Michael Boneham does not give much away. The new president and MD of Ford India is coming in at a time, when the American automaker has already announced big plans for India.
Gives away little on the company’s plans for the local market
NEW DELHI: Michael Boneham does not give much away. The new president and MD of Ford India is coming in at a time, when the American automaker has already announced big plans for India, so understandably he appears very measured in his speech.
But, he couldn’t hide the excitement at being handed over the responsibility to lead Ford India at such a crucial juncture.
Ask him what’s the biggest task in front of him and pat comes the reply “my job is to see the $500 million investment is spent wisely”. He politely sidesteps questions on the small car platform Ford is developing for India, pointing out that the company usually deals in “global platforms” and is committed to exporting some of the small cars it eventually makes in India.
The Ford veteran, who has spent 23 years working for the company in various countries, gives away nothing on market share ambitions of Ford, two years down the line.
Ford is targeting 2010 for putting up a 2 lakh unit car plant and 2.5 lakh unit engine plant and is hoping to become a volume player in a market, where 70% of passenger cars still sell in the “small car” segment.
Recently, the company announced $500 million investment in India in its bid to become a volume player in engines and vehicles. But, many in the domestic industry are of the opinion that Ford has thought too little and too late for expanding its Indian operations.
Compatriot General Motors has already stolen a march over Ford in both the areas. Incidentally, Boneham appears to share many things with his GM India counterpart Karl Slym - including a manufacturing background.
On whether he thinks Ford has remained on the fringes in India for long, Boneham agrees saying “Yes, we are relatively a small player, but then we are in segments, which are not the largest in the industry. Our eventual entry into small cars should change this position.”
While there is no affirmation from Boneham on whether Ford would develop more than one small car from and for India, he does acknowledge that the engine plant would help in not only bringing down overall costs, but will also lead to much more overall localisation than at present.
Boneham has been in India since October last year, meeting the company’s suppliers and travelling throughout the country, in preparation for taking over the company’s reins one day, but most people even within Ford India were unaware of the impending change.
b_sindhu@dnaindia.net
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