India is a key market for Volvo Construction Equipment’s global strategy and Dimitrov Krishnan, Vice President and Head, Volvo CE India, has taken the responsibility well to continue to grow the business here in India, further strengthening Volvo’s unique brand image.
Tell us about Volvo India’s performance through 2017-18.
We’ve had a good year and are seeing growing demand for larger classes of construction and earthmoving equipment in India.
Some details of your latest product offerings for the Indian markets. How well accepted are they? Some of the larger classes of earthmoving equipment we offer include wheel loaders like the L220H and L350H, which are popular with large mining companies. The L220H has a bucket capacity of 4.5 m3 to 8.2 m3, operating weight of 31,160 kg to 33,130 kg, and maximum static tipping load at full turn of 22,090 kg. The L350H has a bucket capacity of 6.9 m3 to 12.7 m3, operating weight of 50,000 kg to 53,000 kg and maximum static tipping load at full turn of 34,320 kg.
Our biggest sellers in India is the EC480D excavator, followed by the L150H wheel loader, and the EC300D and EC380D excavators. We expect the EC750D and E950E to become best sellers within two to five years and gain more traction as customers look for larger equipment.
The EC950E excavator is our newest product in India. The 90-tonne excavator offers an ideal combination of power and stability, to handle high capacity duties in the toughest applications. With a bucket breakout force of 424 kN and an arm tearout force of 408 kN, the EC950E offers superior digging force, particularly when working with hard and heavy materials.
What are the emerging trends in construction equipment industry (globally and in India)?
At Volvo Construction Equipment, we see growing demand for bigger classes of earthmoving equipment across the world. As mentioned above, in India, the demand for construction and earthmoving equipment on the whole is growing. For all Volvo Construction Equipment products, we expect strong growth at close to 40-50 per cent level.
What kind of support do you offer to the customers through your sustained R&D efforts and
how it has helped in making technologically superior products?
Volvo CE continuously invests in new products and enhancements to existing products. Recently, we launched the electric heated screeds for our paver range produced in India. At bauma Conexpo, we will be unveiling two of our new product offerings for Indian market — a new high performance asphalt roller and a new generation large wheel loader of Volvo. The two new machines will help
Indian contractors meet the growing demand for high-performing, reliable equipment for infrastructure projects such as road building and earthmoving.
What are the USPs that have contributed in strengthening and maintaining your company’s popularity in the market?
We have a large and experienced team at Volvo CE that understands the market, and the needs of our customers. We manufacture about 10 different models of construction equipment in Bangalore and some of our models are constructed from 95 per cent of locally manufactured components. The benefit of local manufacturing is faster access to parts and services. Plus, we have always been focused on operations and customer. Volvo CE remains the only major manufacturer present in all equipment sectors: mining, road building or general construction. We have one of the largest and most experienced dealer networks in India, able to provide expert advice and support whenever it’s needed, and there are a range of Customer Service Agreements available.
The most comprehensive is the Gold Customer Support Agreement, and this option is increasingly popular in India as work levels rise and construction schedules are squeezed. It offers preventive maintenance, inspection and repairs carried out at the earliest opportunity by trained Volvo Service Technicians and gives companies the best possible peace of mind.
As India looks to speed up project implementation what are the opportunities you are seeking in the area of infrastructure building? As infrastructure development in India moves into the 21st Century, construction operations are in the spotlight like never before. The fine margins on modern job sites mean that securing a small advantage in something as routine as excavator choice can translate into a big difference in profitability. With Volvo CE, construction companies know they can take advantage of equipment with best-in-class productivity, and when support’s needed world-class backup is available.
From a growth perspective, what do you envisage for the company? Your plans for next five years…
The outlook to 2020 is still very bright. India’s potential is clear, and the drive to improve infrastructure and energy supply will unquestionably facilitate further growth in the economy and the construction equipment industry. As a company, Volvo CE has deep roots in India and an established sales and support network. We are well-positioned to play our own part in the next stage of India’s development and are excited to do so.
Customer Speaks
“Our competitors are stunned”
– Balasaheb Deshmukh, Chairman and Managing Director, Deshmukh & Company
Established in 1998, Deshmukh & Co. is in the business of creating infrastructural assets. Recently, the company executed the 130 km National Highway Rehabilitation and Upgradation road stretch from Aurangabad to Dhule in record time.
“Believe it or not, we completed this project in four months flat,” Deshmukh said. “Sounds impossible, doesn’t it? But we did it — thanks to Volvo!”
Deshmukh says the Volvo P4370B Paver is easily the best in its class in terms of paving quality and trouble-free operations. With operator-friendly controls and better visibility, the paver helps build roads faster and better than any other. That, according to Deshmukh, is a definite advantage in his business where margins often come under pressure.
“Our competitors are stunned. ‘How do you manage to execute National Highway projects so fast, so well?’, they ask. I simply smile at them, pointing to the Volvo P4370B Paver,” he said.