By R. Natarajan, Managing Editor & Publisher
Having strengthened its presence in the top-end of the heavy commercial vehicles segment, AMW moved on to the mass market segment, launching a complete range of trucks in the haulage market.
Since its launch in 2008, the company had addressed only one-third of the market – tippers and construction equipment.
Currently through this product range expansion, barring the 16-ton haulage truck, it addresses the complete commercial vehicle market.
With the entry of new players in the truck segment, AMW feels it clearly has a first-mover advantage in the emerging markets for heavy trucks.
With around 27,000 AMW trucks on Indian roads, the company is constantly pushing the bandwidth to find ways to exploit more of the segment in the three-lakh truck market.
Talking to MOTORINDIA, Mr. Anirudh Bhuwalka, Managing Director of AMW, remarked: “In 2011-12 we sold 10,000 trucks. Most of the sales were contributed by the northern, southern and western parts of India. In the current year, considering the tough economic conditions, we hope to be able to achieve last year’s volumes and also grow moderately. If we could sell 10,000-12,000, we should be good.”
Earlier this year, AMW showcased India’s first 14.2-meter inter-city luxury bus at Auto Expo. The new bus is expected to be launched by the end of this year, although timing of the launch is yet to be announced.
AMW currently has a network of 123 dealers and authorized service centers across India with over 1,500 touch points.
With plenty of segments to focus on, like the off-highway trucks, defence trucks, buses and export market, the CV maker has got its hands full despite the market slowdown.