Products focus on minimizing TCO
3M is a global, diversified technology company. 3M provides innovative solutions across a range of industries and applications on a global scale. Its subsidiary, 3M India, caters to the transportation industry through a comprehensive range of solutions for the bus body segment. Earlier this year the company made its first appearance at Busworld India, in Mumbai, showcasing the entire gamut of products and solutions, which are being used globally by renowned bus body builders and AOEMs including fully-built vehicle manufacturers. The entire stall was built up in a very innovative way, as 3M products used for different stages of bus body building were highlighted on a model of a bus.
“We are in the bus body building segment for over seven years and are present with all the major bus manufacturers and builders in the country. Our product range covers right from abrasives, safety equipment and conspecuitive tapes, adhesives & tapes, graphics, sealing tapes, polishes & cleaners to new innovative products like thermal insulation and NVH products,” says Mr. Ashutosh Shirodkar – General Manager, Industrial Adhesives & Tapes Division, 3M India.
A latest offering from 3M is Random Orbital (RO) abrasive discs which are a combination of Scotch-BriteTM and ceramic-based minerals. The RO discs help reduce the number of steps in the body building process and also enhance the work environment. They are superior in respect of productivity and safety, apart from enhancing the look and build of the buses. The discs come in different grades offering a wide range of value and performance in terms of flexibility, durability and finish.
3M has come up with a real innovative solution for panel assembly. By using the combination of 3MTM VHBTM tapes and Powerline Urethane sealants, the bus body builders can have lot of flexibility in terms of design, reduce weight by eliminating welds and rivets, get a better mileage, and make the exterior panels look aesthetically better and eliminate rattling sound, and overall cut down on cost. This combination also helps to increase the productivity. “With our range of bus body building solutions like filler and paint application system, we help our customers finish the job faster and earn more in quick time with best quality output. After the bus is rolled out, customers can use the range of products and services of the 3M Automotive Aftermarket Division to maintain the bus”, adds Mr. Shirodkar.
3M is perhaps the only company in India providing an integrated solution, right from fabrication to finishing. It specializes in operations such as cutting, grinding, paneling and pre- and post-painting and also supplies safety equipment, many of which are derived out of patented 3M technologies. Some products include hard hats, face shields, coveralls, eye wear and respirators for workers executing the welding and paint jobs in the manufacturing areas, giving customers a comprehensive solution package.
3M’s acrylic-based Extreme Sealing Tape gives an instant sealing from leakages when applied on the roof on top of welded joints, providing a quick fix to customers’ leakage problems in buses. The company also offers protection tapes for upholstery, in addition to its cleaning solutions.
With companies increasingly using buses for branding, there is growing demand for creative artworks on buses. One-way vision films which give attractive branding options on buses are being used widely for vehicle windows without blocking the vision of passengers. 3M, also has quality wrap films which are long-lasting and easy to use even on corrugated and riveted surfaces without any air bubble formations. In addition, 3M offers retro reflective tapes that comply to the requirements of the Indian Motor Vehicles Act and are extremely useful in increasing the night time visibility of the vehicles. 3M Retro Reflective tapes are more durable and non-corroding due to their edge sealing and poly carbonate construction. It stands six times brighter than conventional tapes and are of great significance for the passengers and other road users’ safety in rainy and foggy conditions when safe driving is a challenge.
Better TCO for customers
3M, through its advanced products and solutions, is working on enhancing customers’ awareness about total cost of operation as against the commonly focused apparent cost of building a bus. Its products might be priced on the higher side when compared to local brands, but the uncompromised quality along with a host of advantages easily gives customers a better return on investment.
3M works with leading bus manufacturers, including Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland and Volvo, as also with many renowned bus body builders in the country such as MG Auto, IMAC, S.M. Kanappa, Alma Motors and JCBL. It delivers new products to its customers for on-field trials that complement its in-house testing, before entering into mass production. All products go through 3M’s global testing centre to ensure strict adherence to the company’s top-notch quality standards.
Though the Indian market has a long way to go when it comes to quality, it is an encouraging sign that Indian customers are increasingly adopting advanced products and processes. “Globalization has helped bring international standards in quality and design to India. With Indian customers looking to match global standards, demand for advanced products and solutions is on the rise. Also with infrastructure picking up well, the quality of buses, passengers’ affordability and demand for better comfort have gone up”, he states.
3M functions with the idea of ‘products made in India for India’ and makes products that suit the local Indian conditions in the best possible way. The company has benchmarked international standards in its Indian operations and has even supplied some of its Indian products like the welding shield to foreign customers. Most of 3M’s new product innovations are born out of a complete understanding of customer pain points as it consistently works on bettering its own benchmark solutions in the market.
The company has a state-of-the-art R&D centre in Bangalore wherein its 45 different technology platforms are showcased. It has another R&D centre situated in Gurgaon. The company manufactures its range of products through one facility each in Bangalore, Pondicherry and Ahmedabad and two facilities in Pune, apart from importing materials from all across the globe.
3M operates through its channel partners who take its products to the end-users across the country. With service being a very important aspect in retaining customers, the company ensures providing quality service through quick reaction times with a highly dedicated service team. Regular training sessions are held to upgrade the technology skills of distributors, sales representatives and service team.
With TCO concepts gaining momentum in the Indian market, there is growing demand for 3M products and solutions as they bring down the overall cost. 3M has grown its customer base in the transportation segment over the years and has a rising market share as well. In fact, it aspires to become the most preferred solutions provider to customers.