Bharat-Benz ante portas
The new production plant of Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV) which has cost more than 44 Billion INR (Indian Rupees) so far has almost been completed. It has an annual capacity of approx. 36 000 vehicles. This can be increased to 70 000 units as demand rises, says the company. A trial production of engines and transmissions has just commenced.
Daimler AG wants to strengthen its position in the world’s third biggest truck market which it expects to double in size by 2020. In 2011, sales of commercial vehicles in India totalled more than 300 000. The Indian truck market is dominated by Tata Motors Ltd., but Daimler and other global companies such as Volvo AB, MAN AG, and Navistar International Corp. are growing their presence in the world’s second-fastest-growing major economy. Furthermore Daimler wants to export commercial vehicles from India.
The Bharat-Benz-trucks will be built on existing platforms of Daimler commercial vehicles but will be adapted to local market requirements. The heavy trucks will be built on the Mercedes-Benz Axor platform, light and medium sized trucks on the Fuso Canter and Fighter platforms. The new trucks will meet the Indian exhaust emission standard BS 3 (equivalent to Euro-3). Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV) intends to present the first range of Bharat-Benz commercial vehicles (6 – 49 tons) for the Indian market on March 2.
The world’s biggest truck maker by sales has been assembling heavy vehicles of the Mercedes-Benz Actros brand as well as buses since November 2007 at a factory near Pune. The Pune plant is owned by Daimler’s passenger vehicle unit, Mercedes-Benz India Pvt. Ltd., which also assembles C-Class, E-Class, and S-Class luxury sedans. Daimler intends to shift the Actros assembly operations later this year to the new factory near Chennai. Daimler India Commercial Vehicles Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV) is a 100% subsidiary of Daimler AG. In February 2011 DICV introduced Bharat-Benz as a new brand for the Indian market. It is Daimler’s 5th truck brand globally. The company currently employs 1200 staff. Chief executive at Daimler India Commercial Vehicles Pvt. Ltd. is Marc Llistosella.
Logistik express Redaktion Ursula Schmeling