Tata Motors unveils new world standard trucks

Leading commercial vehicle manufacturer, Tata Motors unveiled its new range of world standard trucks on Wednesday expected to more than double its exports.

Unveiling the new range at the birthplace of the company here, R Ramakrishnan, Head (Sales and Marketing), medium and heavy trucks of TATA Motors, said the company had crossed the worst phase of the prevailing global meltdown but was yet to come out of the recession.

"We are not yet out of the slowdown but have certainly improved much compared to the worst phase of October-December," Ramakrishnan said while addressing a joint press conference with SB Borwankar, plant head of Tata Motors here and Anuj Kathuria, plant head of World Truck Plant.

Ramkrishnan expressed the hope that with the new range of trucks, Tata Motors would increase it 10 per cent share in the export market to 20 to 25 per cent.

Ramakrishnan expressed confidence that the company would perform better in the second half of the current fiscal compared to last year as the world market had improved.

Referring to the new range truck, Ramkrishnan said the product was expected to be launched in the next quarter (July- August) and export of the new vehicle would start by the end of this financial year. 

Referring to the prices of the new range truck, Ramakrishnan said it would be announced soon adding the customer would get value for money with the trucks having higher speed, carrying capacity and operating economy, besides trims.

Stating that it would help the company penetrate international markets more effectively and competitively, he said the new products would be launched in India first followed by Korea.

The company will gradually introduce the new products in South Korea, South Africa, the SAARC countries and the Middle East, he said. He said the company has opted out of North America for various reasons.

Borwankar said the company was producing 300 units of commercial vehicles per day.

He said the company has invested Rs. 1000 crores to modernise the existing plant in Jamshedpur and  would produce 55,000 units of new range of trucks per annum, which will be expanded to 1.50 lakhs per annum depending on the demand.

"We have not acquired any additional land in Jamshedpurfor the world truck plant but will modernise the existing plant here", he said.

Asked about the proposed vendors park, Borwankdar said we have requested the state administration to allot 300 acres for the purpose.