World Truck project next on Tata agenda

NEW DELHI: Tata Motors is not only vowing the world Nano, it is also simultaneously sprucing up its commercial vehicle portfolio to meet impending competition from global players.

It has begun work on a “World Truck” project in collaboration with Daewoo to launch new-generation trucks; a manufacturing plant is

coming up at Dharwad (Karnataka) for making the Mini Bus 709 besides 2-3 new bus platforms in collaboration with Brazilian joint venture partner Marco Polo; and the company is expanding the LCV range by adding CNG and a one-tonne

ACE mini trucks to the existing portfolio. Two new products are coming up in the multi-axle truck segment as well.

Explaining this multi-pronged strategy, executive director, commercial vehicles, P M Telang, said “we are well prepared for competition. Tata Motors has already announced Rs 10,000 crore investment in capex and new product development for the next four years and part of this corpus would be used for the CV business”.

Explaining the rationale behind expanding the LCV portfolio, Telang said the CNG Ace would help Tata Motors develop the market in cities like Delhi as well as globally. The one-tonne Ace is also meant largely for exports. At present, Ace is being manufactured at the Uttarakhand plant which has an annual capacity of 2.5 lakh units.

The company had earmarked Rs 300 crore for new product development around this platform and another Rs 1100 crore for capex. Telang said the Ace could also be made at its facility in Thailand soon.

On the plant coming up at Dharwad, he said this 2.5 lakh unit facility would make 16-32 seater buses in the first phase but later will be used for developing new bus platforms. Declining to elaborate on the World Truck project, he merely said that this would result in world class products being manufactured both in South Korea and India.

Meanwhile, chairman Ratan Tata said the company aims to remain the leader in commercial vehicles and target more international markets.

“We would seek to retain leadership in commercial vehicles and you will see more intervention in alternate fuels and alternate mobility in both commercial vehicles and passenger cars,” Tata said on Thursday.

The company, which has nearly 60% of the Indian bus and truck market, is looking to enter eastern European markets and will start commercial vehicle operations in Russia and Poland shortly, managing director Ravi Kant said. (With Reuters)

b_sindhu@dnaindia.net