CASE Construction Equipment, a brand of CNH Industrial, takes pride in providing the most robust, reliable and productive machines to meet customers’ mechanisation needs. The company has maintained a leadership position in the vibratory compactor and motor graders segment which forms the lifeline of any road construction activity. From its units in Pithampur, Greater Noida and Pune, CASE manufactures construction equipment and agricultural machinery like tractors, combines and harvesters. Shalabh Chaturvedi, Head of Marketing, Case India, spoke to Shrikant Rao about his company’s plans for bauma Conexpo India 2018.
Tell us about your product display and launch plans for bauma Conexpo India 2018?
Case India will be showing the way forward to the industry by displaying a wide range of technological solutions at bauma Conexpo India 2018. We have been market leaders in the compactor segment over the last 25 years with a very high market share. Therefore in terms of our main product to be displayed at the event it will have to be the 752EX vibratory tandem compactor. We have already introduced it in the market and will be showcasing the product at the exhibition. We will be launching a soil compactor with an air-conditioned cabin, which will be a first for the market. It has not been sold in India so far. Then there will be the 450DX Mini Compactor which will be displayed – that is a product with some improvements.
So what is the mood obtaining in the market as you go into the show?
2018 has been a very good year for the construction equipment industry in India. Everybody is bullish. It has been better than the expectations of the industry. We want to bring in more and more technologically sophisticated products in the Indian market at this point of time because the mood is buoyant and we should be able to tap the opportunities. India is a huge market for international CE firms like us and we continue to provide world class products for infrastructure development. This trade show from a CE sector perspective will be a platform for all the major players to come together to understand what is being done not just in terms of technology and innovation, but also from the local manufacturing point of view.
What are the drivers for CE sector business currently?
The main driver for business currently is the road sector with the national highway programme and implementation of rural roads getting primacy. Business is also likely to stem from flagship initiatives like ‘Make in India’ Smart Cities, Swachh Bharat etc. In my view the CE market has great potential for growth due to the infrastructure development underway at present. We should be able to capture some growth rate.
From a Case perspective how has the year been for you?
We have grown faster than the industry in some areas and therefore increased our market share in many of our products. In compactors and asphalt graders we have grown faster than the industry and gained market share. In backhoes and dozers we have grown with the industry and defended our market share. Things are going good.
What was the feedback from the last edition of bauma Conexpo in 2016 and what is your expectation from the 2018 edition of the event?
The 2016 event was the most successful bauma Conexpo exhibition in India. The previous editions were a little tepid in comparison, also because the industry was not doing too well during that period. Our expectation is that the 2018 edition of bauma Conexpo India will be better than its immediate predecessor.
What is your assessment of the trade show itself now that it is established in CE sector consciousness as an industry event to look forward to?
The organisers were a little slow to start with. They made some experiments by having the exhibition in Mumbai and Greater Noida until they finally shifted it to Gurgaon. This current trade show venue is logistically more convenient from an airport proximity point of view. I think bauma Conexpo India is now offering a good counter balance to Excon, which happens in Bangalore. The fact that bauma Conexpo is located in the north also kind of geographically balances the exhibition hosting potential across India.
What is your understanding of the facilities that can be expected to be added at the exhibition this time?
I think we are going to see more technological intervention in the way the registration of the participants is done, or the manner in which flow is managed. I am sure the organisers would have picked up valuable tips from previous editions and will be looking to better the experience of both exhibitors and visitors.
What according to you are the main strengths of brand bauma Conexpo India?
In my view the first strength would be the weight carried by the combined presence of two world leading exhibition brands – bauma from Germany and the American CONEXPO – in India. That gives the event an international flavour. From the very beginning the organisers are also trying to maintain better standards in terms of ground layout, the way the facilities are planned and the crowd is managed and have been able to bring in global exhibition best practices. bauma Conexpo India has inherited from the legacy of its two parent exhibition brands and that contributes to a sophisticated experience for visitors.
Can you talk of any expansions of capacities or investments being planned at your facilities?
At CNH Industrial we have three manufacturing facilities in India now, a plant in Greater Noida for tractors, for construction equipment at Pithampur, and the last in Pune which was inaugurated last year and is used to manufacture various equipment including for agriculture. Adding to the ongoing product development, we have also enhanced the manufacturing processes to best suit world class manufacturing standards through which we deliver the most robust, reliable and high quality products. The legacy of excellent quality products which we have has been a major contributor towards greater efficiency and productivity of resources in India. We will continue to invest in manufacturing operations wherever required so that our customers get access to high technology products comparable to the best in the world. Our priority is to provide customers with the cost-efficiency and performance that they expect from Case equipment. We have also strengthened our distribution system with an extensive network of dealers and by increasing our touch points across the length and breadth of the country. Project being introduced across the country has led to us introduce additions in our product portfolio. As momentum picks up over the next few years you will see our contributions rise.
So what is your outlook for the future?
I am extremely optimistic.