Commercial Vehicle Aug. 2009 Issue by Next Gen Publishing Ltd.

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JCB’s excavators perform well • Swaraj looks at product innovations

At the heart of the indian trucks & bus industry Volume 3 Issue 11 • August 2009

NO STOPS FOR

SCHOOL BUSES

With over 2.5 lakh Tata Ace on the road, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find one in every corner. There are over two-and-a-half lakh Tata Ace on the road changing the lives of as many people.

Tata Motors Limited, 26th Floor, World Trade Centre - 1, Cuffe Parade, Mumbai - 400 005. Tel.: 022-66561820, 66561800. Log on to http://ace.tatamotors.com

Straightdrive The PM may have surrendered India’s interests in one misguided draft, sniffing danger our T-72 tanks may be moving towards the China border, and all along the prices of pulses have doubled even during ‘negative’ inflation. But, Obama declares that recession is coming to an end - home prices are rising for the first time in three years. And it has rained quite well in July. The negatives may never stop coming at you. It’s only a matter of picking enough positives to stay cheerful. That is exactly, what we are doing in profiling the school bus market that continues to record sound growth, even during a slowdown. The ticket size of sales may be small, since we are predominantly discussing mini-buses, but the volumes make up for it. Estimates of the market vary from 10,00015,000 units out of total bus sales of some 60,000 units. All major CV makers including Tata Motors, VECV, Mahindra Navistar, Ashok Leyland, Swaraj Mazda and Force Motors are all competing very hard indeed. Issues like safety, permits, operating economics and even access to semi-urban and rural areas make for interesting angles. Staying with buses, Swaraj Mazda has felt the need to go the whole hog in the intercity segment. The Prestige LT is a competent vehicle that is priced in between the current crop of intercity coaches and the Volvos. But Swaraj knows that it needs a product that is equivalent to the Volvos, in virtually the same price bracket. Therefore a 12-metre variant, most likely branded Isuzu may is in the offing. From buses, we take a look at a company reaching for the skies – with its truck-mounted step ladders, flight kitchens and air ambulances. The company is Nandan GSE and possible applications are aplenty. Scissor lifts and even reefers are very much up and running. JCB brings a whole new dimension as well. The backhoe loaders’ market leader entered the excavators’ scene a bit late. But, when it did, the company set up a heavy line plant in Pune that not localises key aggregates for both the domestic and overseas markets. It also introduced two excavators in the popular 20-tonne segment – to cater to both the value seeking as well as discerning customers. We went around meeting some customers in Pune to figure out, how the machines were performing. By all evidences, JCB has been getting a thing or two, right! I end this piece with a mention of three All major CV makers including component makers. For starters is an inter- Tata Motors, VECV, Mahindra esting piece on the technology that goes be- Navistar, Ashok Leyland, Swaraj hind developing a threaded bearing. Tim- Mazda and Force Motors are all ken is developing such products to help US competing very hard indeed. OEMs cater to stringent EPA norms. Back home, too, Rane Madras prides itself on being able to make steering components for any OEM ‘if the right specifications are provided’. The company’s products go into everything from the Tata Nano to the World Trucks. Lastly, one must start – mentioning starting solutions provider Beru Diesel. Glow plugs, grid heaters and flame start systems… these may not be terms that one comes across daily. But, then, one would not know much, if the car or bus did not start and one had to stay at home!! Sridhar Chari s.chari@nextgenpublishing.net

Commercial Vehicle Magazine 401B, Gandhi Empire, 5th Floor, 2 Sareen Estate, Kondhwa Road, Pune 411 040. India Tel +91-20-32930291 / 2 Fax +91-20-26830465 Email us at cv@nextgenpublishing.net Executive Editor Test Editor European Editor Staff Writers Group Art Director and Production-in-Charge Art Director Senior Designers Assistant Designer Photographer Production Executive Administrative Executive Publisher Associate Publisher

Sridhar Chari Aspi Bhathena Michael Smith Ahfaaz Khan, Ram Kumar Ramaswamy, Kiran Bajad, Bunny Punia, Adhish Alwani, Ajay Joyson Atul Bandekar Ramnath S Chodankar Praveen B Nambiar Ravi Parmar Varun Kulkarni Sawan Sekhar Hembram Dinesh Bhajnik Roshni Bulsara Khushroo Bhadha Marzban Jasoomani

Regional Marketing Manager (North & East) Ellora Dasgupta Regional Manager (Tamil Nadu and Kerala) A. Mageshwar Assistant Manager Advertising (Delhi) Chanchal Arora Area Advertising Managers Niladri S Majumdar (Mumbai), Pramod Udupa (Bangalore), Y. Lingeswaran (Chennai) Sr. Response Executives Vidya Venkatesan (Mumbai), Sachi Kumar (Delhi) National Manager — Circulation & Subscription K Srikanth Assistant Circulation Managers Kapil Kaushik (Delhi) Sanjeev Roy (West) Subscription Supervisor Sachin Kelkar Tel +91 22 67525220 Fax +91 22 24448289 Regional marketing offices Next Gen Publishing Ltd. 2nd Floor, Khatau House, Mogul Lane, Mahim (W), Mumbai – 400016, India Tel +91 22 43525252 Fax +91 22 24448289 24 & 30 Okhla Industrial Estate, Phase III, Okhla, New Delhi - 110020, India Tel +91 11 42345678 Fax +91 11 42345679 #903, 9th Floor, ‘B’ wing, Mittal Towers, MG Road, Bangalore -560001, India Tel +91 080 66110116 Unit No. 30, 3rd Floor, Modern Towers, No. 35/23 West Cott Road, Royapettah, Chennai - 600014, India Tel +91 44 39149889/90/91 Fax +91 11 39149892 Chandan House, 3rd Floor, Mithakhali Six Roads, Ahmedabad - 380006, India iews and opinions expressed in the magazine are not necessarily V those of Next Gen Publishing Ltd. Next Gen Publishing does not take the responsibility for returning unsolicited material sent. No part of the magazine may be reproduced in part or full without the prior express written permission of the publisher. Published by Khushroo Bhadha Next Gen Publishing Ltd., 2nd Floor, Khatau House, Mogul Lane, Mahim (W), Mumbai - 400016. Printed by Khushroo Bhadha Next Gen Publishing Ltd., 2nd Floor, Khatau House, Mogul Lane, Mahim (W), Mumbai - 400016. Printed at Kala Jyothi Process Pvt. Ltd, 1-1-60/5 RTCX Roads, Hyderabad - 20. Published at Next Gen Publishing Ltd., 2nd Floor, Khatau House, Mogul Lane, Mahim (W), Mumbai - 400016. Copyright 2006 COMMERCIAL VEHICLE All readers are recommended to make their own independent enquiries before sending money, incurring expenses or entering into commitments in relation to any advertisement appearing in the publication. Commercial Vehicle does not vouch for any claims made by advertisers for their products and services. The editor, publisher, printer and employees of the publication shall not be held liable for any consequence in the events of such claims not being honoured by the advertisers. All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of competent courts and forums in Mumbai only. Executive Editor Sridhar Chari

august 2009 / Commercial Vehicle /

What’s inside Straight Drive

what’s inside

Sridhar Chari

Letters

Scoop

CV News

Timken talks technology

A technological perspective on how US bearings specialist Timken develops its cutting edge products.

Rane Madras gets busy

Both the OEM and aftermarket segment beckon for this steering components manufacturer that had seen a rough patch in the recent past.

This special equipment manufacturer may not have big numbers to boast of at the moment, but the futuristic appeal of these products makes this company one to look out for.

Volvo works on new safety solutions

Volvo is engaged in a pan-European project that aims to take the guesswork out of safety.

Allison expands its footprint

Transmission manufacturer Allison has introduced its unique hybrid propulsion system in London.

NGSEPL readies for take off

Cover Story

No stops for school buses This segment is relatively insulated from the effects of the slowdown. A recent thrust on safety, besides the short period within which they are demanded, means that OEMs are happy to offer fully-built buses.

Roaring aloud

MAN further enhances the appeal of its Lion city bus by putting out a hybrid three-axle version.

Renault’s special focus

With the introduction of a dedicated range of vehicles, besides the Optifuel solutions, Renault aims big time at the off-road business.

Siam data

68 70

JCB’s excavators gain ground JCB has taken some time in entering the excavator market, but the competent JS200 and JS210, are helping the company make some deep forays.

YOUR VOICE

We welcome suggestions, feedback, comments, bouquets and brickbats on how the magazine is shaping up and what you would like to see and read more about. Write in to: cvindia@nextgenpublishing.net / Commercial Vehicle / august 2009

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Swaraj Mazda reveals strong product pipeline

Beru Diesel set to fire on all cylinders

Swaraj Mazda is working on new trucks and buses, as also an elder sibling for the Prestige LT intercity bus.

The Pune-based joint venture company is working on a range of starting solutions for the CV industry. Stringent emission norms as well as export aspirations are the trigger.

45 august 2009 / Commercial Vehicle /

letters to cv

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In search of a

smoother ride Volvo bids for telematics market • Veer Vahana looks at European JV

of r e t Let month Restrictions on entry of private buses should be removed the The story on the private bus operators was interesting to read. I work in Mumbai and come to Pune on weekends. I have been doing this for the past four years, so bus journeys have become integral part of my life. My office is in Andheri and I normally take an evening bus to Pune. Most of the time, I have to board a private bus as the frequency of luxury buses being run by MSRTC is very low on this route. Till the end of last year, my experience travelling from Mumbai to Pune was good. I never had to wait for more than 15 minutes to catch a bus. I used to alight at Pune station and head of to my house in camp, hardly 10 minutes by auto rickshaw. However the recent decision by the Pune RTO to ban the entry of private luxury buses inside city limits has made the last leg of my journey not that enjoyable. Now I have to alight at a place which is almost 6 km from Pune station. At times, auto rickshaws are hard to find and even if I find one, I end up paying Rs 50 more than the Mumbai-Pune bus fare. I am pretty certain that I am not the only one who is experiencing these hassles. The question I wanted to ask is why do authorities differentiate between a government and a private bus? And to what extent is this differentiation relevant, when the profile of passengers travelling on both buses is the same. It is an open secret as to why such

At the heart of the indian trucks & bus industry Volume 3 Issue 10 • July 2009

restrictions are there in the first place. But one thing is certain that if a bus from an STU can’t add to traffic chaos, then why should buses from the private Back with a sector? And if there is a case of buses causing traffic snarls in the city, the solution is not to ban their entry but to take measures to sort out problems. What unfortunately the authorities in Pune have done is the exact reverse. I would like to remind the authorities that convenience of citizens is one of their primary responsibilities. So if at all they want to continue with their decision, they should ask MSRTC to roll our more luxury buses on the Andheri -Pune route. Taking into consideration financial constraints of STUs, this is quite unlikely. So the only option before them is a revocation of their decision to prevent private buses from entering the city. Narrow roads and traffic snarls are the result of inefficiency on the part of babus and a common citizen should not be made to pay for their shortcomings

MAN-FORCE

Bang!

09 CV_July_cover.indd 1

■ Avinash Patil, Pune

Use technology to prevent accidents The recently held SAFE Annual Convention in Hyderabad emphasised on improving the road-worthiness of commercial vehicles to reduce accidents. Various methods of determining road worthiness were also discussed at the conference. Though I appreciate their recommendations, I am not fully convinced that improving road worthiness of vehicles will necessarily lead to safer roads. A large number of accidents are caused not because of the condition of vehicle but because of errant drivers. Moreover, there are also times when a component in a vehicle suddenly fails resulting into an accident. No matter what number of road fitness tests are conducted, they will not result in a reduction in accidents. Hence I feel that the use of advanced solutions is the only way forward for us to get significant results. Solutions which monitor the alertness of drivers and sound alarms when alertness falls below a cer-

tain level can help to prevent accidents caused by drivers losing concentration. There are also certain solutions which keep a check on various components and indicate the time when they need to be replaced. Indian customers like to use components beyond their shelf life but if they are made aware of the threshold time beyond which they would most like suffer losses, they will certainly not be reluctant to spend few hundreds and get the part replaced. Interestingly, though not intended, these solutions might just go well with Indian customers as they will be in a position to continue to use a part with their typical mindset but at the same time also be aware of the time beyond which the use of a part will bring more losses than gains. ■ Harpreet Singh, Chandigarh

Pen down your views and queries to Commercial Vehicle, NextGen Automotive, 401 B Gandhi Empire, 5th Floor, 2 Sareen Estate, Kondhwa Road, Pune 411040, INDIA. or Fax +91 20 26830465 or Email cv@nextgenpublishing.net / Commercial Vehicle / august 2009

7/1/2009 10:05:22 AM

[ SCOOP

M&Mâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sub 1-tonner spotted The first glimpse of the Mahindra sub 1-tonner that will be launched by the end of this year. It is most likely to be powered by a three-cylinder diesel engine that can be easily scalable to accommodate different fuel options as well as a passenger version. Built in M&Mâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chakan plant that will also make the heavies from the Mahindra Navistar range, this mini-truck should prove to be quite a challenge to the Tata Ace.

/ Commercial Vehicle / august 2009

CV Monitor

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M&M launches Bolero MaxiTruck

Goa to introduce amphibious tourist buses

&M has launched the 1tonne payload pickup Bolero MaxiTruck. Priced at Rs 3.52 lakh (ex-showroom Pune), the vehicle features the micro hybrid technology pioneered and demonstrated by M&M in the Scorpio and the Bolero. This technology cuts off power to the engine when the vehicle is idling or when it comes to a halt. Upon engaging the clutch, the engine comes back to life. There is also viscous fan drive technology, which switches off, if the engine’s temperature falls below a particular temperature. Similarly, it also has a muffler that reduces back pressure. The cumulative result of these three technologies is a 10 percent reduction in fuel consumption. To add to this, the vehicle can boast of

n an innovative move, Goa’s tourism minister, Francisco Pacheco is considering the introduction of amphibious buses. These buses, seen in Singapore and Australia will be operated by the Goa Tourism Development Corporation. The vehicles will sail through Goa’s waters and reach land by riding up a ramp, as soon as a tourist destination is at hand. According to reports, the coach will set sail from Panaji’s Santa Monica jetty, stopping at fixed points to allow tourists a view. Another circuit has been planned on the Zuari River. At the moment, the cost and viability of these buses has not been ascertained. Across both the corridors, the jetties will be equipped with amphitheatres, souvenir shops, cafeterias, book shops and ex-

a top speed of 100 km/h. Its small turning

Mahindra Navistar inks deal with BOI

ahindra Navistar Automotives Limited (MNAL), makers of the Loadking LCVs and Tourister i buses has inked a vehicle financing deal with the Bank of India. Under the arrangement, customers of the No.2 LCV maker will be able to avail loans at 10.5 percent. Not only will they get longer repayment periods, but will also be able to bag finance to the extent of 85 percent of the on-road price of the vehicles. The Bank of India, which attained a business volume of Rs 3,34,000 crore last year has 3,031 branches. This large distribution network when combined with the bank’s focus on the Small and Medium Enterprises segment will bode well for MNAL. Most of its customers come from this segment. ■

10 / Commercial Vehicle / august 2009

radius of 6.6 metre also ensures maneuverability on narrow urban roads. In terms of aesthetics, the MaxiTruck has the same aggressive profile as the Bolero. It also has a greater cabin space, plush fabric seats and integrated dashboard and glove box. In 2008-09, M&M ended up with an 85 percent market share in the pickup segment. ■

Dr. Goenka underlines key demands for auto industry

month ahead of taking over as President of the Society of Automotive Manufacturers (SIAM), Dr. Pawan Goenka has underlined key demands of the auto industry. Dr. Goenka, President Auto Sector, M&M said that old vehicles should be scrapped, with the incentive of a scrappage bonus. He said that such a scheme has helped revive Germany’s auto sales by 40 percent in May. Similar stimulus measures announced in India during the fourth quarter of last fiscal helped the industry recover. From a decline of 26 percent in Q3FY09, the industry registered just a 4 percent decline during Q4FY09. On top of this, Q1FY10 has been flat. If these positive trends are to continue, greater stimulus efforts would be needed on the part of the government. But, the differential in the excise duty rates between small cars (8 percent) and bigger ones (20 percent) must be done away with. The rationale being that a mere 5 percent differential in fuel-efficiency cannot be the basis for such a huge difference. Adding to this demand, Dr. Goenka has sought a more active intervention in interest rates. His contention is that, while liquidity has improved, the cost of borrowing still remains high. Irrespective of the cost of lending, investments in the auto industry seem to be well on track. The Automotive Mission Plan had mandated a spending of USD 45 billion – USD 25 billion has already been expended. ■

hibition centres. These projects, designed to take tourism to the hinterland of Goa, will be part funded by the Central Govern-

ment. While Rs 31 crore will come from the Goa government, Rs 43 crore will be offered by the Central Government. ■

NHAI on recruitment drive

n order to meet Surface Transport Minister Kamal Nath’s ambitious road development plans, the National Highways Authority of India is ramping up its manpower. About 500 officers are being recruited to beef up manpower to 900. NHAI once prided itself on its lean workforce and outsourcing of non-core activities. But as the scope of its work increases, even this increment will not be enough. For the record, 26 Chief General Managers, equivalent in rank to a joint secretary are being hired. Also, more than 100 General Mangers, equivalent to superintendent engineers will be brought on board to add to the current strength of 54. At the lower levels too, some 300 vacancies – 100 for Deputy General Managers and 200 for Managers are open. The NHAI can directly appoint officers up to General Managers. Chief General Managers can only be appointed by the high level search and selection committee, headed by the secretary of the ministry of road transport and highways. ■

MSRTC adds Mercedes-Benz buses to its fleet

days, Mondays and holidays on public demand. ■

he Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has added Mercedes-Benz coaches to its fleet. The first batch of two coaches have started plying on the Dadar-Pune-Dadar route. The next batch of two coaches is expected to join the fleet over the next three-four days. These coaches, which will perform 8 trips per day, will have the same fares as the Volvo buses - i.e. Rs 225 per adult. MSRTC have restarted its Air-Conditioned passenger bus service on the Mumbai (Dadar)-Pune (via Pimpri-Chinchwad) route. The A/c buses will leave from both the cities at every hour from 6 am to 9 pm. In addition, MSRTC will also operate 24 semi-luxury trips daily on this route at regular intervals from both ends. MSRTC now operates 56 A/c buses via Aundh, 16 A/c and 24 semi luxury trips via Pimpri-Chinchwad on the Dadar-Pune-Dadar route daily. In addition, to this, extra ordinary/semi-luxury trips will be operative on Fridays, Saturdays, Sunaugust 2009 / Commercial Vehicle / 11

CV monitor / news

Petrol driven trucks to attract 8 percent excise duty

he Budget has equated the excise duty on diesel and petrol driven trucks at 8 percent. Until now, the former used to be taxed at 20 percent. This development will help the Maruti Omni. But it remains to be seen if Tata Motors comes out with a petrol-engined variant of its popular Ace mini-truck. Currently, the 16 HP diesel-version has been improved with stop-start technology, 5-speed gearbox and bigger 13-inch wheels. This has enabled the vehicle to tear away significant market share away from three-wheelers. However, larger trucks are not likely to head the petrol way. The price differential between petrol and diesel is 33 percent. The budget brought some cheer to the auto industry in the shape of an extension in the 150 percent weighted deduction on R&D expenditure. ■

Freight prices rise on diesel price hike

he government’s aggressive move to raise diesel and petrol prices by Rs 2 and Rs 4 respectively is expected to trigger a 6-12 percent increase in freight rates. Close to 90 percent of a truck’s running expenditure consists of diesel and tyres. And, in India, 78 percent of goods are transported by trucks. Prices rose immediately at 6 percent following the announcement. As a result, a Delhi-Mumbai-Delhi trip will now cost Rs 35,500 visà-vis Rs 33,500 earlier, while a Delhi-Guwahati-Delhi round trip will entail freight rates of Rs 66,400 as opposed to Rs 62,800 earlier. However, it is unlikely that they will reach the upper end of the expected price increase. Demand for transport of agri-commodities has been low, with prices even falling during the early part of June. Agriproducts account for 40 percent of road cargo. The deficient monsoon will do freight rate movement no good. ■

Budget rationalizes service tax for CV industry

he recent budget has initiated a service tax on goods transported by railways, coastal cargo and inland waterways. This will rationalize the service tax regime, which was thus far only restricted to goods transported by road, air, through pipelines and containers. This move will increase freight rates on railways. However, essential commodities and goods of mass consumption will not be affected by this increase. Further clarity will be achieved when the government issues its advance tax rates notification. On the passenger transport front, private buses plying under the contract carriage permit will be exempt from service tax. This will bring private bus services at par with those offered by state transport undertakings. In the light of this move, many private bus operators did not raise tariffs despite the fuel price hike. ■ 12 / Commercial Vehicle / august 2009

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Defiance to expand into new streams

H Bridgestone invests Rs 259 crore to expand capacity

apanese tyre maker Bridgestone has invested Rs 259 crore to increase the capacity at its Pithampur plant by 40 percent. Takashi Urano, Vice President and Senior Officer, International Tyre Business Operations of Bridgestone Corporation, Japan said, ‘Success in India is essential and inevitable for Bridgestone to reach the goal to become undisputed

No. 1 tire and Rubber Company in the world both in name and reality.’ As production capacity increases by 4,500 units of tyres per month, the employment has risen by 300 employees. Bridgestone has been present in India since 1996. The manufacturing operations started in 1998 in Kheda, Madhya Pradesh. ■

induja Group company, Defiance Tech has announced its intention to add manufacturing and enterprise solutions to its traditional design and engineering service offerings. There is also a move to add verticals like aerospace and defence to its conventional thrust on the automotive sector. ‘We now intend to expand the scope of operations of Defiance beyond engineering to technology-enabled manufacturing and enterprise solutions. The other dimension of growth we are seeking is to serve customers beyond Automotive to other industry verticals including Aerospace and Defence,’ states Dr. V. Sumantran, Chairman, Defiance Tech and Executive Vice Chairman, Hinduja Automotive Limited.

Tyre makers ramp up CV radials capacity

espite a 22 percent slowdown in the CV sector last year, tyre makers seem to be enthused by the growing pace of radialisation. Currently at levels of 8-12 percent, experts predict that India’s CVs could boast of 25-30 percent radialisation over the next 3-4 years. It is believed that the longer life and better fuel efficiency of radials will push more customers towards them. The government’s focus on road development as well an expected announcement on the replacement of old vehicles will create demand for trucks and buses that are best suited for radial use. These possibilities have motivated tyre makers to commit as much as Rs 2,600 crore over the next couple of years. This will raise the radial manufacturing capacity in India by 3 times, to 3.8 crore units. As part of this drive, Apollo Tyres will invest Rs 1,100 crore to quadruple its radial capacity, while JK Tyre will infuse Rs 250 crore to grow its own capacity by 4 times over current levels of 3,70,000 tyres per annum.

MRF too is fuelling in Rs 900 crore for a passenger and commercial vehicle radials’ facility near Chennai. But, by all accounts, a fair amount of CV users in India will continue using traditional crossply tyres in the interest of a low-level economy. And radialisation in CVs make take a long while to match the 97-98 percent levels seen in passenger cars. But the big opportunity for tyre makers could emerge from replacement demand. Almost 75 percent or 89.9 lakh units of the 1.28 crore tyres CV radials produced last year went to the replacement market. This helped tyre makers

ALL recovers in June, still falls short

Michelin to pump in Rs 11,000 crore into CV radials facility

shok Leyland has improved its June 2009 sales over that recorded in May 2009, but still registered a significant dip for the month vis-à-vis the same period last year. The same holds true of its performance in the first quarter as measured against that recorded in the last quarter. MHCV goods carriers’ sales increased to 2,417 units in June 2009 in favourable comparison with the 1,044 units seen in May 2009, but was still lower than the 4,321 units seen in June 2009. Conse-

ichelin is now set to roar into India’s radials’ market. The Department of Revenues has cleared the French tyre major’s proposal to investment Rs 11,000 crore in an off-road and CV radials’ plant in Tamil Nadu. Out of this figure, while Rs 4,000 crore will be invested in the first three years, the remainder will be committed over the next four. The manufacturing facility, which will make tyres, tubes and ancillary products, will be incorporated under a new facility, Michelin India Tamil Nadu Tyres Pvt Ltd. This entity will be absorbed by parent company, Compagnie Financiere Michelin (CFM) once the final approvals are received from the Central Government. Michelin already has presence in India through Michelin India Tyres Pvt Ltd and Michelin India Pvt Ltd. ■

14 / Commercial Vehicle / august 2009

quently, sales for the first quarter (4,456) stood at just a third of levels seen in Q1 last year (12,985). Similarly bus sales declined from 2,041 units in June 2008 to 1,016 units in June 2009. ■

Defiance has also announced the appointment of Subu D Subramanian as Chief Executive Officer, who was until recently Senior Vice President at Satyam Computer Services. ‘Today, global manufacturing customers require niche interface solutions that connect the engineering and enterprise domains. Such solutions will enhance the manufacturing and supply chain efficiency and improve the overall enterprise productivity. There is tremendous opportunity for a credible player that can provide integrated engineering and enterprise Services on a global delivery model,’ he said. ■

grow sales across vehicle segments by 8 percent in reaching 423.5 crore units. A surprising trigger for replacement demand are cheap Chinese radials. Available at almost the same price as domestic cross-ply tyres, these tyres have accelerated radialisation in the CV sector. While domestic tyre makers may lament this invasion, they rejoice, when the Chinese radials need to be replaced by their domestic produce. If as expected, the CV market recovers over the next few months, radialisation will receive a huge shot in the arm. ■

Piaggio banks on India

n a bid to raise operating profits to a projected Euro 248 million by 2012, Piaggio & C SpA is looking towards India. It is expected that despite the slowdown, India will still deliver Euro 337.4 million over the Euro 244.1 million seen last year. Thanks to the diesel Ape three-wheelers, Piaggio has more than 40 percent market share in that segment, while the Ape Truk has made a sizeable presence in the sub 1-tonne four-wheeler LCV market. Piaggio is keen on developing the four-wheeler market, by increasing sales of the Ape Mini Truk, Ape Truk Maxi Cargo model. ■ august 2009 / Commercial Vehicle / 15

CV monitor / news

E-payment for national permits from April 2010

he Ministry of Surface Transport and Highways plans to set up an e-portal to enable truckers to pay Rs 15,000 and obtain a national permit that can allow them to ply their trade across the entire country. The rollout of this e-payment scheme from April 2010 will benefit 4.5 lakh truckers. Three banks, SBI, ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank are being roped in to be partners for this venture. They will set up interfaces through their own websites to make life further easy for the truckers. This development is expected to take away the usual corruption that is seen at Regional Transport Offices while issuing the permits. Other banks will be brought into the picture too, as more and more states fall in line. For the national permit to be in play, each state has to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with banks. The states have been reluctant in coming on board for this national permit scheme, fearing loss of revenues. However, they have been gradually falling in line, on the back of the Central Government’s offer to compensate them. Another challenge in the quest to make this Rs 148 crore e-governance scheme successful is to ensure that data lying with state RTOs is transferred to a central database. At the moment, only 13 states have either shared or offered to share such data. ■

Karnataka mulls integrated public transport system

arnataka is embarking on a plan to integrate different modes of transport under common tickets. For example, a passenger travelling the metro-rail, can take a BMTC bus through a small bay built at the metro station, using the same metro ticket. Currently, Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation bays are away from the metro and different tickets are needed for each mode. A similar example has been set in motion between the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) and the BMTC. Passengers taking the rural bus service in Ramanagar, Chennapatana and Anekal can also take BMTC buses in Bangalore on the same ticket. These schemes sound good on paper, but organisations are still wary of implementing it, due to fear of loss of revenues. Such a system is not unheard of. For instance, in London, one can travel on road, sea and metro using the same ticket. ■

GAIL to layout 14,400 km of pipelines

he Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) is looking to lay out 14,400 km of gas pipelines across north India. The three pipeline projects to be completed by 2012 will help deliver 280 million cubic metres of gas per day. The cumulative investments are in the order of Rs 8,000 crore. While, a 2,050-km pipeline will be laid between Jagdishpur in Uttar Pradesh to Haldia in West Bengal at an investment of Rs 7,595 crore, separate spur lines will be laid between Baurani and Chappra. GAIL will also lay a 275 km pipeline across Karanpur-Moradabad-KashipurRudrapur at a cost of Rs 250 crore. the existing Bajera-Agra-Ferozabad pipeline would be upgraded at an investment of Rs 200 crore ■ 18 / Commercial Vehicle / august 2009

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Land Rover seeks entry into India’s defence market

Arotech develops armoured vehicle for Indian army

ata Motors’ UK acquisition, Land Rover, makers of rugged SUVs is eyeing India’s defence mart. It is said to be developing a new vehicle at its UK R&D centre, to specifically target the global defence market. Unconfirmed reports indicate that the Indian government has already been tapped. The Indian army has finally swung into a modernisation drive. A whopping USD 30 billion is expected to be expended in order to be able to handle external and internal threats. And close to USD 1 billion will be pumped into heavy armoured trucks, personnel carriers and tactical transport solutions. Meanwhile, the new vehicle, being built on a completely new platform is also likely to see interest in countries as diverse as ones in Europe, Brazil, China and Russia. In bagging these mandates, Land Rover is likely to bank on its 60 year old experience in offering light and heavy 4x4 models. The most commonly sold offering is the Defender 4x4, is available in the civilian market as station wagons, pick ups, hard tops, single cabs and double cab pick ups and utility station wagons. In the military arena, the same chassis is used with only a modification in the engine, axle,

rotech Corporation has announced that its Armour Division has developed a new armoured vehicle, aimed at the defence market in India. Arotech’s joint venture in India - Concord Safety Systems - is conducted with MKU, India’s leading armour materials supplier, and the JN Group, India’s leading automotive bodybuilder. Concord was invited to participate in a tender for armoured vehicles for the Indian Army. Arotech’s Armour Division developed the new vehicle, the C8 Light Weight Armoured Vehicle Solution (LWAV). The first prototypes were built at Concord’s facility in Dehradun, India. The vehicles are currently undergoing testing at the Northern Command unit of the Indian Army. The vehicles are slated to be available to paramilitary and police forces in two months’ time. The C8 was designed using experience

powertrain and bodywork. In India, Land Rover will benefit from Tata Motors’ five-decade presence in India’s defence arena. The CV major has been supplying light armoured troop carriers, riot control vehicles, ambulances, short bus chassis and truck fire fighter to the Indian armed forces. Besides Tata Motors, other companies like Ashok Leyland,

M&M, Tatra Vectra and BEML are also vying for orders. Whatever share, Land Rover ends up bagging from India, the company will do much to recoup from its 40 percent lower volumes. The company has sold just 1,20,000 units in the 10 months since June 2008, down from1,98,000 units during the comparable period a year before. ■

gained in the development of the David, MDT’s lightweight armoured vehicle selected by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) as its standard armoured reconnaissance and patrol vehicle. The Concord C8 is a cost-effective armoured vehicle, based on an Indian 4X4 platform, and will be marketed to other Asian markets as well. The light weight and rugged C8 4X4 can be viably operated on all types of terrain, and permits the transport of six soldiers in full combat gear with their loads and a driver. The vehicle is ideally suited for counterinsurgency operations for patrol, logistics, reconnaissance and convoy protection, and search and rescue missions. A special feature of the C8 LWAV is its high powerto-weight ratio, enabling transport of extra combat loads while offering full ballistic protection of the crew compartment, engine and fuel tank, thus increasing safety of the crew inside the vehicle. ‘Our partnership in Concord is stra-

tegic to MDT,’ said Robert Ehrlich, Arotech’s Chairman and CEO. ‘We see significant potential for military products in the region, and are now beginning to offer armoured vehicles to this market.’ Concord is a joint venture between three enterprises that have joined forces to manufacture state-of-the-art armoured vehicles in India. MKU Pvt. Ltd. is Asia’s largest manufacturer and exporter of armoured solutions with over 25 years of experience in the defence industry. MDT Armour Corporation, located in Auburn, Alabama, is a global leader in the production of lightweight armoured vehicles for tactical and military use. Arotech’s Armour Division is an innovative leader in lightweight armouring for vehicles, aircraft and their operators. The Armour Division has years of battlefield and commercial protection experience and has provided life saving protection under the most extreme conditions. ■

HM prepares to launch BSIV version of Winner

industan Motors is all set to launch the BS IV version of its 2.3 tonne GVW Winner in Delhi. Manufactured under collaboration with Chinese automotive and agricultural company Shandong Shifeng, the BS III version of the Winner currently retails at Rs 3.9 lakh (ex-showroom) Kolkata. The vehicle unveiled in the market, a year ago is assembled at HM’s 20 / Commercial Vehicle / august 2009

Uttarpara factory in West Bengal. About 1,000 Completely Knocked Down (CKD) kits arrive from Shifeng each month. Volumes will increase, as the Winner achieves a nationwide presence over the next six months. A CNG version is also planned over the next few months. Among other things, HM hopes that the LCVs ‘car-like NVH refinement’ will gain it a stronger share of a market dominated by the likes of the Tata Ace and the Piaggio Ape Truk. ■ august 2009 / Commercial Vehicle / 21

CV monitor / news

BEML fires on all cylinders

ublic sector heavy equipment maker Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) has crossed the Rs 3,000 crore turnover in 2008-09 - for the first time in its existence. At Rs 3,013 crore, the turnover was 11 percent higher than the 2,713 recorded in 2007-08. Profit too has grown by 11 percent to reach Rs 387 crore. A key contributor to this achievement was the mining and construction (M&C) segment that saw a growth of 20 percent. In reaching Rs 1,841 crore, the M&C segment was helped by a huge order to supply three 20 cubic metre shovels to the Steel authority of India. In order to further grow this segment, BEML plans a slew of initiatives. These include, an allocation of 3 percent to R&D so as to develop bigger hydraulic excavators and bulldozers. It also is mulling technical collaborations with international players for higher capacity dump trucks and mining shovels. The distribution will be strengthened with the addition of more dealers in order to be able to tap the contractorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; segment. Along the way, service and supply of spares will be improved and delivered through long term arrangements with customers. BEML also plans to get into alliances 22 / Commercial Vehicle / august 2009

with contract miners and offer a bevy of mining equipment as a package. Finally, costs will be reduced by sourcing from China and Malaysia. The export business has also got a shot in the arm, as BEML has posted Rs 305 crore an increase of 52 percent over levels seen last year. The company has entered into countries like Sudan, Angola, Malawi, Uganda and Honduras during the year. In addition to M&C equipment, the company could also add to its exports list, crash fire tenders and aircraft towing tractors.

The defence business has grown to almost Rs 510 crore. BEML has tied up with many companies, including supplying diesel engines to Tatra trucks meant for the army. Rail and Metro Business has registered significantly higher sales of Rs 475 .82 Crs in 2008-09, as compared to Rs 272.65 Crs in 2007-08, an increase of over 75% and is poised for an exponential growth having already bagged the prestigious order valued Rs 1672 Crs from Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRCL) for supply of 150 nos. Standard Gauge Metro Cars, in addition to order on hand of Rs 1400 Crs from DMRC and Indian Railways. The company is also in the process of setting up an independent R&D Centre of Excellence for metro rail systems and related hi-tech products at Bangalore. It has taken up several developmental projects such as low cost metro coaches, 100 T capacity aluminum freight wagons and100T stainless steel freight wagons. â&#x2013;

CV monitor / news

Eco survey recommends single regulatory body for transport sector

he economic survey of 2008-09 has recommended the constitution of a single regulatory body to take care of the transportation sector. Such a body would cover highways, railways, ports and airports. It is suggested that the Chairman of this body be appointed by the planning commission. There will be other members on the body, representing each individual sector. These members, likely to be assisted by professionals may be appointed by the ministry/department in charge of the respective sector. In addition to the members of the regulatory body, the Chairman will also be advised by a neutral economic unit, constituted by the planning commission. ■

Volvo bags order for 125 trucks

olvo Trucks has secured an order for 125 trucks - its largest ever in India. The Volvo FM trucks will be delivered to customer Vijay Leasing Company. The Hyderabad-based company already owns 108 Volvo trucks. The sales have been concluded through VE Commercial Vehicles, the JV between Volvo Trucks and Eicher. So far, almost 5,500 Volvo branded trucks have been sold through the company’s 11 year presence in India. This sale has led to some cautious optimism about India on the part of Volvo Trucks. ‘We are observing positive signs of a recovery regarding light trucks and buses. In terms of heavy trucks, the market is still declining but at a slower rate,’ says Par Ostberg member of Volvo’s Group Executive Management and President of Trucks Asia. ■ 24 / Commercial Vehicle / august 2009

news / cv monitor

NBFC refinance scheme extended

he Reserve Bank of India has extended a scheme to provide Rs 20,000 crore in short term refinancing to NBFCs to September 2009. Under the scheme, non-deposit taking NBFCs can issue commercial papers and non-convertible debentures of a maturity not exceeding 90 days to the Industrial Development Bank of India Stressed Asset Stabilisation Fund Trust. This fund acts as a special purpose vehicle, through which the RBI will dispense with funds under licence from the government. The earlier date of this scheme, as announced in the second stimulus package was June 2009. Undoubtedly, this finance scheme will help NBFCs to increase lending to the CV sector, during the difficult monsoon season. ■

ECEL signs agreement with Zoomlion for truck cranes

scorts Construction Equipment Limited (ECEL), part of the Escorts Group, has signed an agreement with the Chinese Hunan Zoomlion International Trade Co Ltd for marketing the latter’s truck cranes in India. ECEL will market a range of truck cranes of Hunan Zoomlion, including the ‘AllTerrain Truck Cranes’. ‘Given the planned growth and focus on infrastructure projects like flyovers and bridges, this arrangement will provide a boost to ECEL’s ongoing growth plans,’ ECEL Executive Director and CEO Kanwal Kishore Vij said. Currently ECEL has pick-n-carry cranes 5T-23T and rough terrain slew cranes 17T40T under its product portfolio. ■

IIFCL musters Rs 10,000 crore for infra refinance

he India Infrastructure Finance Company Limited (IIFCL) has raised Rs 10,000 crore during 2008-09. The special purpose vehicle has been created to refinance banks which fund infrastructure projects. The government hopes to be able to provide ‘takeout finance’ to banks lending to projects worth Rs 1,00,000. The IIFCL is designed to refinance 60 percent of commercial bank loans provided under the PPP scheme over the next 15-18 months. In line with this drive, the allocation to the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to develop highways for the National Highway Development Programme (NHDP) has risen by 23 percent to Rs. 8,578.45 crore. The kitty for the Railways has also been hiked to 46.2 percent to Rs 15,800 crore. Likewise, six rural infrastructure development schemes will now see budgetary allocation climbing 45 percent, with just the Indira Awas Yojana getting Rs 8,800 crore. To expedite the completion of the Brihan Mumbai Storm Water Drainage Project, Rs. 500 crore has been earmarked in the budget. The JNNURM that focuses on improving urban infrastructure has seen an 87 percent hike in funds allocated, to the extent of Rs 12,887 crore. While, the accelerated power development and reform programme has seen a 160 percent increase at Rs 2080 crore, the budgetary earmark for the rural roads programme stands at a massive Rs 12,000 crore. The Prime Minister has announced a massive thrust on infrastructure development. ■

Tata Motors’s CV sales recover

he company’s sales of commercial vehicles in June 2009 in the domestic market were 26,205 nos., a 2 percent decline compared to 26,797 vehicles sold in June last year. LCV sales were 16,256 nos., a growth of 17 percent over June 2008, while M&HCV sales stood at 9,949 nos., a decline of 23 percent over June 2008 but an increase of 15 percent over May 2009. Cumulative sales of commercial vehicles in the domestic market for the first quarter of the fiscal were 72,056 nos., a growth of 1 percent over last year. Cumulative M&HCV sales stood at 26,626 nos., a decline of 26 percent over last year, while LCV sales for the quarter were 45,430 nos., a growth of 27 percent over last year. ■ august 2009 / Commercial Vehicle / 25

CV monitor / news

ACMA seeks revised roadmap

he Automotive Components Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA) is revisiting sales potential predictions made in 2004-05. That road map drafted by consultant McKinsey had stated that the automotive component industry would achieve a USD 33-40 billion turnover by 2015. This was supposed to have to been reached on account of 20-25 billion in exports and just USD 13-15 billion in domestic sales. But, those predictions have come unstuck now. As of March 31 2008, exports lay at only USD 3.6 billion, whereas, domestic sales rose to USD 14.4 billion. The miscalculation has come on account of a variety of factors. While the study was only predicated on just a 6.6-7 percent GDP growth, it actually grew at a rate of 9 percent. Secondly, many home grown vehicles like the Tata World

Truck, the Mahindra Xylo, and the Tata Nano boosted domestic demand. Since 2003-04, the industry has invested Rs1,35,000 crore. Of this, an estimated Rs 32,000 crore was invested in 2008-09 alone. In sharp contrast to this, export markets declined on account of changes in technology, fragmentation of markets and slowdown in Europe and the US (GM and Chrysler filing for bankruptcy). ACMA admits that it has been late in seeing the change. But a

new roadmap that will be reviews annually would be a welcome measure towards reorienting the industry. â&#x2013;

Kolkata registers poor emissions compliance

n Kolkata, there are 14 lakh registered vehicles, 9.5 lakh private and 4.5 lakh commercial. Now, each vehicle would have to be tested for

26 / Commercial Vehicle / august 2009

pollution control twice a year. In turn, this means that the 110 pollution test centres would need have to issue 28 lakh (Pollution Under Control) certificates. But, as it

turns out, only 11.7 certificates were issued by the West Bengal Transport Infrastructure Development Corporation. And of these, only 5 lakh certificates were actually issued to vehicle owners. This implies that only 2.5 lakh or 15 percent of vehicles are compliant with the PUC checks. The rest simply get by with bribing officials. Even commercial vehicle and taxi owners who have threatened to go on strike in response to the ban on vehicles over 15 years of age, concede that bribery to flout emission norms is rampant. As it so pans out, in 2004-05, the emission test centres had even acquired multigas analysers at over Rs 5 lakh each in response to a High Court judgement. But these investments have been largely unrewarded, considering that very few vehicles reported for tests. The High Court has therefore left with no choice but to recommend a ban on vehicles over 15 years of age. â&#x2013;

Tech insights

timken

timken / tech insights

Timken bears the challenges of modern truck design Such intelligent bearing design helps OEMs meet the environmental requirements of today’s trucking industry

Threaded cup bearing

28 / Commercial Vehicle / august 2009

sions while maximizing fuel economy. In Canada, the industry is working together to popularize ‘enviroTrucks’ that reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by utilizing the latest technologies. And in the United States, truck builders are focused on meeting new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regu-

lations that address diesel engine emissions and idling times. One way OEMs in the industry are building better trucks is by challenging suppliers to design components and subsystems that reduce weight and improve fuel economy. When those suppliers can also provide products that lower cost, reduce inventory and simplify installation, partnering with them isn’t just good for the environment—it’s also good for business. The Threaded Bearing Cup Design At The Timken Company, a global friction management and power transmission solutions provider headquartered in Canton, Ohio, engineers are constantly looking for ways to improve overall system performance through smart bearing design. One of their recent innovations for trucking and off-highway pinion and differential shafts is the threaded cup bearing. The threaded cup was originally designed to eliminate early service warranty problems occurring on heavy truck differential shafts, when the originally-specified transition cup fits would come loose and turn, causing the housing to wear. The threaded cup design eliminates the turning cup, and its design also results in more benefits—it can improve fuel economy, reduce parts and inventory costs, and simplify differential shaft assembly. “On differential shafts in the traditional bearing cup design, two standard-taperedsingle bearings are split-fit in the housing using threaded cup followers for bearing

Truck makers in the US are grappling with ways to meet ever more stringent EPA emission norms. This puts the onus on suppliers like Timken to come up with commensurate solutions.

and gear mesh adjustment. The design also included separable locking devices with fasteners to prevent the followers from unthreading,” says Glenn Fahrni, principal application designer at Timken. “Because the differential shaft requires an adjustable cup, the cup fits must be originally-specified as partially loose in the housing. This causes the cups to eventually work themselves loose rotationally until they begin wearing on the cup adjuster and housing.” To solve these problems, Timken integrated the threaded cup follower, taperedsingle cup and rotational locking device into one component—the threaded cup assembly. The threads were moved from the old cup adjuster onto a portion of the cup outside diameter (OD). “To provide an anti-rotational feature, we weld a low-carbon sheet metal ring to the carburized cup’s backface,” Fahrni said. “Timken has been issued a patent for the threaded differential bearing cup.” The Design Benefits By combining the individual components of the traditional cup design into one, the

Diﬀerential Shaft Weighted Average 2 Bearing System L 10a Life vs Cold Mounted Setting Industry Standard Cycle - 50 Metric Ton Gross Combined Vehicle Weight 4,000,000

3,500,000 Weighted Average 2 Bearing System L 10a Life (km)

eavy truck designers and manufacturers in Canada and the United States are all talking about the latest trend that promises to both improve and challenge the trucking industry. It includes finding new ways to reduce engine emis-

Industry Standard Cycle Life Bogey - New Axle Model 1,600,000 km (1,000,000 mi)

3,000,000

New Axle Model w / Standard Product New Axle Model w / P900 Product

2,500,000

2,000,000

1,500,000

1,000,000

500,000

0 -1.2700

-1.1430

-1.0160

-0.8890

-0.7620

-0.6350

-0.5080

Cold Mounted Setting (mm)

-0.3810

-0.2540

-0.1270 Preload

-0.0000 End Play

This figure shows the bearing system life vs. bearing setting. The new axle model has a life bogey of 1.6 million kilometers. After applying Timken® High performance bearings to the new model, the weighted average system life improves by 3.4 times. The high performance bearings also reduced axle weight and improved performance, resulting in benefits that can include lower initial axle costs, increased fuel economy and less adverse effects on the environment. These are predicted results derived from product testing. Results will vary depending on a number of factors, including the application and the operating environment.

august 2009 / Commercial Vehicle / 29

tech insights / timken

threaded differential cup offers less complexity because there are fewer parts to inventory and handle during axle assembly. The result is easier and quicker assembly and less time spent adjusting the bearings and gear mesh. Threaded cup designs also help OEMs reduce fuel consumption and maximize engine performance by creating less drag coming from the axles. The threaded cup features Timken® high-performance bearings, sometimes referred to as P900. These high-performance bearings feature ultra-clean steel, which reduces the risk of fatigue spalling and bearing failure. The bearings also have smoother surface finishes that improve lubricant film thickness, resulting in up to four times the predicted bearing life compared to standard finishes. The smoother surfaces also reduce friction, contributing to improved fuel economy. Special internal bearing profiles also spread the load more evenly across the bearing contact surfaces, keeping contact stress to acceptable levels. “By combining clean steel, smoother surface finishes and special raceway profiles, we’ve been able to integrate several traditional components into the threaded cup bearing, making it capable of handling heavier loads without making the bearing bigger or heavier,” Fahrni says. “It’s what we call power density – increasing the bearing capacity-to-weight ratio, so that a smaller bearing can carry a greater load.”

Since the integrated threaded cup weighs less than the traditional design, and also diminishes the overall housing width needed to support it, axle weight is saved. Fahrni says the overall weight savings help contribute to fuel economy and reduced engine emissions. Reducing Assembly Time Currently, Timken engineers are investigating the usage of a threaded cup bearing on the pinion shaft. “On the pinion shaft, to correctly adjust the traditional pinion bearings the axle OEM has to keep anywhere from 40 to 55 different sizes of a variable length cone spacer at their assembly station,” Fahrni says. “How the pinion head and tail bearing tolerances stack up determines which spacer size is used.” According to Fahrni, rolling torque is used as the bearing setting measurement method, and the tight-fitted cones are clamped through the spacer with a nut tightened to a very high clamp torque. If the wrong spacer size is initially used, you have to teardown the pinion shaft and rebuild with another spacer size. Teardowns involve loosening the nut and pulling off the outer tight-fitted cone—a time-consuming process. Sometimes two rebuilds are required,” Fahrni says. “A threaded cup on this shaft would result in only one fixed-length cone spacer size being needed and no production teardowns or rebuilds.” ■

4 An integrated threaded cup combines the TS cup, threaded cup follower and anti-rotational locking device into one component, reducing cost, weight and complexity.

30 / Commercial Vehicle / august 2009

Timken at IMME-2008, a premier event for the mining industry.

Taking off

Nandan GSE

nandan GSE / taking off

NGSEPL readies for a take off This unique application-developer is set to ‘raise’ quite a few things off the ground. Truck-mounted applications have a new face now. Story Ahfaaz Khan Photography Sawan Sekhar Hembram

umbai-based Nandan Ground Support Equipment Private Limited (NGSEPL) is planning to offer its aviation ground support and tunnelling equipments as fully built solutions. It is in talks with Ashok Leyland for this purpose. The company has also identified its recently developed plant in Khopoli to house manufacturing operations related to this development. Some of the aviation ground support equipments made by NGSEPL include flight kitchens, 32 / Commercial Vehicle / august 2009

Raghunandan Jagdish is looking at partnering with an OEM or technology provider to take his aviatio-segment applications’ business forward.

ambu-lifts and step ladders. For companies involved in tunnelling operations the manufactures truck-mounted scissor lifts. NGSEPL has been supplying flight kitchen right since its inception in 1991. ‘Close to 95 percent of flight kitchens seen at major airports in India bear the Nandan brand,’ remarks, Raghunandan Jagdish, CEO and director, NGSEPL. The company has sold more than 450 units of these kitchens to a number of prominent customers in India. A flight kitchen along with the base truck costs Rs 38 - 40 lakhs. NGSEPL manufactures three variants

of flight kitchens. One variant comes with a wide body which is used for servicing big planes like the A320, the second features a narrow body which is used for servicing small domestic aircrafts, while the third variant can cater to big and small planes. The wide body is built on a 16-tonne truck, carries a three tonne payload and can reach to height of six metres. The narrow body version is built on an 11 tonne GVW truck, comes with a payload of two tonnes and can go to a height of five metres. A typical flight kitchen features lifting equipments consisting of scissor and hydraulics and body featuring a fibre glass shell with puff insulation and steel structure. NGSEPL has indigenously designed and developed all hydraulic, electrical and mechanical systems that are used for manufacturing kitchens. It takes 8-10 weeks to manufacture one unit. ‘These products contain inbuilt safety features in order to avoid damage to the aircraft. Even a small scratch to the plane can cost Rs 80 to 90 lakhs in repairs,’ says Jagdish. Nandan is also designing a catering truck for the A 380 which is currently the biggest bird in the skies. ‘There is one Indian airline which is set to unveil the A380 as part of its fleet. We are also equipping ourselves to be ready to cater for this customer,’ adds Jagdish. For this purpose, NGSEPL has decided to acquire designs on royalty basis from a European manufacturer. ‘The volumes for such a product are very small. Australian airline Quantas acquired a high lift for its A380 at a cost of august 2009 / Commercial Vehicle / 33

taking off / nandan gse

Having already catered to the lower deck of the A380, Nandan, feels confident of delivering on a flight kitchen for the largest passenger air craft’s upper deck.

Rs 16 crores for two units. It does not make sense for us to invest that much money,’ explains Jagdish. There are currently only six companies in the world which manufacture flight kitchens for the A380. NGSEPL is pretty optimistic that it will soon become the seventh player in the world. In contrast to smaller planes, the A380 consists of two decks, both of which need to be catered separately. Since NGSEPL has already made a flight kitchen to cater to the lower deck of the A380, the company feels that the experience will prove handy when it sets out to manufacture a lift for the upper deck. Exports though not very substantial, have still been notched up for this product. While a domestic customer is required to buy the chassis and hand it over to NGSEPL for body work, the exported units are sold as fully built units. The company has exported 15 flight kitchens to cus34 / Commercial Vehicle / august 2009

tomers like GMG The expertise required to make flight kitchens airlines in Banglacan be utilised to make desh, Crown Plaza, ambu-lifts too. a Nepalese caterer as well as a couple of customers in the Maldives and Mauritius. NGSEPL has received another order from a customer in Mauritius for six flight kitchens. ‘We are primarily targeting SAARC and South East Asian countries. There is a cost difference of 40 percent between products exported by our company and that sourced from manufacturers in Thailand or Singapore,’ remarks Jagdish. A key ingredient to the lower costs, is

the relatively expense on the base truck itself. ‘You don’t need 280 hp engines, state of the art suspensions and super built up cabins. You just need a functional vehicle with PTO and which has a low main-

taking off / nandan GSE

nandan GSE / taking off A truck mounted conveyor can save upto 80 percent in time and labour costs.

Nandan GSE’s universal step ladder has done away with the need to have customised step ladders for different sizes of planes.

These scissor lifts are offered in three variants, each with a payload of 2 tonnes.

36 / Commercial Vehicle / august 2009

tenance cost. Trucks offered by domestic manufacturers at around Rs 10 lakh are perfect fits for our applications,’ sets out Jagdish. Yet, lower costs notwithstanding taxation woes are quite a dampener. ‘A significant amount of ground handling at Indian airports is undertaken by foreign companies. They are given an advantage of importing equipment at a flat rate of 5 percent on EPCG. On the other hand domestic application builders pay 12.5 percent VAT and 8.2 percent excise duty. So with this difference of 17 percent in taxes, much of our cost competitiveness is knocked off and foreign companies continue to import equipments,’ narrates Jagdish. Ambu-lifts and step ladders NGSEPL has expertise for manufacturing ambu-lifts too. These lifts are used for shifting disabled passengers on airports which do not have air bridges. The outer dimension of an ambu-lift is pretty much the same as that of a flight kitchen except for the refrigeration unit. At the rear, there is a tail-lift through which a passenger is taken inside, the lift is then raised to the body of the aircraft and the person is shifted into the aircraft. Since there is no refrigeration unit involved, an ambu-lift costs is priced approximately Rs 8 lakh lower than a flight kitchen. The company also puts together step ladders for the aviation industry. The company has recently developed a universal step ladder which can cater to aircrafts of all dimensions. ‘The main difference between a narrow and wide body aircraft is the curvature. Narrow body aircrafts like the A320 have a 3+3 seating configuration while in wide body aircrafts like A340, the seating configuration is 3+3+3. So we devised a step ladder in which a tilting motion has been added to accommodate differing curvatures’ says Jagdish. In addition to the aviation ground support equipments, NGSEPL is also looking to market its truck mounted scissor lifts as fully built solutions. These lifts, also called as man-lifts are manufactured in three variants, each with a payload of two tonnes and reach of 6.5m, 8.5m and 10m. A truck-mounted scissor lift costs in the range Rs 20 lakhs including the chassis.

These lifts are basically used for performing electrical and maintenance work in a tunnel. On an average, every 10 km of tunnel work demands 3 truck-mounted scissor lift. Looking at the massive infrastructure development plans in the country, Jagdish feels that the potential for this product is huge. Introduced four years back, NGSEPL has delivered 50- odd truck mounted scissor lifts in India. By all accounts, these products have been performing well. ‘Earlier for fixing lights, ventilators and performing maintenance work, a scaffolding would have needed to be put in place. After this, the machine would be hoisted. It would then come down, after which the scaffolding would be removed and the entire procedure would be repeated. However, truck-mounted scissor lift, mobility ensures that one does not need to undertake these labours. Consequently the productivity levels have gone up by almost 20 percent. So, what used to take two years can now be completed in 20-21 months,’ claims Jagdish. Based on its experience with customers, NGSEPL has standardised some of the parameters for making truck mounted scissor lifts. As such, the company can dispense with orders within a week. NGSEPL has also designed these lifts so that they can be configured on a chassis of a tipper truck. ‘Customer only needs to remove the

tipper body, fix the scissor lift with a ubolt, undertake the task at hand, remove it and then re-install the tipper body when needed,’ says Jagdish. Next year the company is also planning to introduce selfpropelled scissor lifts. The target for these lifts will be real estate companies who still use the painful scaffolding method for performing work. Other products in NGSEPL’s portfolio that deserves special mention are truck material handling solutions like loading and unloading conveyors, reefers and car parking solutions. Last year the company introduced a wheel mounted truck-loading conveyor. This conveyor, powered by its own diesel engine can reach a height of nine meters. ‘The amount of work that could be done in 2.5 hours and 12 people can now be done with four people in 20 minutes,’ believes Jagdish. The company has sold 7-8 units of this product. The Nandan GSE expects other product in pharmaceutical the material hanand floriculture sectors to ring dling segment in considerable demand for is the truckreefers. mounted con-

veyor which is used at airports for baggage loading and in various warehouses. This conveyor derives power from the truck through the PTO mechanism. The benefit of this product can be judged from the fact that a 40-feet container can be loaded in an hour using four people, whereas doing this manually would need 4-5 hours and around 20-25 labourers. Reefers are another segment which the company is looking very actively. NGSEPL expects the annual market of reefers to be around 10 -11,000 units per annum and expect it to grow because of the demand from the pharmaceutical, floriculture and retail sector Moreover, a part of this optimism also comes from its expertise in doing flight kitchens. ‘A flight kitchen is basically a high end reefer that needs to be compliant with stringent HACC-P norms,’ states Jagdish. The company which has made 10 reefers last year is looking at a partner to get into mass manufacturing. The company is equipped to set up a dedicated line at its Khopoli plant with a capacity of 200 reefers per month. Apart from its Khopoli plant, NGSEPL also has plants in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. NGSEPL has a dedicated team of 25 people spread across Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai and Delhi to take care of after sales services. Truck-mounted applications will not remain run-of-the-mill for too long if NGSEPL has its way. ■

august 2009 / Commercial Vehicle / 37

cover story

school buses

school buses / cover story

No stops for school buses

It’s hard to miss the Spring Dale High School buses if you have lived in Pune for a while. The charge of the yellow brigade is on. The ticket size of sales may be relatively small, but there is no denying the sheer and consistently growing volumes of the school bus market. Story Sridhar Chari and Kiran Bajad Photography Sawan Sekhar Hembram 38 / Commercial Vehicle / august 2009

The school, part of the education-conglomerate Sinhagad Institute, owns 77 buses that transport close to 10,000 children each day. Other educational institutions belonging to the Institute owns 40-odd buses across the Pune region. These figures are noteworthy considering that the entire population of buses in the region is about 525 units. This is indication that very few of the about 450 registered schools in the city use school buses. Some experts reveal that of the 3,00,000 schools across India, only a third do. That explains the upside to the school bus market in a country where population growth and rising affluence of the middle class has spawned a demand for more schools. The Indian school bus market is estimated to be worth some 10,000-15,000 units each year on total bus sales of some 60,000 units. Despite the slowdown, this ‘yellow’ segment has been glowing with at a CAGR of 10-15 percent in the recent past. august 2009 / Commercial Vehicle / 39

cover story / school buses

school buses / cover story

Economics on the ground

Despite not being registered as school buses, many minibuses do ferry school children. The buses are owned by contractors who may cater to more than one school.

Here are two contrasting examples as regards the operating economics of school bus:

Manufacturers like Tata Motors, Mahindra Navistar, VECV, Swaraj Mazda, Ashok Leyland and Force Motors compete fiercely for their share of the pie. But besides watching over their shoulders, these players also have an eye on the clock. Almost 80 percent of buses are demanded between March and August – when schools wind up for one year and take in admissions for the next. It is primarily for this reason that school buses are fully built, the need to meet safety requirements notwithstanding (see ‘Safety- key factor’). ‘When schools require such huge quantities of buses at short notice, it can be difficult for manufacturers to deliver. Add to this the complexity of meeting

The Starbus Skool (R) is touted to come with 20 attractive features. R. Ramakrishnan says that by next year, all buses will be fully built at the Tata Marcopolo’s Dharwad plant.

40 / Commercial Vehicle / august 2009

varying emission norms across cities. It is therefore advisable for manufacturers to maintain an inventory of fully-built buses,’ explains Rajive Saharia, Executive Director, Ashok Leyland. India’s second largest CV maker sells 7-11 metre buses branded ‘Stag’ and ‘Lynx’. While the former is a 30-35 seater (Rs 9.25 lakh), the latter is a 45-50 seater (11.6 lakh) – both prices, before octroi, insurance and road tax. ALL is planning to unveil an AC version of the Lynx. ‘We are looking at putting out an air conditioned version of the Lynx with a direct drive engine. It will cater to high-end schools in the metroes’. But, the market f o r such

The Mahindra Tourister-i is claimed by Mahindra Navistar to have market leadership. The company’s MD, Rakesh Kalra (R) states that this segment will grow in focus as new products get introduced.

large buses is small – ALL sells 700-800 buses in a sub-segment that is only about 4,000 units strong. And luxuries like Air conditioning and reclining seats are seldom seen in the school bus applications. Schools predominantly demand ‘functional’ 15-40 seaters (5-9 tonners) minibuses. ‘Since children need to be picked up from multiple points on a single route, schools need mini-buses that travel well on narrow roads,’ says KB Prasad, VP (Marketing) Swaraj Mazda. The Chandigarh-based CV maker has put out 35,000 units of 6.5-9 metre, ‘Sartaj’ and ‘Prestige’ branded school b u s e s

(a)Let’s get back to Spring Dale High School. It owns 77 buses in the 32, 40 and 48 seating configurations from makes as diverse as Swaraj Mazda, VECV, Tata Motors and Ashok Leyland. With the exception of Ashok Leyland, the rest of the buses are fully built. Like we mentioned above, Spring Dale is an exception in choosing to own its buses. Most other schools subcontract buses. ‘With our scale of operations – 10,000 students and multiple trips and logistics for each bus, it makes sense to own buses. Secondly, we get tax concessions too,’ states an official with the school’s transport department, who asked not be identified since he is not an authorised spokesperson. While conventionally, mini-buses are annually taxed at the rate of Rs 1,500 per seat per bus, those carrying school bus permits are liable to pay only a third of this amount. Spring Dale has a full-fledged transport department that takes of the logistics of running these buses. All 77 drivers and cleaners are directly employed by the school. The buses operate between 06:30 to 17:30 hours everyday, ferrying students ranging from pre-school to high school. Each bus makes up to 6 trips a day, clocking anywhere from 60-200 km a day. The monthly expenditure on fuel ranges from Rs 8,000-15,000. The school collects Rs 3,000-6,000 per month in fees from each student. (b) At the other end is Macchindra Andhalkar, in his mid-40s. He has been involved with buses for the last 17 years. But, for the last four years of his life, Andhalkar has found the school bus segment interesting. He owns and drives a second hand 14-seater Force Traveller. He has been operating this bus for the Madhav Golwalkar School. ‘I do 80-100 km a day, incurring Rs 8,000-10,000 per month in fuel costs,’ he says. On an average, Andhalkar charges Rs 450 per month per student. The van makes three trips a day. The EMI charges are minimal since the vehicle has been acquired second hand. Finally, so far as road taxes are concerned, Andhalkar pays Rs 1,000 per seat (double that paid by Spring Dale school) since he also plies the van in the travel and tour trade during the weekend, when schools are off.

since 1997-98. These 25-40 seaters, priced between Rs 7.5-10 lakh (on-road) are claimed to hold a 20 percent market share in the school bus segment. The company also has a 9-metre AC version of the Prestige, if high-end schools so demand it. This offering is available at a price of Rs 14-15 lakh. VE Commercial Vehicles too claims a 20 percent market share, with a 25-30 percent market share in the 32-40 seater bus sub-segment. Its offerings have been designed to cater to all ends of the market. While the company’s Starline (25-40 seaters) sport an on-road price tag of Rs 7.510.6 lakh, the Skyline (32-40 seaters) are

priced between Rs 10.35-11.6 lakh. The 40-seater CNG-fuelled Cruiser weighs in at a hefty Rs 14 lakh. ‘Almost 60 percent of our total bus sales come from the school bus segment,’ says Somnath Bhattacharjee, Executive Vice President, Sales, Marketing & Aftermarket, VE Commercial Vehicles and President, Volvo Trucks India. In order to reach out to its target audience, VECV has been running the Eicher Skyline quiz for many years now. Each year, this quiz sees participation students from 5,500 schools participating. Mahindra Navistar Automobiles Limited (MNAL) has the Mahindra School Fest programme that reaches out to 65,000

A huge number of kids take three-wheelers too. These services are cheaper, while offering door to door service.

august 2009 / Commercial Vehicle / 41

cover story / school buses

VECV’s Somnath Bhattacharjee says that 60 percent of the company’s bus sales come from the school segment.

schools. The JV between M&M and Navistar has its own marketing team in the form of Mahindra School Bus Experts, who spread the word among schools and parents. MNAL has its shout at market leadership with a 25 percent market share. It markets 16-40 seater Tourister-i range of buses, priced between Rs 6-9.5 lakh. Incidentally, the 25-seater in this range has a CNG option. The M&M Tourister, the first in the segment to offer a CRDe engine, has been doing duty for 4 years. Since 2005, the JV has put 7,500-8,000 Touristers. The revamped version of the minibus range or the Tourister-i was launched last year, with 32 new features. ‘Having already sold almost 2,000 buses as of June, we expect to record close to 3,500 units in sales by the end of this year,’ sets out Rakesh Kalra, MD, MNAL. Going forward, some of the bigger front and rear engined buses to be introduced by the JV may be deployed to cater to the more affluent end of the school bus market. Last but definitely not the least is Tata Motors. Having sold 42 / Commercial Vehicle / august 2009

school buses / cover story

3,500 Starbus Skool branded buses last fiscal, it is aiming for more this year. ‘The expected tally for this year is 4,000 school buses,’ claims R. Shankar, Head Sales and Marketing, Bus and SCV Passenger, Tata Motors Ltd. The 16-40 seaters attract an on-road price tag of Rs 6.6-11.2 lakh; with the CNG-fuelled 40-seater pegged at Rs 13.85 lakh. At the moment, the smaller buses are put together as modules in Tata Motors’ Pune plant, while the larger ones come from the Lucknow manufacturing setup. Some of these modules go to the Tata Marcopolo plant in Dharwad for body building. ‘Currently, bodies for the 36 and 40 seaters are being built at the Dharwad plant. By next year, as the facility reaches full capacity, all bodies will be built there. We remain focused on delivering fully built school buses,’ states R. Ramakrishnan, Head - Sales & Marketing, Commercial Vehicles Business Unit, Tata Motors. Safety- key factor An important consideration in having fully built school buses is safety. Following a recent

The Starline (bottom) and interiors of the Skyline (below).

coming into effect of safety norms, all school buses made by recognised OEMs come with certain default safety features. These include, prominent signages with the school’s contact number at the back and front of the bus, softer grab handles, space to stow school bags under the seat, use of fire retardant materials, anti-skid flooring and emergency exits. Other features like water bottle holders, different seat orientations, airbags, power steering, over speed alarms and speed governors are not seen in all buses. The installation of speed governors is a contentious issue, with civic authorities in cities like Chandigarh meeting with stiff resistance. While on the one hand are safety considerations, on the other is the

Close to a 1,000 Force Travellers are sold each year in the school bus segment.

need for sub-contractors, operating the buses to make more trips per day. Considering the huge cost of ownership and maintenance, schools either entrust day-to-day operations to contractors or entirely sub-contract school bus services to them. If the latter is the case, many contractors are enticed by the possibility of going for cheap second hand vehicles. This was the case, until the safety code for school buses came into effect. ‘In the not so recent past, many sub-contractors used to acquire buses from auctions of old state transport undertakings. Naturally such a practice was not healthy for the safety of children. But the scenario has changed now,’ states Swaraj’s Prasad. The extent of fully built school buses is now 80-90 percent. ‘While schools and parents have taken note, it helps too that compliance with norms has increased on the back of stricter enforcement by the authorities,’ says R. Ramakrishnan. Many RTOs are

are renewed each year only after inspections by the authorities.

Abhay Firodia says that monocoque, fully built vehicles need to be given excise duty concessions.

known to insist that only drivers with an experience of at least 5 years be at the helm of school buses. Permits and licenses

More compact school ‘buses’? School buses may already be small in capacity, but there are many, who do not mind them getting even more compact. Take Force Motors’ Traveller for instance. The maxi-van, available under two brand names, the ‘Scholar’ and the ‘Smooth’ can ferry up to 30 school children. The ex-factory price for the smaller wheelbase version is Rs 6.5 lakh, while the larger one is Rs 7.75 lakh. About 1,000 of these sell each year. But Force Motors’ CMD Abhay Firodia is not satisfied. ‘Considering that our monocoque vehicles are lighter, safer and more maneuverable, they should excise duty breaks. While other truck chassis-built school buses attract an 8 percent duty on just the chassis, our monocoque vehicles attract the duty on the entire vehicle. This distorts prices to the extent of august 2009 / Commercial Vehicle / 43

cover story / school buses

Swaraj’s KB Prasad says that the practice of school bus contractors buying second hand buses from STU auctions is now almost over.

Rs 1 lakh against our products,’ he bemoans. In the same breath, he states that incentives are due anyway, since the Traveller does duty in semi-urban areas where conventional school buses are anyway, hardly in use. The rural areas have received only limited attention from manufacturers – exceptions being low cost products like Mahindra Navistar’s 15-seater Vikrant which sells for Rs 5.5 lakh. The fact of the matter is that in mofussil areas, there are not enough schools. Even ideas like ‘mo-

aaa / aaa

bile schools’ have not been successful for want of governmental resources. The few schools that are active in such remote areas do not have the means to acquire and maintain buses. What is worse, students prefer to use readily available means of transport like public transport buses (which offer concessional rates to students), UVs and three-wheelers. Even an urban centre like Pune sees an overwhelming preference for such modes of transport, especially among the less affluent students. ‘About 7,500 three-wheelers affiliated with various unions ferry over 2,50,000 school children in Pune,’ claims Rajendra Bhave, President, Association of Student Transporting Rickshaws. In Pune, it is not uncommon to chance upon three-wheelers with the back rest cut in half – five kids sit on the seats and another five, where only luggage should have been stowed. It this end of the market that has many interested. ‘We have already started introducing the Ace Magic and the Winger for school student transport applications in semi-urban areas. And, the results have been good,’ reveals Shankar. The Ace Magic, an 8-seater based on the Tata Ace platform has an approximate on-road price of Rs 3 lakh, while the 9-seater Winger van, starts at approximately Rs 4.5 lakh. Data for the Magic is not available, but Swaraj Mazda claims that its buses were the first fullybuilt offerings in the market.

Rajive Saharia says that school buses represent a significant spur for the Ashok Leyland brand.

the latter has already sold 350 numbers in the school bus arena. ‘We expect to do 450 this year,’ claims Shankar. The best part about these vehicles is that no separate school bus permit is needed to run these vehicles. In other words, they can be used for purposes besides the transport of school children. Whatever the mode of transport, the demand for vehicles to transport children too and fro can only grow. And, even if the buses may not net the OEMs as much in realizations as a 12- metre low floor city bus, there is definitely a larger benefit. ‘We all remember the buses that took us to school as children. There is no greater benefit than having the brand grow with the kids,’ concludes Saharia. ■

Ashok Leyland’s buses sell at the upper end of the school bus market.

44 / Commercial Vehicle / august 2009

august 2009 / Commercial Vehicle / 45

Bright spark

Beru Diesel

beru diesel / bright spark

Beru set to fire on all cylinders Past the initial starting trouble in the CV segment, Beru Diesel now looks to maximise opportunities offered by nextgen products as well as more stringent emission norms.

Story Ahfaaz Khan Photography Sawan Sekhar Hembram eru Diesel Start System Private Limited (BDSSPL), 51: 49 JV between Pune-based Jayant Group and diesel start solutions manufacturer Beru AG is getting busy with the CV sector. It will soon supply glow plugs for Tata Motors’ Ace as also for Force Motors’s upgraded Traveller range. Thus far, the 13-year old JV has been supplying glow plugs to the SUV and passenger car segments.

The company’s grid heaters, flame start systems and spiral glow plugs are also increasingly finding applications in the commercial vehicle and construction segments. As CVs get more and more in tune with global standards, they must do away with ‘chemical kits’ as starters and switch to the right solutions. The Pune-based company has developed grid heaters for three and five litre engines belonging to the Tata Motors’ World Truck family. The homologation process has also been completed and BDSSPL is ready to sup-

p l y the grid heater once Tata Motors begins the production of these nextgen trucks. Apart from Tata Motors, a substantial amount of demand for grid heaters is expected to come from Ashok Leyland. BDSSPL has developed grid heaters for Ashok Leyland’s new Neptune series of engines. Moreover, the H-Series engine manufactured by ALL will now be coupled with grid heaters instead of glow plugs. ‘The ba-

score hugely over glow plugs. While the former is mounted on the intake manifold, the latter is allied with the engine’s cylinders. As a result, repair and maintenance becomes lot easier in the case of the grid heater. Moreover, a grid heater

The Flame Start system is a preffered option in countries where temperatures fall to sub- zero levels.

sic design of the Hseries engines required them to be fitted with glow plugs supplied by us. Three years ago, we offered to test fit the engines with grid heaters instead of glow plugs. They tested it and after seeing positive results, decided to shift to grid heaters,’ remarks Jayant Dave, managing director, BDSSPL. In addition to this, the company is also developing a grid heater for Cummins’ six cylinder B series engine. For commercial vehicles, grid heaters

also helps optimise battery life. It heats air at the point of its entry into the engine. As a result, the battery can be shut off once the engine starts while in the case of glow plugs, the battery needs to run for a couple of minutes after the engine starts. Finally, a grid heater can last for 10 to 12 years since it has no moving parts. An alternative to the grid heater is the flame start system. Currently, the company supplies its flame start system for Tata Motors export vehicles meant for Eastern Europe. Ashok

Beru Diesel will soon start supplying glow plugs to the upgraded Force Travellers.

Jayant Dave believes that stringent emission norms will compel CV manufacturers to opt for advanced starting solutions.

46 / Commercial Vehicle / august 2009

august 2009 / Commercial Vehicle / 47

bright spark / beru diesel

beru diesel / bright spark The three point heating plug (A) is a low cost alternative for subtwo tonners, where the heating requirement is not very high.

Leyland also procures these systems for its defence vehicles. ‘Earlier there were instances when defence forces operating in extremely cold conditions had to keep the engine running 24x7, as it was difficult to start the engine once its temperature dropped. But with the flame start system, this problem has been taken care of and no matter how cold the environment, the vehicle starts instantly,’ says Dave. The flame start system consist of components like a flame glow plug, solenoid valve, electronic controller that manage the operation of the flame. The cable connectors and pipes link the diesel delivery system onto the intake manifold. The intake manifold is flamed once the diesel is injected into it, thereby heating the engine. Hence this starting system needs not power from the battery at all. Apart from flame glow plugs, all other components of the flame start system are sourced from Germany.

The glow plug controller is a microcontroller-based timer. It is programmed to optimise the flow of current to the glow plugs.

BDSSPL is the only company which delivers the system in India. It expects to sell 10,000 units of flame start systems this fiscal. Apart from Tata Motors and Ashok Leyland, Grid Heaters are also supplied for construction equipment manufactured by BEML and L&T Komatsu.

Continuing with the off-road segment, BDSSPL also offers its spiral plugs and electronic controllers to tractor manufacturers like Mahindra and Mahindra and John Deere. It delivers more than 10,000 spiral plugs a year to these two companies, with a majority going to M&M. ‘ We are 100 percent suppliers to these companies for 45 to 60

BDSSPL has developed grid heaters for three and five litre engines from the Tata World Truck stable.

48 / Commercial Vehicle / august 2009

hp tractors that are exported,’ comments Dave. These plugs are in line with their superior emission compliance abilities. BDSSPL has also developed a threepoint heating plug for upcoming sub 1tonner that will feature a three-cylinder engine. The plug is inserted into the jacket of the water channel of the engine. This plug heats water which thereby heats the engine. But this approach does result in some loss of heat. ‘The heating with this plug is not as fast as with a grid heater or a glow plug. Hence it is used in engines where heating does not need to be very high. This includes sub-two tonner vehicles,’ comments Dave. The three-point plug does away with the need for three glow plugs and is therefore cheaper. It is not inconceivable to see the four cylinder Tata ACE 1tonner being fitted with a Three-point heating plug at some point in the future.

next five years, this plant will cater to Beru’s global market’ adds Dave. Along with the plant, BDSSPL will also set up a R&D centre in India. This will help it to further cut costs and reduce its dependence on R&D from Germany. Looking at the existing scheme of operations of BDSSPL, a majority of its products for the CV and off-road segments are generally not used in vehicles meant for InMahindra and Mahindra’s Farm Equipment division and John Deere dia. This are big customers for spiral glow is because plugs manufactured by BDSSPL. Because of they are lower manurelatively expensive in relation facturing costs, a to the current level of emisproduct made in India sions compliance mandated is cheaper than that produced in Eufor India. But this scenario rope. Hence we are confident that over the could change when the country Gearing up BDSSPL’s Talegaon plant comes into operation during the second quarter of next year. The company is investing Rs 20 crore in this plant. This plant will increase the present capacity 10 fold. ‘The 2.2 litre platform being developed by Tata Motors for a range of SUVs and LCVs uses our glow plugs,’ says Dave. For grid heaters and flame start systems, BDSSPL will also look at exports to Thailand, Korea and various locations in the Europe and US. ‘Our plant and equipments are clearly in line with what is being produced in Europe.

moves toward Euro III and Euro IV norms next year. ‘With the enforcement of Euro III all over the country and Euro IV in metro cities, manufacturers

will n o t Glow plugs offered by BDSSPL be left have a lead time ranging with any between two to seven seconds. option but to use technologies like ours,’ believes Dave. Apart from reducing starting time, all the above mentioned solutions ensure complete combustion of fuel and thereby reduce emissions. Last fiscal, the CV and off-road segments accounted for 15 percent of BDSSPL’s Rs 26 crore turnover. Dave expects this percentage to rise over the next two to three years. There appears to be little reason to discount this claim. ■ august 2009 / Commercial Vehicle / 49

Busy times

rane madras

rane madras / busy times

Rane Madras kicks into action Many new OEM mandates are in the kitty, even as the aftermarket shows huge promise for this time-tested company. Story Ram Kumar Ramaswamy

S. Parthasarathy believes that technology differentiates his company’s products from those of competition.

he Rs 300 crore Rane (Madras) Ltd (RML net profit increased by more than 100 percent to Rs 1.78 crore from Rs 74.9 lakh during the first quarter of the new fiscal. This is despite the company’s sales dipping to Rs 91.03 crore from Rs 94.85 crore a year earlier. A larger emphasis on cost management and cost control helped RML increase its bottom line despite shrinking sales. The company is confident that the remaining three quarters will see a significant improvement in its top line. RML has begun supplying rack and pinion steering gears to Piaggio, Mahindra SCV and Tata Nano, apart from exporting these components to US- based Polaris. It has also developed a hydraulic steering system with cylinder actuators for off-highway 50 / Commercial Vehicle / august 2009

vehicles like tractors and fork-lifts. Since these vehicles do not require a quick responding steering system, the hydraulic power steering is cost effective, while occupying space in these heavy vehicles. Being one of the earliest off springs of the Rs 1,400 crore Rane Holdings group, RML started in 1960 as the first Indian manufacturer to localise the manufacture of steering linkages - with technological tie-up with UK’s Qunital Haizel Limited. RML now commands more than 80 percent market share in the manufacture of manual steering gears and suspension linkages among OEMs. Its chief product lines include steering gears, the tie-rod assemblies - ie the linkages that connect gears of the axle, and replaceable ball

joints that provide smooth operation of vehicles. The safety as well as the quality of the ride are largely dependent upon the steering system’s response time and robustness. The linkages, gears and ball joints are present in every vehicle alike, irrespective of whether it is manually or power steered. RML’s domestic client list includes prominent OEMs like Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland, Mahindra&Mahindra, Force Motors, Eicher, Piaggio, and TAFE. The company also exports its products many overseas players including Kubota (Japan) , John Deere (US) and Siam Kubota (Thailand). RML has also established significant presence in the OE spares market and the after markets in countries as USA, UK, Iran, Japan and the ASEAN nations. ‘Sixty

Re-circulating ball type steering gears

five percent Lower control arms of our products are for the OEM markets, while the rest comprise of exports and the aftermarket,’ says S.Parthasarathy, President, Rane Madras Ltd. Parthasarathy has been instrumental in reviving the company from its biggest crisis in 2000-01. ‘We took two years to bounce back. Many inevitable steps as reduction of employees and partial outsourcing of low-value add jobs were made,’ explains Parthasarathy. Strong technology RML made its first series of fork-type steering in 1975. Since then, ‘considerable R&D in various areas has made us not just parts manufacturers but a complete solutions provider,’ says S.Sundar, vicepresident, R&D, RML. R&D has evolved in the company constantly over the years, from reverse engineering to collaborations with the OEMs themselves to providing solutions. ‘Our testing process is very systematic and recognised by most OEMs. In fact, TRW Europe recognises our testing at par of theirs and approves our exports products without a re-test. We are also recognised by the Department of Science and Industrial Reseach of India Given the vehicle specifications, load details and the dimensions, we can make steering solutions for virtually any vehicle maker,’ claims Sundar. RML’s gears and linkages now sit on the Tata Nano as well as the World Trucks.

Avia, Ashok Leyland, MahindraNavistar, ALL-Nissan and the ALL Unitruck models will all carry RML’s solutions. On offhighways sector however, linkages may be limited as they are predominantly hydraulic systems. ’Our edge over competitors is in our superior re-circulating ball type steering gears whereas competition in India only provides wormand-roller type

to 3 years. The tube linkages may also demand replacement every 3 to 4 years. ’While a decade ago, 80 to 90 percent share of our total production went to the OEM market, it currently stands at only 60 to 65 percent on account of the greater inroads into the profitable aftermarket and export business.

Plants at a glance RML believes that a cluster of five strategically placed smaller units is better than a single one. The mother plant at Velachery, Chennai is predominantly for CVs and utility vehicles. The steering solutions for tractors are made in Mysore facility while the Puducherry plant takes care of the passenger cars segment. A new plant has come Tie rod assemblies up in Kanchipuram, TN in 2006 in order to make ball joints and linkages for exports, gears, while the Utharakhand unit was set which are up to cater to the industrial belt around more vulnerit. ‘We have mini- assembly centres in able to failure and several places like Pune, that enables us with a smaller lifespan than our products,’ to add value to OEMs, cost effectively,’ explains Parthasarathy. The ball rollers are Parthasarathy adds. especially induction hardened to make sure Overall, 900 personnel work in these they take jolting vibrations and cheeky plants. The company is certified with ISO cornering with aplomb. The ball joints are 14001, TS16949 and OSHAS 18001. Rane generally the first to demand replacement, Madras has received the prestigious Demthus creating a virtual aftermarket ing Application Prize in 2007 for its for our products. quality. ■ A typical wellengineered and tested ball joint with rigorous usage as in city Gear shift ball joints buses may last 2 august 2009 / Commercial Vehicle / 51

customers’ delight

jcb

JCB’s excavators gain ground JCB is rapidly spreading its reach into the excavator space too. From whatever we found out in Pune, customers are only happy to agree.

Story Ahfaaz Khan Photography Sawan Sekhar Hembram f you thought JCB was satisfied with a near monopoly in the backhoe loader market, think again. In just about a couple of years since setting up a new heavy line plant in Pune, the construction equipment major has notched up a market share of close to 7 percent in the 9,000 units per annum market. The company has 8, 14, 20 and 21 tonne excavators in its portfolio - with the latter two being the most popular offerings. We decided to interact with a dealer and a

JCB / customers’ delight

few customers in and around Pune to understand how the JS 200 and JS 210 are being perceived. The two machines, straddling the high volume 20-tonne segment are positioned to address different kinds of customers. While the JS 200 (Rs 46 lakh) is targeted at entry-level customers, the JS 210 (Rs 51 lakh) aims for well-entrenched ones. ‘The former is acquired by customers in order to be deployed into the rental market, while the latter is directly used by a contractor who is assured of continuous business,’ explains Rajesh Shintre, Branch Manager, Siddharth Auto Engineers Private Limited, a JCB dealership. Everyday hero On an average, the JS 200 is rented out for a month at a stretch. During the period, it works for 8 hours a day. The spare parts are `provided by the owner, whereas fuel and labour costs are borne by the hirer. The rental market with its mass market proposition is projected to payback at the end of 3 years. It must be noted though that rent-

The JS200 is a preffered option among rental service providers and first time buyers. This excavator is powered by a 127 hp Cumins engine.

52 / Commercial Vehicle / august 2009

The JS210 is a high end excavator with features like Advanced Management Systems (AMS), four different modes of operation and an auto-idle mechanism.

al rates have slackened in the face of the slowdown. ‘While earlier, rental rates for the bucket and breaker attachments were Rs 1,400 and Rs 2,100 per hour respectively, post slowdown, rates have fallen by 8-9 percent to Rs 1,200 and 1,800 per hour respectively,’ says Megha Shintre, Proprietor, Pooja Earthmovers. Irrespective of this aberration, the JS 200 remains a sound choice for customers. This is also the case despite strong competition from excavators put out by other players like L&T-Komatsu, Telcon, Caterpillar, Volvo and Kobelco. ‘We tried out machines put out by JCB as well as those of competition. Each excavator has its own share of pluses and minuses. But, we opted for the JS 200 since it offers the best overall package in terms of acquisition cost, power, fuel-efficiency, reliability, availability of spares and service as well as ease of operation,’ explains Gorakh Bongade, proprietor, Bongade Constructions and Developers. Bongade has used the machine on prominent projects like rock cutting and levelling at General Motors’ Talegaon plant as also on Mahindra’s Chakan plant for similar work. Powered by a robust 127 HP Cummins engine, the JS 200 is a hardy machine that is geared to take on the challenges thrown by India’s hot and difficult conditions. A high bucket tear out force of 14,550 kgf and dipper tear out force of 11,560 kgf

ensure high productivity and performance. It comes with a variable flow load sensing system, with flow on demand, variable power output and servo-operated, multi-function open centre control. An efficient filtration system means that the hydraulic fluid can last for 5,000 hours. The increased flow in hydraulic pumps results in faster cycle times. The durable Apex design in X frame carriage helps in intrinsic fabrication strength. A unique underbelly guard protects hydraulic components. The greasing interval on the boom base pin and boom-dipper joint pin is 1,000 hours. What is more, the 500 mm track shoes

Gorakh Bongade says that the JS 200 makes sense when taken as the package of acquisition cost and operating economics.

august 2009 / Commercial Vehicle / 53

customers’ delight / jcb

JCB / customers’ delight

Nitin Nanekar emphasises the importance of positive word of mouth as a key influencer of buying behaviour.

with greased and sealed track chain pins, minimises wear and increases life. On the ergonomics front, the deluxe weight adjusted operator seat enhances operator comfort. Well-placed joystick controls and all round visibility help too. There is a large rear storage area for consumable parts and miscellaneous items. The JS200 comes with 0.9 to 1.02 cu.m buckets. The life of machine is six years though it normally lasts for 8-10 years. The machine can take 20 hours of punishment a day for days on end. The fueleconomy is sound too, at about 15 litres to every hour of operation. What clinches the deal for the operator is the fact that spares are readily available at hand. The JS200 is almost completely localised. Aggregates made in JCB’s Talegaon plant, are deployed both in JCB’s domestic and overseas markets. ‘One of the key reasons in opting for JS 200 was the easy availability of spares. Frequently needed components like bucket teeth, teeth pins, washers, filters and lubricants are available at a lag of just 12 hours – and at an affordable price,’ states Anil Malpote, Proprietor, Indrayani Land Developers. Technology digs deep If the JS 200 is all about mass market economics, the JS 210 delivers on a more-for more- strategy. Used by contractors who are assured of good business, the JS 210 can pay back in 18 months. This is why: ‘The JS210 has better output. AMS, a 54 / Commercial Vehicle / august 2009

iddharth Auto Engineers Pvt Ltd’s dealership has been built, based on JCB dealership guidelines. The dealership has 5 front ends in the Pune region – two of which perform repair and maintenance activities – while the rest perform sales and spare part support functions. Siddharth Auto Engineers Private Limited conducts a month long operator The workshop has four training course that has a student intake capacity of 25. bays of 20 x 60 feet each. ‘The highlight of this service facility is a MIG welding facility. Most other construction equipment dealerships use only 300 ampere welding machines. With MIG welding, the quality of weld renders the product as good as new. In case of conventional welding, the joint can rupture again after few months or even days,’ claims Dileep Pandit, Managing Director, Siddharth Auto Engineers Pvt Ltd. The dealership stocks both fast moving parts like teeth, teeth pins, washers, filters and lubricants as well as slow moving ones like window glasses. The stocking is also done depending upon seasonal demand. Between Jan-April, there is a peak in the construction activity, where fast moving parts are needed. But, the June – August period does not see so much activity. Therefore customers bring their machines for overhaul, creating a demand for slow moving parts too. ‘We keep track of the age of machines. As they age, we try and augment our stocks of parts. There are around 8,000 parts that go into a machine, out of which, we keep a stock of 4,000,’ underlines Pandit. This understanding of the age of the machines helps in the AMC that Siddharth Auto Engineers provides to 350 machines in Pune. Under this scheme, the dealership makes 18 days of visit at the customer’s site per month. Along the way, there are a few niggles that Siddharth Auto Engineers has to encounter. ‘Customers do not always bring the machines to our workshop. So, while the hydraulic oil needs to be changed in dust free environments, customers want us to do the same onsite. As a result, the dust particles get into the oil,’ Pandit discloses. The dealership also runs an operation training centre with an intake of 25 students. A dedicated backhoe gives lessons in operation and maintenance to these students. Key aspects touched upon by the course include fault detection and repairs as well as sound maintenance practices. Since the JS210 uses the fully electronic Isuzu engine, operators need to be trained even more on it. At the end of the one month course, entailing fees of Rs 11,000, the students appear for an exam. Those who fail to pass the exam are admitted to the next batch free of cost. The dealership has hostel facilities to accommodate 10 outstation students. ■

Dealer talk

1 Anil Malpote explains that low cost of spare parts offered JCB acts as a big relief for contractors especially during the existing difficult times.

standard fit with the machine helps to identify problem areas at an early stage; we can take preventive action at an early stage. Moreover, the spare parts can be ordered well in advance,’ explains Nanasaheb Lonkar, Proprietor, Lonkar Earth Movers, which owns three JS 210 machines. The powerful and reliable 138 HP Isuzu engine provides outstanding performance and fuel efficiency. Its increased bucket tear out of 15,800 kgf (with power boost), dipper tear out and slew torque improve performance and productivity. The Advanced Management System (AMS) optimises productivity and fuelefficiency by matching engine power and hydraulic pump output. The heart of the system is the in-cab monitor unit. This gives a graphical display of fuel level and engine and hydraulic oil temperatures, in addition to audio visual warnings of machine errors and function selection. Four selectable working modes link the operators’ control movements with the engine and hydraulic systems to maximise productivity and efficiency. A-Auto: Gives variable power and speed depending on the operator’s input. The power boost is automatically activated in this mode, should hard conditions be encountered. Auto idle sets in after 5 or 30 seconds as set by the operator. E-Economy: maximises economy while still delivering enough output. P-Precision: Allows for fine control of grading operations, L-Lifting: Offers permanent power boost

3 4

A Bucket (Pic 1) is used for excavating soft surfaces, while harder ones demand breakers. AMS (Pic 2 ) optimises productivity and fuel efficiency by matching engine power and hydraulic pump output. Comfortable cabins and ergonomically placed levers (Pic 3 & 4) featured in both the JS200 and JS210 help to minimise operator fatigue.

august 2009 / Commercial Vehicle / 55

customers’ delight / jcb

How rates are decided

Megha Shintre feels that despite longer payback periods, the rental business appeals to operators who do not want to invest in all their resources in one-go as full- fledged contractors.

for maximum lifting and control. The adjustable position monitor mounted on the right hand pillar of the cab gives the operator a constant read out of mode, tracking range, operating temperature and a host of other information, while retaining visibility of the monitor. The required flow for hammer applications can be set and stored in the AMS memory and is automatically activated whenever the hammer pedal is depressed. A Can Bus link allows high speed data transmission between the monitor and diagnostic equipment, which can be used to check the function of pressure switches, solenoids and actual values on monitor gauges. The alert alarm indi-

A contractor performs trials on the site and on that basis, calculates the expected volume that can be dug up by the machine in an hour. This leads to an estimation of time needed to excavate the entire site. On a ballpark basis, the quoted expense is determined on the basis of 33 percent weightage to fuel costs, 30 percent to transportation of the machines to the site as well as labour (Each machine needs two operators and a helper) and other overheads. A 30 percent profit is also factored in. ‘One can excavate 120-160 cubic meters a day in case of soft rock and 8-12 cubic meters a day for hard rock. Correspondingly, the average rates quoted by a contractor for a soft rock if Rs 55 per cubic meters and for hard rock it is Rs 450 cubic meters,’ says Rajesh Shintre. To excavate hard rock, the operator would need a breaker attachment. This heavy duty drill, priced at Rs 10-15 lakh has a life of 5,000 to 6,000 hours. ■

cates when services are not carried out or when there is an abnormality in order to prevent major problems. An electronic log of history helps in analysis for better utilisation in the future. An on-board analysis of problems cuts down on service time and costs. A sound-proof cabin, fitted with

Nanasaheb Lonkar says that with the help of AMS, one can order a spare part well in advance and thereby minimise a machine’s downtime.

tinted glass and fully adjustable deluxe seats make for excellent ergonomics. The ‘Cushion Control’ feature reduces shock to the operator as well as to the dipper and boom during excavator operations. This is in addition to standard ram end damping. The proven Japanese hydraulics allows for simultaneous smooth control of all excavator functions. It also ensures straight line tracking at all times, whether other functions are being used or not. Other highlights include a 343 litre fuel tank and a 1.5 microns plexus filter that takes care of almost any kind of grime that the excavator may encounter. The JS 210 comes with a range of 0.9-1.2 cu metre buckets. ■

Siddharth Auto Engineers has a dedicated backhoe to teach operation and maintenance procedures to budding operators.

56 / Commercial Vehicle / august 2009

intelligent moves

swaraj mazda

swaraj mazda / intelligent moves

Swaraj Mazda reveals strong product pipeline

Swaraj Mazda prides itself on its ability to put out fully built monocoque buses.

A 12-metre inter-city bus will be flanked by a 27-seater as also a new generation of 12 tonne truck. Story Ahfaaz Khan and Sridhar Chari

the obvious length differential, the new bus will have better width (2.6-metre vis-à-vis the Prestige’s 2.5-metre). When the boost in size is coupled with Isuzu’s superior designs, Swaraj Mazda would have an offering that stands up to premium competition. Even as this development pans out, Swaraj is working on two other products. One is a 27-seater Isuzu NQR luxury bus and the other product is a 12-tonne truck. The former is a 170 hp offering and appears to be a perfect fit on routes, where large buses frequently operate with low occupancy rates. ‘Large buses make sense if they are running to their capacity. But according to our information, there are routes where buses are running with 50 to 60 percent occupancy. So we feel that our 27-seater buses will make greater economic sense for operators’ remarks Sehgal. The NQR bus has completed the homologation process and a bus has also hit the roads for trials in Shimla. Pitched at the upper end of the segment, the Isuzu NQR has been developed to offer better speeds, superior travel comfort and air conditioning. The chassis along with the engine, transmission and axles has been supplied by Isuzu. Swaraj claims that the four-cylinder, electronically controlled, CRDe engine can be expected to have a life of 10 years as would the transmissions and other aggregates. ‘Getting a universally proven product from Isuzu also saved us investments in R&D activities,’

comments B S Devgun, executive director, R&D, SML. However, SML has tweaked some components to make the bus more suited to Indian conditions. The new 12-tonner will feature improved chassis and other aggregates like transmissions and axles. On the body building front, SML went ahead on its own. Feedback from operators and passengers were taken into account before finalising the designs. The other product which SML is highly confident about is the 12-tonne truck that features a 102 hp engine. ‘Six months ago, we ran about 15

The Swaraj Mazda Prestige LT intercity coach may soon have a 12-metre sibling.

waraj Mazda Limited’s Prestige LT luxury intercity coach, launched last year has fared reasonably well with STU and private customers. But the company feels that there is scope for some fine tuning of its marquee product in the 58 / Commercial Vehicle / august 2009

intercity segment. ‘Customers are polarised between standard bus offerings and the premium European-origin buses. That is why, we are working on a 12-metre sibling for the 11.4-metre Prestige,’ reveals R P Sehgal, executive director-works, SML. Make no mistake about it. The Prestige,

priced under 60 lakh comes with a 230 HP Isuzu common rail engine, has a powerful AC, good suspensions and a more than par road speed. The missing links are space and trims. The 12-metre offering which will mostly likely be branded Isuzu is currently under homologation and testing. Besides

BS Devgun, ED R&D and RP Sehgal, ED Works are taking Swaraj Mazda forward, one step at a time.

trucks for trial purposes and after getting a positive response we have decided to start regular production’ says Sehgal. The company plans to manufacture 50 to 60 trucks a month. City bus market Swaraj is eyeing the city bus alright but will approach it on its own terms. Under the JNNURM, STUs are expected to buy a large number of low floor, semi-low floor, regular buses and mini-buses. And it is primarily on the last two categories that SML is training its guns on. ‘Neither our company nor Isuzu have a ready product that ties-in with the specifications and pricing for low-floor buses demanded by STUs. As a result, we could not participate in the initial tenders for low-floor buses. But by the time, the next round of tenders come up, we will be ready,’ says Devgun. There is likely to be a continuous and steady demand for low-floor buses. ‘The life of the buses as mandated by the DTC tender is 12 years after which, they need to be replaced,’ comments Sehgal. Moreover SML has been working on CNG engine options to cater to demand from the Delhi market. ‘If we include the time for homologation and testing followed by our own testing, it takes around a year and a half for a product to be launched’ conveys Devgun. Swaraj is not short of capacity. It can put together 12,000 buses and LCVs on the august 2009 / Commercial Vehicle / 59

intelligent moves / swaraj Mazda

swaraj mazda / intelligent moves

Specifications Isuzu NQR Bus

Specifications Swaraj Mazda Super 12 truck Engine Model: SLT3 (BS III Compliant) Type: 4 cylinder inline, water cooled, direct injection diesel engine Aspiration: Turbocharged inter cooled Displacement: 3455 cc Max Power: 102bhp@3000 rpm Electricals Type: 12 volts Battery: 1 Nos, 12V 120 AH, Alternator: 12 volts, 55A Drive Train Clutch: Dry single plate with diaphragm spring, hydraulically controlled Transmission: 5 forward, 1 reverse synchromesh Axles Front Axle: Heavy duty reverse Elliot ‘I’ beam section 60 / Commercial Vehicle / august 2009

Rear Axle: Heavy duty full floating Banjo Type Steering: Re-circulating ball type, manual Suspension Front: Heavy duty semi elliptical type with multi leaf spring with hydraulic double acting telescopic shock absorbers Rear: Heavy duty semi elliptical type multi leaf spring with helper Brakes Service Brakes: Full air dual circuit S cam roller follower type Parking brakes: Graduated hand control valve system actuating rear brakes Exhaust brakes: provided Wheels and tyres Wheels: 8 studs wheel discs

No. of tyres: 7 including 1 spare tyres Size: 8.25 x 20 -14 PR (front), .25 x 20 -16 PR (rear) Fuel tank capacity 180 litres Max Speed: 80 kmph Seats: 1 +2 seating in cabin Dimensions Overall Length: 7220 mm Overall Height: 2460 mm Overall Width: 2400 mm Wheelbase: 3940 mm Ground clearance: 300 mm GVW 11990 kg Load body dimensions (l x b): 5240mm x 2280mm Track Front: 2022 mm Rear: 1693 mm

Engine Model: 4HK1XS, Euro III Compliant Type: 4 cylinder inline, OHC (over head cam, direct injection water cooled turbo charger with inter cooler and EGR Displacement: 5193 cc Max Power: 127.6 kw @2600 rpm Electricals Type: 24 volts Battery: 120 AH, Alternator: 24 volts, 60A

Steering: Power assisted hydraulic

Size: 7.5” x 16” - PR Cross

Suspension Front: Semi elliptical type with multi leaf spring with hydraulic double acting telescopic shock absorbers Rear: Semi elliptical type multi leaf spring with hydraulic double acting telescopic shock absorbers Optional: Air suspension

Fuel tank capacity: 100 litres Max Speed: 114 kmph Seats: 27+1 Type: Push back, reclining comfortable seats with padded arm rests and foot rest

Drive Train Clutch: Dry single plate Transmission: 6 forward, 1 reverse

Brakes Service Brakes: Hydraulic assist Parking brakes: mechanical Exhaust brakes: provided ABS: provided

Axles Front Axle: Reverse Elliot ‘I’ beam section Rear Axle: Full floating Banjo Type

Wheels and tyres Wheels: 6 studs wheel discs No. of tyres: 7 including 1 spare tyres

Isuzu platform at its new factory in Ropar, Punjab. Currently, SML is executing an order for 350 mini-buses under an order from the UPSRTC. ‘We are predominantly minibus manufacturers. BRTS in cities do need

mini-buses as feeders as also to do duty on low-traffic routes,’ remarks Sehgal. The company is also working on 70 ambulances for the surface transport ministry. The improvements in road infrastructure and emergence of express ways

Dimensions Overall Length: 7980 mm Overall Height: 3264 mm Overall Width: 2295 mm Wheelbase: 4175 mm Ground clearance: 1800 mm Track Front: 1665 mm Rear: 1650 mm

have resulted in a strong demand for ambulances which is expected to grow even further in the future. SML appears to be steadying itself for the time being, with an eye for some aggressive moves going forward. ■ august 2009 / Commercial Vehicle / 61

playing Safe

Volvo

Volvo / playing safe The overhead camera inside the cabin will record even the most minute of details, which oherwise could easily be missed out.

Volvo works on advanced safety solutions Safety will become more intuitive if Volvo’s collaborative efforts with EuroFOT succeed.

n its quest to develop advanced safety solutions, Volvo has joined a research project EuroFOT (Field Operation Test), which also involves 28 European organisations including vehicle manufacturer, suppliers, research organisations and universities. By next year, Volvo’s plan is to equip 80 trucks with monitoring technology. Thirty of these trucks will be equipped with Volvo Trucks active safety systems such as Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Keeping Support, while the remainder 50 trucks will have additional technology for measuring fuel-efficiency. All the participating trucks will record the data for a year with the help of a central computer unit and four video cameras. Each camera will be placed to record area in front of the truck, the dead angle on the right side of the truck, the cab interior and the driver’s face. The cameras will register every second of information with projections that over 70,000,000 megabytes of 62 / Commercial Vehicle / August 2009

Under the EuroFOT project, Volvo will test various safety technologies in as many as 80 trucks.

data will be collected by the end of the tests. In addition to this, the data will help fleet operators to improve the efficiency of their operations. EuroFOT (Field Operation Test) is the first large-scale project of its kind that is

Lane Keeping Support uses radar sensors to detect vehicles in blind spot on the passenger side of a vehicle.

being undertaken in the European Union. Sponsored by the European Commission, euroFOT involves participation of more than 1,500 cars and trucks. ‘The project is completely in line with our ambition to build the world’s safest trucks,’ remarked Carl Johan Almqvist, director, Volvo Trucks- Traffic and Product division. The project will also enable Volvo Trucks to understand the potential causes of accidents, test out new accident prevention systems and utilise the knowledge for developing new systems. Company’s Accident Research Team (ART) has been studying truck accidents and their causes for the past four decades. ‘We want to find out more information about the situations and behaviours that can cause accidents, so that we can continue to drive traffic safety development even further’ added Almqvist. A survey by the European Truck Accident Causation Study has highlighted that 47 percent of all truck accidents take place in monotonous situations such as traffic queues, with vehicles travelling in the same direction or in stressful situations

such as crossroads and road-works. Volvo expects that the solutions like the adaptive cruise control and monitoring of the driver’s dead angles will significantly help to reduce the accidents. In recent years, the EU has been laying greater emphasis on developing safety solution for the transport industry. The union is currently working on Highly Automated Vehicles for Intelligent Transport (HAVEit) project which aims to develop advanced driver assistance systems. One solution that is being considered is having a virtual co-driver capable enough to respond to traffic situations and driver needs. HAVEit involves 20 different organisations including Volvo Technology working together for developing future technologies for the transport sector. Volvo is working hard to develop new technology in three heavy duty vehicles by 2011. Two trucks are currently being digitally upgraded in Göteborg, Sweden so as to make them competent for accommodating advanced solutions. One of the trucks will focus on safety standards, while the other will look into environment issues. The safety truck will feature various solutions to assist the driver in repetitive traffic tailback situations characterised by monotonous low-speed progress. ‘The current queue support system for trucks is about 30 km/h. This is still a relatively high speed. We are working on queue support down to 0 km/h. This will enable a truck to stop auto-

matically if the vehicle in front stops, and start moving again without the driver pressing the accelerator,’ remarked Erika Jakobsson, project manager at Volvo Technology. The other part of the automated queue support system is dedicated to keep the truck in the right lane. ‘The existing lane support system issues an audible warning which requires the driver to respond. Now we are examining an entirely automated process so that the truck always drives in the middle of its lane without the driver having to do anything’ continued Jakobsson. The truck focusing on safety will be installed with nine sensors, a lane and object camera above the windscreen, a camera in the cab to monitor the driver’s status, two short range radars (one on either side of the truck), and three lasers. In addition

the truck will also use Vehicle to Vehicle (V2V communication) and the E-Horizon system. The E-Horizon consists of a number of navigation solutions like GPS-linked to map databases. A truck receives a continuous flow of information about the nature of road and the traffic conditions and this information is used to alter the speed and other parameters necessary for smooth driving. V2V Communication on the other hand, exchanges information with other vehicles in the vicinity. The solution is extremely beneficial in tailback traffic as the driver will get the necessary information several seconds before he sees the brake lights come on in the vehicle in front. This sensor-based technology is also utilised the other truck being developed as part of the HAVEit project. This environmentally-optimised truck is being designed to enhance the performance of a hybrid engine by optimising the use of the combustion engine, electric motor and correct gear ratio. ‘Advance information from the sensors is a helps in controlling the hybrid driveline with more precision. The information can also be used to teach good driving habits that reduce fuel consumption,’ said Jakobsson. Volvo is confident that some of these solutions will hit serial production by 2012. ■

The four recording cameras are expected to record more than 70,000,000 MB of data.

August 2009 / Commercial Vehicle / 63

new frontiers

allison

allison / new frontiers

Allison testing unique hybrid propulsion system

llison is testing a unique hybrid propulsion system, the GM Allison Hybrid EP-System in five new Optra Tempo buses being operated by the Transport of London (TfL). This patented ‘two mode’ parallel hybrid technology uses a combination of direct power from an electronically controlled diesel engine and electric power from an energy storage system and thereby delivers considerable fuel economy and lower emissions. This propulsion system will also be installed in five more buses. The move is a part of a study that seeks to analyse the performance of different hybrid systems and their various specifiable components such as controls, batteries and transmissions. Five of the GM-Allisonequipped buses are with the East London Bus Group where they will carry passengers on the 276 route between Newham General Hospital and Stoke Newington. Metroline will operate a further five on the 64 / Commercial Vehicle / August 2009

E8 route between Ealing Broadway and Brentford. The complete GM-Allison Ep40/50 systems consists of the Ev DriveTM module, which serves as the vehicle transmission, the Dual Power Inverter Module (DPIM), the Energy Storage System (ESS) based on advanced Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) batteries, two electronic control modules and the electronic driver interface with integrated display. The EV DriveTM module features a concentric arrangement of gears, planetary gear sets and two electric machines. The module combines electrical power with power from the engine and forms a Hybrid Electrically Variable Transmission (HEVT). This unique hybrid architecture combines the high power and efficiency of a parallel hybrid with that of a continuous control and urban drive cycle efficiency of a series hybrid. When the bus starts, the electrical starter motor draws power from the battery mounted on the roof of the bus and propels the vehicles. As the vehicle picks up speed, the 340 hp diesel engine starts direct pow-

er supply to the drivetrain as well as to the battery. An automatic controller ensures that the battery is maintained at optimum charge. At steady speed the battery cuts out altogether and the entire system operates like a conventional drivetrain. Another advantage of the hybrid infrastructure is the regenerative braking system. When a driver brakes, the kinetic energy that is normally wasted in the form of heat energy is instead transferred back into electric energy by an electric motor. The stored energy is hen used to recharge the battery. It is estimated that 40 percent of the energy used to accelerate a bus with the GM Allison two-mode hybrid system comes from the energy saved during regenerative braking. TfL currently operates more than 2,500 buses equipped with the smooth fully automatic transmissions across London. Authorities from TfL believe that the GMAllison-equipped buses will be extremely helpful in achieving the target of a 60 per cent reduction in emissions across London by 2025. ■ Allison expects test results from the London study to help it to make further refinements in its hybrid technology.

Wallner Specialtransporter fits vehicle with Allison 4700 transmission

llison’s fully automatic transmissions are a frequent option in Sweden for refuse and rescue vehicles manufactured by both Scania and Volvo. But until now, it has not been possible to find an Allison transmission in an extra heavy duty application among Nordic OEM trucks. Wallner Specialtransporter in Falun is changing this pattern with a brand new Volvo FH16 8x4 in which the powerful Allison 4700 transmission has been installed. Allison’s dealer partner, SM Transmission in Bollebygd, fit the Allison into the chassis while Vemservice in Vemdalen handled the remaining body work. Allison’s 4700 transmission has seven gears. An additional intermediate planetary module allows an extremely low mechanical crawler gear. The solution gears down seven times with a rear axle ratio including hub reduction of 5.4. Then the torque converter further reduces the output another two times, while multiplying engine torque for maximum startability. Wallner’s new Allison equipped vehicle is not only able to start on an eight percent uphill grade pulling a GVW of 250 tons, it also provides continuous upshift-

In the Volvo FH16 8x4, Allison has a very strong advocate for the use of its transmissions in the extra heavy duty segment.

ing during acceleration. The combined effort of Allison’s torque converter, planetary gear system, hydraulic pump and advanced electronic controls provide for continuous power. Fully automatic transmissions are beneficial to fleet drivers carrying heavy loads. The Allison fully automatic provides smooth, uninterrupted shifting when climbing steep hills with very heavy loads. ‘With automated manual transmissions (AMTs) and manual transmissions, the engine pauses to allow each shift, stalling the vehicle’s forward momentum and losing power,’ says Mikael Wallner, owner of Special transporter. Additionally, Allison automatics do not allow rollback on steep inclines. ‘On a slope the dry clutch of an AMT can slip with its typical smoke and smell. If worse comes to worst, the clutch can catch fire,’ Mikael Wallner continues. According to Mikael Wallner, the Allison fully automatic is the right solution for operating a truck with extra heavy loads, such as components of a wind mill power station. Reliable drive-line combinations that used to be on the market for this type of transport are no longer available. On the other hand, the development of even stronger power plants has continued.

Therefore, a torque converter and hub reduction are a must. Mikael Wallner has high expectations for his new FH16 with the powerful Allison 4700 transmission. ‘Last year we delivered a similar solution by installing an Allison 4700 transmission in a Scania R620 heavy tractor for Norway with excellent results. We strongly believe in combining our products with modern trucks for optimal performance and maximum power to the road in the heaviest segment,’ says Jan-Erik Eskilsby, Area Manager for Allison Transmission Nordic, which includes Scandinavian and Baltic markets. Allison Transmission, Inc. (Allison) is the premier global provider of commercial duty automatic transmissions and hybrid propulsion systems. Allison products are specified by over 250 of the world‘s leading vehicle manufacturers and are used in many market sectors including bus, refuse, fire, construction, distribution, military and specialty applications. Founded in 1915, the Allison business is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.A. and employs 2,700 people. Regional headquarters with dedicated support staff are located in China, The Netherlands, Brazil, India and Japan. ■ August 2009 / Commercial Vehicle / 65

value addition

MAN

man / value addition This 13.7m low floor city bus has been specifically made for the Swedish market.

More MAN muscles ’s Lio for

n City

bus City Hybrid can also run on second generation biofuels, which reduces CO2 emission even further. With an average annual mileage of 60,000 kilometres the MAN hybrid bus can potentially cut down green house gas emission by approximately ten tonnes. A couple of these new hybrid buses will be taken into regular service in several European cities including Vienna and Munich during 2010. MAN is also developing an articulated hybrid bus featuring the same technology and this bus will probably be introduced in 2012.

MAN intends to build on the Lion City bus’ proven appeal by launching hybrid and three-axle variants.

howcasing its competence in environment-friendly technology, MAN Nutzfahrzeuge premiered a slew of products at the 58th World Congress of the International Association of Public Transport (UITP) held in Vienna last month. The products included a MAN Lion’s City Hybrid bus in the series version, a new low-floor MAN Lion’s City C city bus and a new MAN E2876 LUH 03 natural-gas engine. The new MAN Lion’s City hybrid bus has been developed on the existing low66 / Commercial Vehicle / August 2009

floor MAN Lion’s City tower design and is powered by the EV compliant, 250 hp and D08 engine, equipped with a closed, electronically controlled CRTec® particulate filter. Another important feature of the new hybrid bus is its EfficiencyDesign characterised by an Ultracap highperformance energy storage system. City operations involve stop and go operations where a lot of braking energy is generated. When the bus is decelerated, the hybrid system stores the braking energy and then uses the same when the bus is accelerated again. Depending on the charge

of the Ultracaps, the extent to which the vehicle is loaded and the road conditions, the hybrid bus can run up to several hundred metres purely on electricity. Trial runs of around 35,000 km undertaken by the company across various European cites have showed that the diesel engine can be shut down for roughly 40 percent of the period of operation. MAN expects its new hybrid bus to offer fuel savings of up to 30 percent along with substantially reduced emissions as compared to those in conventional diesel engines. The MAN Lion’s

MAN Lion’s City C city bus This 13.7 m, three-axle bus also made its premiere at the UITP. This new length has been especially designed for the Swedish market and it supplements the existing 14.7 m long Lion’s City L city bus. The turning circle of the new bus has been reduced to 24.7 m on account of reduced wheelbase of around a metre immediately in front of second door and an electro-hydraulically steered trailing axle. The noticeable swing-out at the back of the bus has also been reduced by 15 cm to a mere 1.16 m. The linear layout of the Lion’s City C city bus is similar to that of doubledecker buses operating in cities like Berlin and Dubai. In contrast to the 14.7-m version, this 13.7m version will be available exclusively with three doors. The Lion’s City C bus is available with a range of engine options which includes the EEVcompliant, common-rail 320 and 360-hp

diesel engines equipped with MAN PURE DIESEL® technology. From 2010 on, the new 320 MAN E2876 LUH03 natural-gas engine will also be available. With an unladen weight of between 13 and 14 tonnes and a registered gross vehicle weight of 24 tonnes, the vehicle has plenty of weight reserves, which MAN believes provide a good option for local transport authorities not inclined to use articulated buses. MAN will be offering this bus with immediate effect in all left-hand-drive markets. New powertrain Also premiered at the UITP was the new OBD2 ((the statutorily-required engine control system ‘On-board Diagnosis 2’) equipped MAN E2876 LUH 03 compressed natural-gas engine. This 320 hp natural gas engine, offering a ten-hp higher output and greater torque as compared to the existing MAN’s natural gas engines, will be available from next year for low-floor city buses as well as for bus chassis. With an increase of 150 Nm, the new engine offers a maximum torque of 1,400 Nm, which puts it almost at the level of the comparable D20 diesel engine. The entire range of MAN’s naturalgas engines comply with the voluntary EEV standard. With sales of more than 4,000 engines, buses and bus chassis, MAN is one of the

market leaders in the natural-gas powered bus segment. From the second half of this year MAN will also introduce a new range of gearbox and gear-change programmes for its city buses. Post-introduction, the new ZF EcoLife gearboxes will be installed as standard in MAN buses, together with the topography-dependent TopoDyn gearchange software. The new generation of gearboxes will offer higher input torque, longer service life and higher braking torques of the integrated retarders. Because of the use of new converter with torsion damping, the new gearboxes will also offer improved acceleration and comfortable gear changes in the lower gears. The topography-dependent TopoDyn gear-change software on the other hand will result in fuel savings of up to five percent. This software will have five specific gear-change programmes and one amongst these will be automatically selected depending upon road conditions and load. In addition to this, MAN will also introduce the fifth generation Voith DIWA.5 gearbox featuring electronic integration in the drive train, efficient mechanical-hydraulic power distribution and a powerful secondary retarder. This gearbox will also have a new topography-dependent gearchange program, SensoTop. The software will use a separate, maintenance-free altimeter to detect inclines and declines and depending on these parameters, it will calculate the optimum time for changing gears. Aimed at the heavy duty range, MAN expects the Voith DIWA.5SensoTop combination to help cut down fuel consumption of heavy haulers as well. ■

This new 320hp natural gas engine is a significant development in the promotion of alternate fuels for public transport applications.

August 2009 / Commercial Vehicle / 67

prime focus

renault

renault / prime focus

Renault ‘Lands’ premium trucks for construction segment Renault has put out quality multi-axles at the service of key markets.

enault Trucks has showcased a host of new offerings including the two new variants of its Lander range of premium trucks at the Intermat show held in Paris recently. Featuring enhanced sturdiness, payload and pulling power the two new Landers were introduced in 8 x 2*6 and 8x4 configurations. Renault believes the two vehicles are capable of meeting diverse sets of requirements of the extremely demanding construction equipment industry. The new 8 x 2*6 Lander has an additional payload of 500 kg, and its 12.5 percent enhanced turning circle ensures better handling and 68 / Commercial Vehicle / August 2009

the fuel consumption is around 10 percent lower compared to that of competition. Renault Premium Lander 8 x 4 is a concrete mixer featuring a Liebherr revolving drum. The drum rotates relatively fewer times while transporting the cement, correspondingly reducing fuel consumption. Moreover because of the Good Year Omnitrack SD tyre mounting, it offers an extra payload of 250 kg. As a result of all these features, the Renault expects its new 8x4 offering to increase the operator’s profits. Both the variants are equipped with the ZS mechanical gearbox and the robotised Optidriver + gearbox to meet the performance expectations of the customers.

Apart from these two vehicles, the French truck manufacturer also showcased the Renault Kerax 6 x 6 tipper, the Renault Mascott BTP Pro-Tipper and the Renault Kerax 500.45 8 x 4 tipper at the Intermat show. The Renault Kerax 6x6 tipper offers superior pulling power and enhanced maneuverability for efficient performance in extreme operating conditions. This Kerax tipper can also be availed in 6x4 configuration. ...introduces Optifuel Solutions for the segment With an aim to cut down on fuel consumption as well as emission levels, Renault

Trucks has also introduced its Optifuel solutions for the construction segment. The Optifuel Solutions consist of four components, Optifuel technology, Optifuel Infomax, Optifuel training and Optifuel club programme, all of which help an operator to improve overall efficiency of operations. Optifuel Technology pertains to offering superior quality products and technologies. The Optidriver+ robotised gearbox that Renault offers for DXi engines featuring SCR technology is one example of the Optifuel Technology programme. The new gearbox offers three percent reduction in fuel consumption as compared to a truck using manual transmission. The Optidriver + robotised gearbox is now available as standard on some Euro V Kerax models - making Renault the first manufacturer to make this kind of offer on worksite vehicles. Apart from the Optidriver + robotised gearbox, the additional improvements in various components of the Euro V compliant vehicles also falls under the Optifuel Technology programme. The engine has been beefed up to offer increased power rating and torque. A new fan control as well as a controlled turbocharger with waste-gate mechanism has also been installed in the engine management system. The drive axles are in the form of double reduction versions. The Optifuel Infomax is a tool designed to measure and analyse all important data related to a vehicle’s operation. Infomax enables vehicle use and fuel consumption to be closely monitored and thereby helps an operator to keep a track of driving habits and take corrective measures if necessary. The Optifuel Training, on the other

Optifuel Solutions consists of four components working in synce to reduce emissions and improve fuel economy.

The Renault Premium Lander 8 x 4 is a concrete mixer featuring a Liebherr revolving drum.

The new 8 x 2*6 Lander has an additional payload of 500 kg.

hand is a training programme for drivers and instructors that is offered all over Europe. Some customers who had availed this programme have reported fuel savings between 5 and 11 percent as a result of the instruction. The fourth component of Optifuel Solutions is the Optifuel Programme Club, which is an internet portal providing information regarding vehicle maintenance. Whatever information is pertinent to Optifuel Training is also available on this website. The availability of information at the click of a button helps fleet managers and

in-house instructors to reach out to a large number of people. The Club is however only open to those who have subscribed to the Optifuel Programme offering. This is an in-house training session where installation of the data management software (Optifuel Infomax) is done and guidance regarding its use is given. A detailed presentation of the vehicle’s features and proper driving methods are also given to participants. The Optifuel Programme has been available in France since 2007 and is currently being deployed across all countries in Europe. ■ August 2009 / Commercial Vehicle / 69

the numbers game

siam data

siam data / the numbers game

Domestic 3.5 tonners sales rise, exports dip for Tata and M&M Production

Manufacturers

Domestic Sales

Exports

Production

For the month of

Cumulative

For the month of

Cumulative

For the month of

Cumulative

June

April-June

June

April-June

June

April-June

2008

2009

08-09

09-10

2008

2009

08-09

Tata Motors rakes in volumes in 5-12 tonners

09-10

2008

2009

M1 Category : Upto 8+1 seats (Passenger Carrier) B: Max.Mass upto 3.5 tonnes B1: No. of seats including driver not exceeding 7 BMW India Pvt Ltd 0 0 0 0 20 78 72 177 0 Force Motors Ltd 4 1 13 2 3 1 16 2 0 Ford India Pvt Ltd 316 146 845 529 289 151 868 536 0 General Motors India Pvt Ltd 589 331 1,836 1,137 916 464 2,884 1,630 0 Hindustan Motors Ltd 165 148 531 397 192 163 597 367 0 Honda Siel Cars India Ltd 0 0 0 0 294 0 840 0 0 Hyundai Motor India Ltd 0 0 0 0 4 3 17 11 0 Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd 5,832 8,353 18,363 20,290 5,221 7,448 17,332 19,395 231 Maruti Suzuki India Ltd 0 0 0 0 24 0 124 0 0 Mercedes-Benz India Pvt Ltd 0 0 0 0 9 7 26 19 0 Tata Motors Ltd 2,039 1,740 6,727 4,382 2,099 1,774 6,207 4,210 33 Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt Ltd 1,948 1,560 5,527 4,267 1,931 1,613 5,511 4,385 0 Total 10,893 12,279 33,842 31,004 11,002 11,702 34,494 30,732 264 B2: No. of seats including driver exceeding 7 but not exceeding 9 (7+1 & 8+1) Force Motors Ltd 0 0 0 10 0 0 0 0 0 General Motors India Pvt Ltd 143 38 478 221 132 483 536 679 0 International Cars & Motors Ltd 131 NA 852 185 200 NA 780 221 0 Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd 2,259 5,591 7,742 13,528 2,000 4,627 7,057 12,667 126 Maruti Suzuki India Ltd 550 105 1,867 605 488 190 1,192 1,383 0 Tata Motors Ltd 923 311 3,908 1,031 743 316 3,037 1,035 4 Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt Ltd 2,629 2,086 7,647 5,346 2,608 2,036 7,620 5,326 0 Total 6,635 8,131 22,494 20,926 6,171 7,652 20,222 21,311 130 Total B (B1+B2) 17,528 20,410 56,336 51,930 17,173 19,354 54,716 52,043 394 C: Multi Purpose Vehicles (MPVs) - Van type vehicles & Max. Mass not exceeding 3.5 tonnes Van Type (M1) Maruti Suzuki India Ltd 5,742 6,933 20,130 22,476 6,964 6,890 20,761 22,233 58 Tata Motors Ltd 1,673 3,582 4,700 9,884 2,579 3,530 6,089 9,732 0 Total C 7,415 10,515 24,830 32,360 9,543 10,420 26,850 31,965 58 Total of all M1 Category (B+C) 24,943 30,925 81,166 84,290 26,716 29,774 26,850 84,008 452 N1 Category : Max. Mass upto 3.5 tonnes (Goods Carrier) Max Mass not exceeding 3.5 tonnes Force Motors Ltd 67 115 411 441 151 124 678 431 0 Hindustan Motors Ltd 0 24 0 37 1 33 1 45 0 Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd 3,952 4,592 12,687 14,891 3,360 4,566 10,865 13,689 729 Piaggio Vehicles Pvt Ltd 730 873 2,379 2,198 725 797 2,316 2,231 0 Tata Motors Ltd 8,434 10,211 24,598 27,780 7,925 9,056 20,790 24,860 897 Total of all N1 Category 13,183 15,815 40,075 45,347 12,162 14,576 34,650 41,256 1,626 M2 Category: More than 8+1 seats & Max. Mass upto 5 tonnes (Passenger Carrier) A: Max. Mass upto 5 tonnes A1: No. of seats including driver not exceeding 13 Force Motors Ltd 497 402 1,729 1,362 567 459 1,868 1,371 0 General Motors India Pvt Ltd 622 409 2,395 1,551 615 55 2,337 1,189 0

08-09

Manufacturers

09-10

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 13 0 0 9 0 22

0 6 0 0 0 0 0 619 0 0 87 0 712

0 0 0 1 0 0 0 112 0 0 18 0 131

0 0 0 36 0 15 0 51 73

0 0 0 279 18 13 0 310 1,022

0 0 0 68 10 18 0 96 227

89 10 99 172

200 0 200 1,222

220 10 230 457

2 0 382 6 412 802

6 0 2,039 24 2,126 4,195

2 0 669 18 1,114 1,803

0 1

6 0

0 1

For the month of

Cumulative

For the month of

Cumulative

June

April-June

June

April-June

June

April-June

2009

08-09

09-10

2008

2009

08-09

09-10

2008

700 892 2,711

2009

1,173 2,809 3,188 730 1,012 2,665 2,969 5 1,256 3,412 3,021 1,143 1,412 3,801 3,306 72 3,240 10,345 9,122 3,055 2,938 10,671 8,835 77 A2: No. of seats including driver exceeding 13 Force Motors Ltd 289 342 764 1,126 393 384 871 1,062 36 Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd 330 259 1,003 749 393 268 1,052 691 5 Tata Motors Ltd 280 435 979 1,271 515 597 1,170 1,584 5 Total A2 899 1,036 2,746 3,146 1,301 1,249 3,093 3,337 46 Total of all M2 Category (A1+A2) 3,610 4,276 13,091 12,268 4,356 4,187 13,764 12,172 123 N2 Category : Max. Mass exceeding 3.5 tonnes but not exceeding 12 tonnes (Goods Carrier) A: Max. Mass exceeding 3.5 tonnes but not exceeding 12 tonnes A1: Max Mass exceeding 3.5 tonnes but not exceeding 5 tonnes Force Motors Ltd 207 176 380 371 220 143 414 323 4 Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd 80 101 191 222 92 78 228 198 0 Tata Motors Ltd 27 232 52 426 0 0 0 0 14 Total A1 314 509 623 1,019 312 221 642 521 18 A2: Max Mass exceeding 5 tonnes but not exceeding 7.5 tonnes Force Motors Ltd 7 12 11 28 8 11 13 22 0 Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd 177 210 529 785 147 132 432 427 36 Swaraj Mazda Ltd 204 115 468 411 420 185 562 482 28 Tata Motors Ltd 1,992 1,742 5,428 4,964 1,581 1,894 4,163 4,964 644 VE CVs - Eicher 482 208 1,142 851 303 183 821 702 127 Total A2 2,862 2,287 7,578 7,039 2,459 2,405 5,991 6,597 835 A3: Max Mass exceeding 7.5 tonnes but not exceeding 12 tonnes Ashok Leyland Ltd 323 155 552 317 108 51 340 146 47 Swaraj Mazda Ltd 250 302 619 662 388 349 644 667 66 Tata Motors Ltd 876 1,437 3,493 3,976 1,430 1,389 3,752 3,745 32 VE CVs - Eicher 947 1,146 3,355 3,210 1,221 1,054 3,434 2,908 23 Total A3 2,396 3,040 8,019 8,165 3,147 2,843 8,170 7,466 168 Total of all N2 Category (A1+A2+A3) 5,572 5,836 16,220 16,223 5,918 5,469 14,803 14,584 1,021 M3 Category: More than 8+1 seats & Max. Mass exceeding 5 tonnes (Passenger Carrier) A: Max. Mass exceeding 5 tonnes but not exceeding 7.5 tonnes No. of seats including driver exceeding 13 Ashok Leyland Ltd 66 78 209 225 73 50 173 128 37 Force Motors Ltd 0 24 54 77 11 35 77 66 0 Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd 374 522 1,127 1,198 540 537 1,245 1,178 10 Swaraj Mazda Ltd 305 219 704 561 440 283 705 513 17 Tata Motors Ltd 1,163 1,140 4,140 4,071 1,077 984 2,754 3,804 325 VE CVs - Eicher 245 232 778 704 289 194 659 572 23 Total A 2,153 2,215 7,012 6,836 2,430 2,083 5,613 6,261 412 B: Max. Mass exceeding 7.5 tonnes but not exceeding 12 tonnes No. of seats including driver exceeding 13 Ashok Leyland Ltd 82 106 221 360 85 119 175 240 41 Swaraj Mazda Ltd 206 186 467 465 302 164 424 383 2 Tata Motors Ltd 318 411 864 1,085 424 364 837 1,136 0

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Vlro ebob ql do^_ qeb jlpq bvb_^iip 70 / Commercial Vehicle / august 2009

Exports

Cumulative

2008 Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd Tata Motors Ltd Total A1

Domestic Sales

For the month of

08-09

09-10

0 11 12

17 97 120

6 16 23

29 1 2 32 44

36 20 32 88 208

30 1 10 41 64

2 0 0 2

4 0 56 60

9 0 0 9

0 27 45 206 56 334

8 112 70 1,864 211 2,265

2 295 103 493 125 1,018

28 37 72 54 191 527

48 66 165 60 339 2,664

53 59 221 97 430 1,457

81 0 4 1 151 5 242

84 0 51 29 1,074 51 1,289

103 0 42 20 301 88 554

10 0 1

70 2 2

30 0 7

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august 2009 / Commercial Vehicle / 71

the numbers game / siam data

siam data / the numbers game

Sharp fall in bus sales for ALL Production

Manufacturers

Domestic Sales

Exports

Production

For the month of

Cumulative

For the month of

Cumulative

For the month of

Cumulative

June

April-June

June

April-June

June

April-June

2008 VE CVs - Eicher Total B

Bajaj holds on to No.1 slot in 3-wheelers

2009

08-09

09-10

2008

2009

08-09

09-10

2008

222 292 572 605 241 266 527 514 50 828 995 2,124 2,515 1,052 913 1,963 2,273 93 C: Max. Mass exceeding 12 tonnes but not exceeding 16.2 tonnes C2: No. of seats including driver exceeding 13 Ashok Leyland Ltd 2,194 472 5,664 2,656 1,956 897 3,812 1,971 319 Tata Motors Ltd 1,085 1,229 3,207 3,148 1,129 985 2,979 3,081 372 VE CVs - Eicher 23 18 40 22 29 6 49 33 0 VE CVs - Volvo 42 0 124 0 46 0 128 0 0 Volvo Buses India Pvt. Ltd. 0 36 0 106 0 36 0 113 0 Total C (C1+C2) 3,344 1,755 9,035 5,932 3,160 1,924 6,968 5,198 691 D: Max. Mass exceeding 16.2 tonnes No. of seats including driver exceeding 13 (Passenger Carrier) Volvo Buses India Pvt. Ltd. 0 4 0 15 0 4 0 11 0 Total D 0 4 0 15 0 4 0 11 0 Total of all M3 Category (A+B+C+D) 6,325 4,969 18,171 15,298 6,642 4,924 14,544 13,743 1,196 N3 Category: Max. Mass exceeding 12 tonnes (Goods Carrier) A: Max. Mass not exceeding 16.2 tonnes Max. Mass exceeding 12 tonnes but not exceeding 16.2 tonnes Ashok Leyland Ltd 1,306 635 4,326 2,420 1,049 1,219 3,016 2,196 260 Tata Motors Ltd 3,094 2,138 11,507 5,969 3,234 2,280 9,963 5,671 368 VE CVs - Eicher 107 173 426 319 205 50 393 142 22 Total A 4,507 2,946 16,259 8,708 4,488 3,549 13,372 8,009 650 B1: Max Mass exceeding 16.2 tonnes - Rigid Vehicles (a) Max. Mass exceeding 16.2 but not exceeding 25 tonnes Ashok Leyland Ltd 2,726 601 9,110 1,652 2,373 974 7,572 1,838 5 Asia Motor Works Ltd 256 164 982 401 324 201 803 455 0 Tata Motors Ltd 4,270 4,015 16,314 11,297 5,464 3,881 15,138 10,613 189 VE CVs - Eicher 34 20 239 39 92 17 277 62 0 VE CVs - Volvo 52 0 148 0 3 0 3 0 94 Total (A) 7,338 4,800 26,793 13,389 8,256 5,073 23,793 12,968 288 (b) Max. Mass exceeding 25 tonnes Ashok Leyland Ltd 253 0 351 0 210 34 476 16 0 Mercedes-Benz India Pvt Ltd 43 2 134 14 0 11 81 52 0 Tata Motors Ltd 495 649 1,565 1,355 429 540 1,109 1,190 0 Tatra Vectra Motors Ltd 0 0 6 0 0 0 6 0 0 VE CVs - Eicher 1 14 7 15 31 9 71 30 0 VE CVs - Volvo 78 63 231 100 51 59 204 85 0 Total (B) 870 728 2,294 1,484 721 653 1,947 1,373 0 Total B1 ((A)+(B)) 8,208 5,528 29,087 14,873 8,977 5,726 25,740 14,341 288 B2: Max. Mass exceeding 16.2 tonnes- Haulage Tractor (Tractor-Semi Trailer/Trailer) (B) Max. Mass exceeding 26.4 tonnes but not exceeding 35.2 tonnes Ashok Leyland Ltd 333 0 1,137 0 205 29 706 116 0

2009

08-09

Manufacturers

09-10

59 133

0 37

120 337 0 0 0 457

661 1,059 24 0 0 1,744

244 775 6 0 0 1,025

0 0 710

0 0 3,166

0 0 1,616

167 342 119 628

412 959 53 1,424

334 878 209 1,421

70 0 226 10 0 306

5 0 331 11 146 493

124 0 458 10 0 592

5 0 7 0 10 0 22 328

0 0 2 0 0 0 2 495

5 0 22 0 10 0 37 629

Tata Motors Ltd Total (B)

For the month of

Cumulative

For the month of

Cumulative

June

April-June

June

April-June

June

April-June

2009

08-09

09-10

2008

2009

08-09

09-10

2008

2009

08-09

373 706

0 1,509 1 565 202 1,473 511 5 0 0 2,646 1 770 231 2,179 627 5 3 (C) Max. Mass exceeding 35.2 tonnes Ashok Leyland Ltd 417 30 1,061 60 376 110 875 144 0 4 Asia Motor Works Ltd 107 38 239 87 108 42 462 91 0 0 Tata Motors Ltd 582 0 1,778 0 599 308 1,357 679 0 0 VE CVs - Eicher 1 0 20 0 21 3 42 14 0 0 VE CVs - Volvo 21 0 68 0 7 6 19 10 24 0 Total (C) 1,128 68 3,166 147 1,111 469 2,755 938 24 4 Total B2 ((A)+(B)+(C)) 1,834 68 5,812 148 1,881 700 4,934 1,565 29 7 Total of all N3 Category (A+B1+B2) 14,549 8,542 51,158 23,729 15,346 9,975 44,046 23,915 967 963 TH Category: Three Wheelers A: Passenger Carrier A1:No. of seats Including driver not exceeding 4 & Max.Mass not exceeding 1 tonne Atul Auto Limited 358 174 824 412 175 186 635 431 190 0 Bajaj Auto Ltd 19,342 24,106 56,573 60,887 9,750 14,113 27,010 35,357 8,962 9,829 Force Motors Ltd 12 6 44 34 23 11 60 34 0 0 Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd 1,850 2,305 5,608 6,104 2,363 2,293 6,035 5,744 0 10 Piaggio Vehicles Pvt Ltd 9,359 9,365 26,674 27,959 8,616 9,283 25,738 27,331 434 511 Scooters India Ltd 217 186 576 521 268 200 693 534 0 0 TVS Motor Company Ltd 422 851 866 2,214 350 753 765 2,130 0 57 Total A1 31,560 36,993 91,165 98,131 21,545 26,839 60,936 71,561 9,586 10,407 A2:No. of seats Including driver exceeding 4 but not exceeding 7 & Max.Mass not exceeding 1.5 tonnes Force Motors Ltd 135 93 326 199 47 21 138 79 122 0 Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd 55 0 175 20 89 8 270 100 0 0 Scooters India Ltd 208 251 493 655 287 201 668 593 0 0 Total A2 398 344 994 874 423 230 1,076 772 122 0 Total A (A1+A2) 31,958 37,337 92,159 99,005 21,968 27,069 62,012 72,333 9,708 10,407 B: Goods Carrier B1: Max. Mass not exceeding 1 tonne Atul Auto Limited 242 522 985 1,405 257 521 994 1,438 0 0 Bajaj Auto Ltd 853 827 3,163 2,246 917 789 3,268 2,279 0 0 Piaggio Vehicles Pvt Ltd 4,113 3,606 12,191 10,294 3,959 3,734 11,946 10,581 72 14 Scooters India Ltd 239 214 736 614 315 224 808 619 0 0 Total B1 5,447 5,169 17,075 14,559 5,448 5,268 17,016 14,917 72 14 B2: Others Force Motors Ltd 172 163 450 340 321 117 806 305 6 0 Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd 1,335 1,021 4,767 3,673 1,893 1,056 5,091 3,188 50 0 Piaggio Vehicles Pvt Ltd 96 0 117 0 0 0 0 0 96 0 Scooters India Ltd 191 229 424 569 172 217 473 544 0 0 Total B2 1,794 1,413 5,758 4,582 2,386 1,390 6,370 4,037 152 0 Total B (B1+B2) 7,241 6,582 22,833 19,141 7,834 6,658 23,386 18,954 224 14 Total of all TH Category (A+B) 39,199 43,919 114,992 118,146 29,802 33,727 85,398 91,287 9,932 10,421

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Vlro ebob ql do^_ qeb jlpq bvb_^iip 72 / Commercial Vehicle / august 2009

Exports

Cumulative

2008

0 11

Domestic Sales

For the month of

09-10 5 5

0 6

0 0 11 0 57 68 73 1,992

4 0 0 0 0 4 10 2,060

195 27,840 0 0 898 0 0 28,933

0 25,606 0 20 1,210 0 115 26,951

220 0 6 226 29,159

84 0 0 84 27,035

0 0 308 0 308

0 0 57 0 57

9 50 120 0 179 487 29,646

0 0 0 0 0 57 27,092

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august 2009 / Commercial Vehicle / 73

RNI NO. MAHENG / 2006 / 20842