional Head, Rosmerta Technologies Is there a demand for the speed governors that you manufacture?

Basically in India, speed governors are mandated by legislation. Rule No. 118 of the Central Motor Vehicle Rules mandates speed governors for CVs. Till recently, the state government were given the power to implement the speed governors, but now the central government has come out with a federal law making SGs mandatory for all the commercial Vehicles from the manufacturing stage itself which means any new vehicle that is manufactured has to have a speed governor built into it, or fitted onto it.

What are the speed limits set by the government?

The top speed for commercial vehicles in India till March 31 was 65km/h. Any state government can state a speed lesser than that

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depending on the terrain and road condition of the particular state. From April 1, the speed limit has been increased to 80kmph but there is a varied response to the 80 because 80 is not considered to be a very safe speed especially CVs or heavy CVs. Tell us briefly about your company.

We are an ISO TS 16949 company, which means we have necessary quality standards and processes in place so that whatever product that comes out of our factory complies with other requirements of the automotive industry. We also have an in-house R&D. And we are also thinking about the implications of speed limitation in the future. We have a speed limiter which controls the speed of the vehicle. But four years from now we will

have a speed limiter which will intelligently adapt to the speed limit of the road. So we are already in the path of developing that.

In the 1st phase we have already developed something called a variable speed governor which integrated the speed governor with GPS and it makes the vehicle adapt to the speed limit of the states, so suppose in Tamil Nadu the speed limit is 65kmph and suppose in Karnataka it is 60kmph and in Andhra it is 70kmph, then when the vehicle enters into Tamil Nadu, it will automatically become 65kmph, when it comes into Karnataka it will be 60kmph. This is known as Intelligent Speed Limiting.

What is your plant capacity?

Are you exporting your products too?

We have a capacity to produce

about 40,000 SGs a month and it is scalable. We are currently exporting our product to the UAE, Mauritius, and Kenya. There is a very big market opening up in the African countries and we are clearly looking at exploiting that opportunity.

Are there SGs abroad too?

Globally if you see, SGs have been a very important topic when it comes to road safety. In the whole of EU they implement SGs onto all vehicles above 3.5tonnes. SGs are implemented in Australia, and in the countries that follow the European regulations. So basically many of the countries are trying to, slowly integrate themselves with the European regulations, so when that happens, SGs will become mandatory. That’s why the African counties and all the other countries are slowly getting into SGs.

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GLOBAL REPORT

GM ships thousands of kits as part of safety recall in US General Motors, US, has shipped thousands of kits consisting of ignition switches, ignition cylinders and key sets for older model small cars subject to a safety recall. Letters were mailed sometime back to about 1.4 million owners of 20032007 models telling them to contact a GM dealer to make an appointment for repairs, which should take about 90 minutes.

Wait times may be longer depending on the busyness of a particular dealership, according to a company statement.

Owners of 2008-2011 models subject to the recall will receive a letter in early May 2014 confirming their inclusion in the recall. Another letter alerting them when parts are available will

follow.

GM’s 4,300 dealer service departments are replacing ignition switches that may fail to meet GM’s torque specification. The ignition switch may unintentionally move from the “run” position to the “accessory” or “off” position with a corresponding reduction or loss of power. Dealers also are replacing ignition cylinders that can allow removal of the ignition key while the engine is running, leading to a possible rollaway, crash and occupant or pedestrian injuries.

The vehicles covered are model years: • 2003-2007 Saturn Ion • 2005-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt • 2006-2010 Pontiac Solstice

• • •

2007-2010 Pontiac G5 2007-2010 Saturn Sky 2006-2011 Chevrolet HHR Until recall repairs are made, it is very important that customers remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the vehicle key. If there is a key fob, it also should be removed from the key ring. Owners of manual

transmission vehicles should be sure the ignition is in the “Off” position and set to reverse gear with the parking brake set before removing the key. Owners of vehicles with automatic transmission should be sure the vehicle is in “Park” before removing the key, the company has advised.

Duster production reaches 1m mark in 4 years India is definitely part of the Duster big success as it completes one million vehicles produced globally. The vehicle is currently available in more than 100 countries, branded either as a Renault or a Dacia. Renault Dusters are produced in India at the Renault Nissan Alliance plant based in Oragadam near Chennai in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. The plant makes these vehicles under the Duster brand for the India, South African and Indonesian markets and for the United Kingdom, Cyprus, Malta and Ireland as a Dacia brand.

Production at the Indian plant began May 2012.

According to a Renault media release, combined worldwide productions of Renault- and Dacia-branded Dusters have already reached one million vehicles worldwide! The millionth Duster was made at Renault’s plant in Curitiba, Brazil, and will be delivered to a customer in the same country.

Duster is currently marketed in more than 100 countries and made in five factories across the world.

Not only is Duster one of the driving forces behind the Renault Group’s international growth, but it has also emerged as the bestselling Renault model worldwide.

“Duster is a truly The millionth Duster made at Renault’s plant in Curitiba, Brazil. Picture courtesy: Rodolfo Buhrer global success La Imagem - Renault story,” explains Arnaud Deboeuf, the Renault Group’s Entry Programme Director, adding, “With Renault branding, it perfectly meets the

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demands of our international customers and is contributing to Renault’s expansion in emerging markets. At the same time, the Dacia-badged version sold in Europe and our Mediterranean Basin markets has succeeded in attracting a new clientele to the brand thanks to the styling and genuine all-terrain capability it delivers for an affordable price.

Duster is definitely a model that is winning us new customers.”

The millionth Duster was made at Renault’s Curitiba plant in Brazil, but it is currently assembled in five factories: Pitesti (Romania), Curitiba (Brazil), Envigado (Colombia), Moscow (Russia) and Chennai (India).

Dacia-badged Dusters have been made at Pitesti, Romania, since 2010 for sale in Europe, Turkey and the Maghreb nations.

It has also been made at the same plant with Renault badging since June 2010, initially for the MiddleEast, Egypt and other African

markets, then, from 2011, the Gulf region.

The Curitiba factory in Brazil has been building Renaultbadged Dusters since October 2011 for sale in Brazil and Argentina. The plant in Envigado, Colombia, has assembled Dusters since February 2012 for its customers in Colombia, Mexico, Ecuador, Chile, Peru and Central America.

Production of Duster in Moscow, Russia, began in December 2011 for the local market, with Renault badging.

Market

Brand

Total sales since launch

Russia

Renault

151,633

France

Dacia

145,612

Brazil

Renault

117,303

India

Renault

85,974

Germany

Dacia

70,159

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GLOBAL REPORT

John Deere 6M Series tractors with more power John Deere’s new 6M Series Tractors are designed to meet the needs of livestock, arable and speciality farms, and offer more power, functionality and operator comfort than their 6030 Series predecessors. The 6M range includes models from 77 kW to 125 kW (105 to 170 engine hp), according to a company statement.

John Deere 6M Series Tractors feature a full-frame design, three wheelbase sizes, optional Triple Link Suspension (TLS) and an optional front axle brake to deliver maximum braking power with minimal pedal force.

The 6115M, 6125M, 6130M and 6140M models are equipped with Stage IIIB compliant 4.5-litre four-cylinder John Deere PowerTech PVX engine, while the larger 6150M and 6170M

are powered by a Stage IIIB 6.8-litre six-cylinder John Deere PowerTech PVX engine. Using field-proven technologies to meet the latest emissions standards, these fuel efficient diesel-only engines feature cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), a variable geometry turbocharger (VGT) and

an exhaust filter.

For the budget-conscious farmer, Tier 2 versions with PowerTech E engines, compliant with US EPA Tier 2 emissions regulations, are also available. The 6105M, 6125M, 6140M, 6150M and 6170M models offer this lower-cost option with proven

performance.

The enhanced cab offers numerous improvements, including a newly designed dashboard with an integrated display to facilitate machine settings. By providing useful information to the operator, the display can also be used as a performance monitor.

The proven John Deere PowrQuad and AutoQuad Plus transmissions allow smooth gear changes on the move, assisted by a standard declutch button. Thanks to the newly available EcoShift mode, engine rpm is automatically reduced when reaching high speeds.

Adding significant customer value, this EcoShift feature improves the tractor’s fuel efficiency and further reduces noise levels.

John Deere CS690 Cotton Stripper launched This cotton stripper from John Deere can do wonders in the cotton fields of Maharashtra and other states that produce cotton in India. According to a company report based in the US, cotton harvest on the High Plains is often a race against the elements. Fall weather can deteriorate quickly, reducing cotton yields, grades and grower profits.

The revolutionary new CS690 Cotton Stripper from John Deere features an onboard modulebuilding system that protects lint quality and enables growers to harvest faster, with less labour and other costs. In addition, the non-stop harvesting system significantly reduces potential downtime in the field while increasing operator comfort.

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“Simply put, the CS690 helps cotton growers accomplish more in less time,” says Dave Mulder, senior product manager, John Deere Cotton Harvesting Solutions. “High Plains growers

can strip their crops and deliver the maximum amount of quality lint to the gin as quickly and efficiently as possible, while reducing labour, boll buggies and other related harvesting costs.”

Building on the performance and reliability of the 7460 Cotton Stripper, John Deere has added more horsepower (500hp 13.5L engine with 30hp boost) to the CS690, giving it the ability to harvest in tough conditions while increasing productivity. Other key performance upgrades include up to more than 1,000 poundsper-minute rated throughput of seed cotton; an 8pc cleaner speed increase (up to 700 rpm); a 10pc increase in cotton conveying fan capacity; pro-drive transmission; and full-time four-wheel drive.

General maintenance, service interval times, and diagnostics have also been improved.

Engineers designed the CS690 to share subsystems and manufacturing processes with the 7760 Cotton Picker platform for faster diagnostics and easier service.

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GLOBAL REPORT

Now a real smart rear view mirror from Nissan April 11, 2014 marks the U.S. debut of Nissan’s Smart Rearview Mirror, the world’s first LCD monitor that helps provide clear rearward visibility unimpeded by traditional obstacles such as cargo, tall passengers, inclement weather or the design of a vehicle. Nissan is planning to introduce the Smart Rearview Mirror to global markets over the next few years after an initial rollout to Japanese customers this spring.

According to a company press statement, the Smart Rearview Mirror is installed in an all-new 2014 Rogue that would be showcased at the Nissan stand at the upcoming New York International Auto Show. The Smart Rearview Mirror allows the driver to switch between the LCD monitor and the traditional rear view mirror, depending on the driver’s preference.

Built in shape like the conventional rear view mirror, the Smart Rearview Mirror has a built-in LCD monitor that can be activated in place of the conventional mirror. A high-

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resolution camera mounted on the rear of the vehicle provides the driver with a clear, unobstructed view of the rear flanks.

Thus some of the shortcomings of the traditional rear view mirror disappear with the new mirror.

The camera projects a clear image – a wider and clearer view than a standard mirror - onto the monitor for a better view, as well as a more comfortable driving experience.

A switch function, operated by a control located at the bottom of the mirror, allows the driver to access either the traditional rear view mirror system or the Smart Rearview Mirror.

“Smart Rearview Mirror will give our customers the best possible view no matter how tall the passengers in the back seat or how bad the road conditions,” said Andy Palmer, Chief Planning Officer and Executive Vice President of Nissan.

“It also offers the possibility of new and exciting designs for our upcoming models, ensuring that appearance no longer has

to be compromised for visibility and functionality. We’ll have the flexibility to create new shapes and to further improve aerodynamics for better driving dynamics and fuel efficiency,” he said.

In addition, the Smart Rearview Mirror can provide a clear image in different climatic conditions including rain, snow, dawn and dusk. The high-quality camera and image processing system implemented in the LCD monitor consistently results in a clear image with minimal glare, even during sunrise or sunset conditions or when the vehicle is being followed by a vehicle with strong headlights.

The Smart Rearview Mirror is equipped with a newly developed,

high-performance, narrow-angle camera and a specially shaped LCD monitor, with a unique aspect ratio of approximately 4:1, versus conventional monitors’ 4:3 or 16:9. Matching a standard wide-angle camera lens to this monitor could not be done since the images from the camera, when adjusted to the special monitor size, produced a lowresolution image with insufficient picture quality.

To overcome this challenge, a 1,300,000 pixel narrow-angle camera was developed so that picture quality would not be sacrificed when formatted for the specially designed monitor.

When the LCD monitor and mirror are used in unison, the transparency of the monitor and the reflection in the mirror can create an image overlap – a dual layered effect – making it difficult to get a clean view, but with the Smart Rearview Mirror, Nissan applied a special technology to the structural design of the LCD monitor and the mirror, enabling it to function without any image overlaps.

Nissan plans to implement the Smart Rearview Mirror in the ZEOD RC, an experimental race car scheduled to compete in the 2014 24 Hours of Le Mans, as well as other NISMO race cars.

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GLOBAL REPORT

Global leader in automotive bearings, SKF is supplying Volkswagen with energy efficient bearings to the E-powertrain of their first full electric vehicle, the e-up!

SKF is supplying customised tapered roller bearings and SKF eDrive Ball Bearings to the electric motor and gearbox of the e-up!, which was launched in late 2013. The solutions help to reduce the friction and noise in the E-powertrain, enabling an extended driving range of the vehicle, according to a company statement Tryggve Sthen, President, SKF Automotive says, “SKF is very happy to be equipping the Volkswagen e-up!. The SKF eDrive Ball Bearing is a product in our SKF BeyondZero portfolio and is one of our energy efficient solutions for hybrid and full

electric vehicles. Our partnership with Volkswagen has grown over the years and we both are taking positive steps in the area of sustainability to reduce the emission footprint of greenhouse gas globally. We are very proud to work with Volkswagen.”

Since the market launch of the first electric cars from Volkswagen, SKF continues to work closely together with Volkswagen to support them in developing the next generation of e-cars.

The SKF BeyondZero portfolio includes products and solutions from SKF which bring significant environmental benefits to our

Picture courtesy: VW

SKF bearings for VW e-up! powertrain

customers in preserving the balance of the atmosphere, promoting efficient and responsible use of land resources and/or avoiding discharges into

water. The solutions also bring value by improving the efficiency of the application leading to positive consumer end-effects like for ex. fuel savings.

Nordson EFD new adhesive dispensing guns Nordson EFD, a Nordson company, the world’s leading precision fluid dispensing systems manufacturer, has introduced a new line of manual, pneumatic, and cordless guns for dispensing two-component adhesives. The guns make dispensing even the thickest materials easier and less cumbersome.

According to a company statement, a 26:1 thrust ratio enables a lighter touch to dispense more material with each trigger pull. The dispensing guns are ergonomic, lightweight, and easy to load with a unique secured snap feature. They dispense two-component materials for applications such as injection into cracks, concrete anchoring,

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fixturing, windshield installation/ replacement, and bumper repair in markets such as construction, automotive aftermarket, and aerospace.

Nordson EFD recently established a relationship with Albion to supply the guns, broadening Nordson EFD’s product offering. The dispensing guns come in a wide variety of sizes, two-component ratio options, and loading capabilities.

“I am very excited to have Albion as our cartridge gun supplier,” said Anthony Martucci, product line manager, Nordson EFD, adding, “I have always admired the Albion business both as a customer of ours and as a knowledgeable source

of information for the twocomponent market. These tools offer legendary quality and stateof-the-art engineering which will assure optimal performance of EFD cartridges, mixers and other products for the end user.”

These new dispense guns have a longer tool life. In general, as tools get old, they can wear out and replacements must be ordered. Nordson EFD’s manual line of dispense guns have an adjustment screw that enables the drive system to be tightened, extending the tool’s life and eliminating wasted motion. In addition, double grip plates and a steel trigger protect the drive system if the gun is dropped.

The pneumatic guns, which are

activated by air pressure, are rated up to 120 psi operating pressure.

The handle on top of the air cylinder enables easy, user-friendly maneuvering of the gun. A button just above the trigger lets the user toggle between forward and backward piston rod travel with a quick finger movement.

The cordless guns come with a reliable Milwaukee 18 volt lithium ion battery. The gun is lightweight and, like the pneumatic gun, it has a handle above the drive mechanism. The battery has a digital display that shows the charge level. These guns also feature a speed control dial on the drive mechanism, which assure the adhesive is dispensed with the proper speed.

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TECHNOLOGY

Allison automatics help haul critical goods For everything that is critical and needs to be transported, there is need to have a reliable vehicle with reliable components.

As far as components are concerned, Allison fully automatic transmissions have proved that they can be fully depended upon. This was the case with the Turkish Electricity Transmission Corporation (TEIAS) and the vehicles they purchased in 1985.

Since then the company has made sure that they transported their heavy equipment in trucks with Allison transmissions.

In 1985, TEIAS purchased eight heavyduty Kaelble vehicles equipped with Allison CLBT 6061 fully automatic transmissions, all of which are still operating using the original driveline parts. For nearly 30 years, the fleet’s mission has been to transport 50- to 190-ton transformers and reactors from across the country to maintenance and repair centers in Ankara, as well as between different stations.

These Allison-equipped trucks have safely and reliably hauled heavy loads over approximately 150,000 kilometers annually without malfunction. For this reason, when purchasing four new heavy equipment transport vehicles, TEIAS chose four Allisonequipped Volvo FH trucks, said a company statement.

TEIAS is responsible for meeting Turkey’s changing electrical energy needs in accordance with advancements in technology. In keeping with government’s energy policies, this includes infrastructure maintenance and expansion of an electrical grid with more than 50,000 kilometers of interconnected line and a nearly 110,000 megawatt capacity.

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With annual production and consumption of about 240 billion kilowatt hours, TEIAS provides customers with safe, reliable, uninterrupted electric power, relying on vehicles equipped with an Allison transmission to transport and deploy essential equipment.

“Vehicle efficiency and durability are critical to our operation,” said Tuncer Tokaç, Special Loads and Mobile Transportation and Operations Manager at TEIAS. “A blackout is not an option, and Allison Transmissions meet our requirements and help keep our vehicles operational.”

“Sometimes we operate over rough terrain and on very steep inclines. An Allison fully automatic transmission with torque converter and retarder provides significant advantages

in both launch and braking.

Also, long maintenance intervals ensure reduced operational costs and extended vehicle life and uptime. In fact, because there are not expensive clutch repairs and replacements, maintenance costs with an Allison automatic are considerably less,” Tokaç said.

The new Volvo FH trucks purchased by TEIAS are equipped with an Allison 4700 fully automatic transmission with retarder. This transmission is specifically designed to operate within the harshest conditions, ensuring unrivaled startability, uninterrupted power to the drive wheels and smooth gear shifting due to Allison’s Continuous Power Technology.

Allison also delivers ease of operation and increased comfort for drivers navigating difficult conditions. “Our drivers prefer

Allison-equipped vehicles to those with other transmissions,” Tokaç noted.

Allison Transmission is the world’s largest manufacturer of fully automatic transmissions for medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicles and is a leader in hybrid-propulsion systems for city buses. Allison transmissions are used in a variety of applications including refuse, construction, fire, distribution, bus, motorhomes, defense and energy. Founded in 1915, the company is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA and employs approximately 2,700 people worldwide. With a market presence in more than 80 countries, Allison has regional headquarters in the Netherlands, China and Brazil with manufacturing facilities in the U.S., Hungary and India.

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TECHNOLOGY

Skoda produces three-millionth 1.2 HTP engine Skoda Auto has produced the three millionth petrol 1.2 HTP. The three-cylinder engine of the EA 111 series has been running off production lines at Skoda’s main plant in Mladá Boleslav since 2001, and is used in Skoda, Seat and Volkswagen brand vehicles. In addition to the EA 111-series in the 1.2 HTP and 1.2 TSI versions, Skoda produces the 1.2 TSI and 1.4 TSI engines of the EA 211 series, as well as manual and automatic gearboxes in the Czech Republic. The carmaker has also produced its 500,000th MQ/ SQ 100 gearbox, according to a company statement.

“Our company has been building engines for almost 115 years. This makes Skoda one of the longest-established engine developers and producers in the automotive industry,” says Michael Oeljeklaus, Skoda Board Member for Production and Logistics, adding “The milestones of producing three million 1.2 HTP engines and 500,000 MQ/ SQ 100 gearboxes prove the power of our local production.

We are going to strengthen this technological expertise in the years to come.”

The 1.2 HTP engine of the EA 111 series has been produced in Mladá Boleslav since 2001.

The popular three-cylinder petrol engine is used in Skoda’s Fabia, Roomster and Rapid. The abbreviation HTP stands for ‘High Torque Performance’. Even at low speeds, the engine delivers considerable power. At the same time, the engine offers high efficiency and low weight.

Besides engine construction, the focus of Skoda’s component manufacture is in gear production. The automatic dual-clutch gearbox DQ 200 is built at the Vrchlabí plant. Skoda produces the manual MQ 200 and MQ/SQ 100 gearboxes at the

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plant in Mladá Boleslav. Around 500,000 of the latter had been manufactured by the end of March this year. Skoda has been producing the MQ/SQ 100 since mid-2011. The MQ/SQ 100 is used in the city car – the Skoda Citigo, amongst others.

Skoda plans to build on its expertise in engine and gearbox manufacture over the coming years. To this end, the

manufacturer has established a new Powertrain Centre at Česana’s Skoda Development Centre in Mladá Boleslav.

The carmaker invested over 34 million euros into this project with support from the Volkswagen Group. This is currently the largest investment into development in the Czech Republic.

The foundry & forge is an

important pillar of the innovative engine and transmission production at Skoda. The foundry & forge celebrated its 50th jubilee a few weeks ago. This area of production, founded in 1963 - shortly before the production of the Skoda 1000 MB was launched - is now one of the most advanced facilities of its kind, and is a Volkswagen Group ‘Centre of Excellence’.

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TECHNOLOGY

Huge scope for Lanxess polyamide oil pans for CVs Oil pans fitted in the 12.8 litre Euro 6 engines for the Mercedes Actros from Daimler are up to 120 cm long, 40 cm wide and 35 cm deep. To date, they are the largest engine oil pans for trucks to be made of polyamide 6 and 66. An oil pan for the 12.8 litre engine holds 36 litres of oil and is made of the polyamide 66 Durethan AKV 35 H2. They are manufactured by Marbach-based BBP Kunststoffwerk Marbach Baier GmbH using Durethan from Lanxess.

Lanxess is a leading specialty chemicals company with sales of EUR 8.3 billion (Rs 70,129 crore approx) in 2013. The company is currently represented at 52 production sites worldwide. The core business of Lanxess is the development, manufacturing and marketing of plastics, rubber, intermediates and specialty chemicals.

Speaking of the Indian prospective, Sushmita Datta - Business Unit Head (India), High Performance Materials noted, “The commercial vehicle market is changing rapidly in India, there is a visible difference in the technology used in the past to those being used in the present. The commercial vehicles have evolved to be more advanced in terms of technology, enhanced quality and performance. Understanding the growth potential of the commercial vehicle industry, many multinational companies like Volvo, Daimler, Scania, MAN etc., are very active and taking the opportunity to tap the potential and establish their market position in India. Such demand will certainly result in an increase in demand for high performance materials and its applications for the commercial vehicle sector.”

“We used a series of calculations and simulations to confirm the feasibility of the oil pans in advance, thus helping to ensure that the pans could be designed on the computer properly and cost-effectively over a relatively short development period,” explained Frank Krause, a Lanxess expert for oil-carrying engine parts made of plastic, in a media release.

In this particular application, polyamide offers an alternative to aluminum, sheet

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May 2014

steel and sheet moulding compounds (SMC). It produces far lighter components than die-cast aluminum, for example.

What’s more, polyamide components made using injection moulding processes are ready for use straight away. In contrast, die-cast and SMC parts often have to undergo laborious and costly additional processing in order to remove burring, for example.

One variant of the oil pan for the 12.8 litre engine is made of the heat-stabilised polyamide 66 Durethan AKV 35 H2.0 filled with 35pc glass fibres, while the other is manufactured using the corresponding polyamide 6 grade Durethan BKV 35 EF H2.0.

“In the course of the joint development work, it transpired that polyamide 6, too, is able to cope with the high demands made on these large components that are exposed to a range of temperatures and pressures,” said Krause. Durethan BKV 35 EF H2.0 offers an additional advantage, as its glass fibres are less prominent on the surface. This ensures a high degree of tightness in the groove areas and improved removal from the mould.

During the development of the oil pans, Lanxess provided its partners with comprehensive support in the form of calculations and simulations.

This included structural optimisation to improve the acoustic behaviour of the pans, and a simulation exercise to examine resistance to stone chippings and deformation on exposure to sealing force. Simulations were also carried out for the filling of

the injection moulds and the distortion behaviour of the oil pans.

“These calculations helped us to ensure the moulds were filled evenly, particularly in the flange area, thus minimizing distortion,” explained Krause.

Other investigations examined how the oil pans would behave if the entire engine block, including the transmission, was removed and set down for maintenance work or repairs. In this instance, the pans would have to bear a weight of around 1.6 metric tons. Integral simulation was used to provide detailed analysis of the directionality of the thermal expansion around the flanges resulting from the varying fibre orientation in the component.

“We used this to derive measures to ensure the tightness of the flange under all the potential temperatures and pressures,” said Krause.

The simulations and calculations conducted by LANXESS as part of the development of the two engine oil pans are all part of HiAnt. “This brand incorporates all the services received by our customers worldwide as part of the development of innovative system solutions. HiAnt stands for our knowhow in the development of products, applications, processes and technology.

This expertise is what really sets us apart from many of our competitors,” concluded Krause.

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TECHNOLOGY

Picture of Mercedes Actros vehicle, courtesy Daimler

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May 2014

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TECHNOLOGY

Bosch doing some great work in direct injection tech After having successfully brought in the common-rail technology for diesel engines, Bosch is doing wonders with the gasoline direct injection technology. According to a press statement, the company has already revolutionised one type of internal-combustion engine by means of direct injection. In the space of a decade, this technology became the undisputed standard for diesel engines. Today, it features in some 80pc of new diesel vehicles worldwide.

A similar transformation is currently taking place in connection with the downsizing trend for the gasoline engine.

With Bosch gasoline direct injection, drivers benefit from higher torque at low speeds and therefore enhanced driving enjoyment. At the same time, the system reduces fuel consumption by up to 15pc.

“Gasoline direct injection is now heralding the same kind of revolution that we previously saw in diesel engines,” says Dr. Rolf Bulander, the member of the board of management of Robert Bosch GmbH responsible for powertrain technology. In Europe, the technology is already on the way to becoming standard, and Bosch components can be found in sporty compact cars, touring sedans, SUVs, and sports cars. Starting in 1951, Gutbrod was the first automaker to use Bosch gasoline direct injection in selected models of its Superior subcompact car. From 1954, Bosch made this technology available for large-scale series production in the Mercedes-Benz SL 300, the legendary “Gullwing.” The basic technical principle has remained the same over the years: the injectors spray the fuel straight into the combustion chamber in such a finely atomized state that

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it is immediately combustible.

The fact that the fuel vaporizes permits greater compression, because the combustion chamber is additionally cooled. Although the new combustion method saved a lot of fuel, it took a long time before the technology gained widespread acceptance.

Over decades, the company further developed gasoline direct injection with innovations such as laser drilling for the injection holes, which enables particularly exact mixture formation and clean combustion.

At the start of the new millennium, tough emissions

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TECHNOLOGY standards in Europe brought gasoline direct injection to the mass market. This pattern is repeating itself, because vehicles will be allowed to emit on average only 95 grams of CO2 per km by 2021. As a result, approximately half of new European vehicles with gasoline engines will have direct injection by as soon as 2016. “We are currently doing excellent business in Europe with gasoline direct injection. But in a few years, there will be lots of action in the U.S. and China too,” Bulander says. In these markets, the innovative injection systems are still largely restricted to imported vehicles. However, with automakers in China and the U.S. facing tough new emissions legislation in the future, they will increasingly adopt the new technology.

This will boost the fuel economy of U.S. pick-up trucks, European sedans, and mediumsized Asian cars in equal measure,

saving motorists money at the pump. In addition, the economical systems make a valuable contribution to the environment.

This effect is already measurable in Europe, the cradle of and lead market for the innovative technology. In 2013, some 40 percent of all new cars on the continent were equipped with gasoline direct injection. Bosch experts estimate that these new vehicles save a total of around 1.2 million metric tons of CO2 a year, because they consume less fuel. “With innovative technology, Bosch is making powertrain systems energy-efficient, reducing emissions, and slashing the costs for every kilometre driven,” Bulander explains.

Yet the potential of gasoline direct injection does not end with making internal-combustion engines more efficient: it is also the ideal basis for electrifying gasoline engines. Its optimum design for downsizing allows for

compact engines with few cylinders, which can be supplemented by electrical components. In such cases, a highly efficient IC engine forms the core of the powertrain and can be supported by electrical components during its less efficient running phases or even switched off altogether – such as in plug-in hybrids, which can drive up to 60km powered by electricity alone.

“Gasoline direct injection and electrification complement each other perfectly,” Bulander says.

Big reductions in CO2 emissions can be achieved by a combination of electrical components and direct injection.

Bosch’s boost recuperation system is a good example of how this works. The 48-volt hybrid goes perfectly with downsized engines. A particularly strong generator supports the engine at

low speeds or during acceleration by working as a motor. This electrification measure alone can reduce fuel consumption by up to 15 percent. In real driving conditions with the coasting function that shuts off the engine, additional reductions of 10 percent are possible. That makes for total fuel savings of up to twenty-five percent. The system can thus help to meet strict emissions standards in the compact class.

Land Rover developing an ‘Invisible’ car technology We have all heard of the Invisible Man. Now we have an invisible car. Well not completely, but pioneering technology is being developed to give Land Rover drivers a digital vision of the terrain ahead by making the front of the car ‘virtually’ invisible, says a company report.

Jaguar Land Rover based in the United Kingdom is owned by Tata Motors.

Cameras located in the vehicle’s grille capture data used to feed a Head-Up Display, effectively creating a ‘seethrough’ view of the terrain through the bonnet and engine bay, breaking new ground in visual driver assistance. The technology, named Transparent Bonnet by its creators, shows how advanced technology will take Land Rover’s unrivalled capability to the next level.

The technology enables a driver climbing a steep incline or manoeuvring in a confined space to see an augmented reality view capturing not only the terrain in front of the car but also the angle and position of the front wheels.

Dr Wolfgang Epple, Director of Research and Technology for Jaguar Land Rover, said: “We believe the next 25 years

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will be the most exciting and dynamic the automotive industry has ever experienced. There will be huge strides in environmental innovation, in safety and capability.

“As our vehicles become more capable and autonomous off-road, we will ensure the driver has the confidence to allow the car to continue to progress, over any terrain. We are developing new technologies including the Transparent Bonnet to give drivers an augmented view of reality to help them tackle anything from the toughest off-road route to the tight confines of an urban car park.”

Opening the doors to Jaguar Land Rover’s advanced research, the Discovery Vision Concept car is a design and technology showcase which will be unveiled in full at the New York International Auto Show on April 16, 2014. The concept demonstrates Land Rover’s design vision for a future family of premium SUVs built on Land Rover’s key principles of emotive design, unrivalled capability and ultimate versatility.

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TECHNOLOGY

It’s very safe to be in a Mercedes-Benz bus If all the buses in India were like the Travego, then road accidents would have been minimal. The new Active Brake Assist 3 (ABA 3) in the Travego automatically initiates emergency braking when acute danger arises from stationary obstacles. In short, no bus in the world is safer than the Travego.

According to a company statement, every generation of the Mercedes-Benz Travego highdecker touring coach sets new standards in safety technology.

It is the first bus in the world to be available with the new Active Brake Assist 3. The preceding generation, Active Brake Assist 2, was already able to initiate braking action when the danger of a collision with slower vehicles ahead or stationary obstacles arose. The new ABA 3 can do even more: it is able to initiate automatic emergency braking when stationary obstacles are encountered.

This means that the Travego with ABA 3 not only

mitigates the consequences of a serious accident, but can also autonomously prevent accidents within the physical limits. Mercedes-Benz includes the new Active Brake Assist 3 in the Travego as standard if the customer orders adaptive cruise control.

Adaptive cruise control is the precondition for Active Brake Assist 3. This relieves the driver’s workload on highways and

motorways. When adaptive cruise control detects a slower vehicle travelling ahead, it automatically brakes the coach until a speeddependent distance preset by the driver has been reached. The system then constantly maintains this distance. To this end a radar sensor constantly scans the road ahead of the coach. It measures the distance and relative speed of vehicles ahead, and also registers any obstacles.

Numerous safety systems have celebrated their world premiere in the Mercedes-Benz Travego.

In 1999, the very first Travego came with an electronic braking system, disc brakes all-round and particularly powerful xenon headlamps, a first in its segment.

In 2002 the Travego was the first bus with the Electronic Stability Program ESP, which already became standard in 2003.

In 2004, in the Travego, MercedesBenz was the first manufacturer to present the three new assistance systems adaptive cruise control, Lane Keeping Assist and the Continuous Braking Limiter.

In 2008 this was followed by the first generation of Active Brake Assist and the patented passive safety system Front Collision Guard (FCG). In 2012 Active Brake Assist 2 with extended functions and Attention Assist (drowsiness warning for the driver) were introduced. With Active Brake Assist 3, the 2014 Travego now presents a further world premiere in the bus sector.

Osram LED lights for bestseller Ford F-150 One of America’s legendary pickup trucks, and the biggest seller in the USA, is now blazing the pioneer trail in lighting thanks to Osram, leading light manufacturer from Germany. The 2015 model of the Ford F-150 will be the world’s first pickup on the market with a complete LED forward lighting solution from Osram, according to a company statement.

“We are proud to be supplying the complete LED module for the world’s first LED headlamps on the Ford F-150 as standard, once more underlining our leading position on the automotive lighting market”, said HansJoachim Schwabe, CEO of the Specialty Lighting Division at Osram. This innovative lighting system comprises dipped beam

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and high beam, turn indicators, parking light and control module.

In terms of its performance, life expectancy and design it is guaranteed to catch the eye and make the Ford pickup stand out from its competitors.

The LED forward lighting solution meet all the requirements in terms of robustness and durability and are extremely resistant to shocks and vibrations – an important factor for a vehicle which is also used off-road. What’s more, the LED headlamps consumer far less energy than conventional lighting technologies and their light colour is very similar to that of natural daylight. The LEDs also compare very favourably with conventional halogen technology in terms of their light output.

In close cooperation with the US headlight manufacturer Flex-N-Gate, Osram has given the front of the vehicle a completely new look. The LED front lights, in which LEDs from Osram’s subsidiary Osram Opto Semiconductors are installed,

give the F150 a unique and unmistakable appearance which blends perfectly with the styling of the whole vehicle.

The complete LED lighting solution is assembled at Osram’s Hillsboro plant in New Hampshire (USA).

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TECHNOLOGY

No more washing your car, Nissan has the answer

Soon washing a car can be a thing of the past as Nissan claims to have developed a self cleaning car as the company tests its dirt repelling paint technology with the European model Nissan Note, the first car to be tested.

So far, the coating, which is being marketed and sold by UltraTech International Inc, has responded well to common use cases including rain, spray, frost, sleet and standing water. Whilst there are currently no plans for the technology to be applied to the model as standard, Nissan will continue to consider the coating technology as a future aftermarket option.

Nissan in Europe has begun tests on an innovative paint technology that repels mud, rain and everyday dirt, meaning drivers may never have to clean their car again, said a company statement.

The specially engineered superhydrophobic and oleophobic paint, which repels water and oils, has been applied to the all-new European market Nissan Note to create the world’s first selfcleaning car.

To assess the real-world effectiveness of the super-

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hydrophobic as a potential aftermarket application, engineers at Nissan Technical Centre Europe will be testing the self-cleaning Note over the coming months in a variety of conditions.

Nissan is the first carmaker to apply the technology, called Ultra-Ever Dry, on automotive bodywork. By creating a protective layer of air between the paint and environment, it effectively stops standing water and road spray from creating dirty marks on the car’s surface.

“The Nissan Note has been carefully engineered to take the stress out of customer driving, and Nissan’s engineers are constantly thinking of new ways to make families’ lives easier,” said Geraldine Ingham, Chief Marketing Manager for Nissan Note. “We are committed to addressing everyday problems our customers face and will always consider testing exciting, cutting edge technology like this incredible coating application.”

Nissan’s novel nuts and bolts delivery system

In an automobile plant, anything that leads to efficiency improvement needs to be lauded. Nissan Motor has announced that it was licensing its patents and know-how for a nuts-and-bolts delivery system, ‘Automatic Parts Feeder Technology’, to Japanese firm MICE in Kawasaki, an industrial city near Yokohama.

The Automatic Parts Feeder Technology supplies factory workers the required number of parts automatically, according to the vehicle model being produced. This was stated in a press release by Nissan. The Mayor of Kawasaki, Norihiro Fukuda, said MICE’s product was developed on a Nissan patent.

Workers at Nissan factories are required to pick the needed number of bolts or nuts from boxes containing many parts, a task that causes difficulties even for the most seasoned worker. The Feeder is improving work

efficiency and quality by preventing mistakes in the number of parts.

Hideo Sasaki of Nissan’s Monozukuri Planning Group says manufacturing is a nuts and bolts world. “In factories, nearly everything is about screwing together nuts and bolts, and I’ve been dealing with nuts and bolts for decades at Nissan. It’s always been difficult to find the right parts dispenser, although there are many products in the market, so we thought, ‘If it’s not sold, let’s make it,’ and that was when we started development,” he said.

MICE intends to commercialise the “Feeder” using a license that enables resale to other companies engaged in manufacturing.

May 2014

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TECHNOLOGY

Inflatable car seat for children from Volvo Cars Unfortunately in a populated country like India, motorists do not believe in a baby seat at all.

They prefer the mother’s lap or the front seat in a car for the baby. This is primarily one of the reasons why so many children die in road accidents every year in India.

In the west and other developed nations of the world, children’s car seats have been historically bulky, hard to move and tedious to mount. This is why Volvo Cars has designed a lightweight and inflatable

rearward-faced child seat concept using groundbreaking technology.

The seat is safe, easy to pack and carry and will enable parents to use it in many situations not practical with the seats on the market today, according to a company statement Lawrence Abele, Design Manager at the Volvo Monitoring and Concept Center in Los Angeles and the designer behind the new seat, had his two children in mind while designing the concept seat: “For me child safety is always the number one priority and when we lived abroad with two toddlers we had to haul bulky child seats through airports and then into taxis. For many, travelling with young children is a challenge; any assistance to simplify the parents’ life with young children is a great thing.”

The concept presents new

opportunities, for example grandparents and friends who take care of your kids and need an ultra mobile child seat. It is also very convenient when travelling by taxi, rental car or bus, situations where you historically had to rely on the safety measures available.

The seat has an innovative pump system that is silent and efficient in its construction.

The seat inflates in less than 40 seconds and deflates with an integrated pump. The total weight of the seat less than 5 kg, half the weight of a contemporary seat, and it is constantly online via Bluetooth enabling a wide range of features, including remote controlled inflation. It fits into a weekend bag together with other necessities for your child.

“We used a unique material called drop-stitch fabric when creating the prototype of the seat. This fabric is very strong when inflated as it can be brought to a very high internal pressure. It is a quite common technology in the boating industry and was originally developed by the military in an effort to develop inflatable

airplanes,” says Maria Hansson, Project Manager at Volvo Monitoring and Concept Center in Los Angeles.

Rear-faced safest The Inflatable Child Seat Concept faces the rear of the car, as it is the safest way for children to travel. A child’s neck is under development and not as strong as an adult’s neck. In a frontal impact collision, the head of a forward-facing car occupant is thrown forward inducing great stain on the neck. Children therefore need special restraints and to face the rear of the vehicle until at least 3-4 years of age.

“Actually, it would be better for all of us to travel facing the rear but given how cars are designed nowadays it’s not feasible. Young children, however, can and should travel facing the rear of the car as long as possible,” says Lawrence.

“The goal was to design a seat as safe, or safer, than anything on the market right now but second to that I want everyone, including kids to be exposed to great design every day.”

If only parents in India could pay heed to what Volvo has to say on child safety seats!

Toyota to create 14 new engine variations by 2015 Toyota will soon introduce vehicles globally with a series of newly-developed, highly efficient gasoline engines that achieve thermal efficiency and fuel efficiency improvements of at least 10pc, according to a company statement. These developments may even benefit countries like India where Toyota has a major presence, according to Motown India magazine.

Toyota is able to do develop these new engines using the combustion and loss-reduction technologies it has refined in its dedicated hybrid engines. Two engines will form the base of the new series. The first is a 1.3-litre

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May 2014

gasoline engine using the Atkinson cycle normally used in dedicated hybrid vehicles that achieves a maximum thermal efficiency of 38pc — top-level among massproduced engines. The second is a 1.0-litre gasoline engine that has achieves maximum thermal efficiency of 37pc.

The new engines will be used in models scheduled for partial redesign in the near future, and a total of 14 engine variations will be introduced globally by 2015.

The use of the Atkinson cycle provides an increased expansion ratio and reduces waste heat through a high compression ratio (13.5), resulting in superior

thermal efficiency. Toyota aims to further improve the fuel efficiency of the engine by utilising other innovations including an intake port with a new shape that generates a strong tumble flow (whereby the air-fuel mixture flows in a vertical swirl) inside the cylinder, and a cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system paired with Variable Valve Timing-intelligent Electric (VVT-iE) technology to improve combustion and reduce loss.

As a result, the new engine will have a maximum thermal efficiency of 38pc top-level among mass-produced engines.

The new features, combined with

idling stop and other functions, will lead to fuel efficiency gains of approximately 15pc by comparison with current vehicles.

Meanwhile, a 1.0-litre engine jointly developed with Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd. has achieved maximum thermal efficiency of 37pc due to a similar tumble flow-generating intake port, a cooled EGR system, and a high compression ratio. Combination with the idling-stop function and various other fuel consumption reduction technologies allows vehicles to achieve a maximum fuel efficiency improvement of approximately 30pc over current vehicles.

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INDUSTRY OVERVIEW PASSENGER VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS IN INDIA

(Total Domestic Sales + Exports - March 2014 = 2,19,102 Units)

Ford India 2.29%

Toyota Kirloskar Motor 2.24%

Others 2.07%

GM India 1.79%

VW India 4.24% Tata Motors 4.62% Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. 44.12%

Nissan Motor India 6.48%

OTHERS • Fiat India Automobiles Pvt. Ltd. (0.69%) • Skoda Auto India Pvt. Ltd. (0.67%) • Renault India Pvt. Ltd. (0.42%) • Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (0.24%) • Hindustan Motors Ltd. (0.05%)

Honda Cars India Ltd. 8.64% Hyundai Motor India 23.51%

UTILITY VEHICLES MANUFACTURERS IN INDIA

(Total Domestic Sales + Exports - March 2014 = 72,371 Units)

Toyota Kirloskar Motor 5.88%

Nissan India 4.28%

GM India 3.70%

Others 1.09%

Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. 35.46%

Renault India 8.30 %

Tata Motors Ltd. 8.85 %

Ford India 9.38%

OTHERS • Force Motors Ltd (0.48%) • Honda Cars India Ltd. (0.11%)

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May 2014

• Hyundai Motor India Ltd. (0.26%); • Ashok Leyland (0.05%)

Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. 23.06 %

• Hindustan Motors (0.18%); • Skoda Auto India Pvt. Ltd (0.01%)

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INDUSTRY OVERVIEW TWO WHEELER MANUFACTURERS IN INDIA

(Total Domestic Sales + Exports - March 2014 = 15,14,355 Units)

TVS Motor Company 12.47%

India Yamaha Motor 4.15%

Others 3%

Suzuki Motorcycle India 2.02% Hero MotoCorp 34.60 %

Bajaj Auto 17.87%

Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India 25.89%

OTHERS • Royal Enfield (1.56%) • Piaggio Vehicles Pvt.Ltd. (0.13%)

• Mahindra Two Wheelers Ltd. (1.29%) • H-D Motor Company India Pvt.Ltd. (0.01%)

THREE WHEELERS IN INDIA

(Total Domestic Sales + Exports - March 2014 = 67,520 Units) Atul Auto 4.76% Mahindra & Mahindra 9.60%

TVS Motor Company 11.33%

Scooters India 2.48%

Force Motors 0.12%

Bajaj Auto 49.97%

Piaggio Vehicles 21.74%

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57

INDUSTRY OVERVIEW LIGHT COMMERCIAL VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS IN INDIA (Total Domestic Sales + Exports - March 2014 = 45,909 Units) Piaggio Vehicles (1.26%)

Mahindra Trucks & Buses Ltd. (1.29%)

SML Isuzu Ltd (1.17%)

VECVs - Eicher (2.98%)

Hindustan Motors (0.01%)

Force Motors (5.04%)

Tata Motors (43.86%)

Ashok Leyland (5.50%)

Mahindra & Mahindra (38.89%)

MEDIUM & HEAVY COMMERCIAL VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS IN INDIA (Total Domestic Sales + Exports - March 2014 = 27,079 Units)

SML Isuzu Ltd. (2.95%)

Mahindra Trucks & Buses Ltd. (1.89%) Asia Motor Works Ltd. (1.57%)

VECVs - Eicher (11.06%)

VECV-Volvo 0.39% Tata Motors (53.63%)

Ashok Leyland (28.51%)

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May 2014

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