Automobile Corporation of Goa Ltd. (ACGL) made its third appearance at Busworld India with an interesting line-up of buses which included its first fully-built vehicle and India’s first-ever bus capable of running on both land and water. The company displayed a LHD luxury school bus developed for the Middle East market along with two other buses built with metallic front and rear faces taking Indian market customers’ voice into account. The fourth product was an Amphibus built in co-operation with the US-based Advanced Amphibious Design, for the Goa Tourism Department.
“We have displayed an LHD luxury school bus developed for the Middle East market, as per local requirements and norms and two other buses with front and rear faces built in metal, primarily to bring down the replacement cost in case of an accident. The faces are made in about 8 to 9 sections which are easily replaceable, thereby reducing the repair time for customers as well. Then we have a prototype of the Amphibus which can run on both land and water. The vehicle will be sent for certification soon and is likely to hit the market by around October this year”, says Mr. O.V. Ajay, CEO, ACGL.
ACGL is known for its strong presence in the school, staff and semi-luxury bus segments and is looking to further expand into both sides of the spectrum. The company has been growing in double-digits in the last few years and expects to achieve a high double-digit figure growth in the current year.
“We have been growing at an average rate of about 10 to 12 per cent annually and are targeting an aggressive growth of around 18 per cent this year. We plan to expand into segments like small and intermediate buses and also towards the premium side into a value segment which could offer very good value proposition for both operators and passengers. We might bring out a product in the value segment in the next six to eight months’ time”, adds Mr. Ajay.
