“We have created a nimble company which can move to the dynamics of the industry. Our kind of model is more agile to macro- economic circumstances”
– Mr. Anirudh Bhuwalka
Asia Motor Works (AMW) entered the commercial vehicle segment in 2008 with its firm resolve to become one of the major players in the industry. Today, the company has carved a niche for itself with its quality policy and unique customer service philosophy. Mr. Anirudh Bhuwalka, Managing Director & CEO, and Mr. A. Ramasubramanian, President, have revealed how AMW’s winning strategy has helped it become the fastest growing truck brand in the country.
The company’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility at Bhuj has an annual production capacity of 50,000 trucks. The plant, which was built recently, is modern and is designed with a vision of crafting trucks that give a better deal to the end-user.
“The driver of the truck is our target. We hand over the truck and goods into the hands of the driver, whom we care least about. We wanted to change this and give him a better environment. The cabin is safe, air-conditioned and world-class”, stated Mr. Ramasubramanian.
The Supreme Court order banning overloading of vehicles, especially on the highways, has made many trucks defunct in India. The growth of mining and construction industries demanded better quality products like cement mixers and tippers. This has paved the way for the company’s growth. Key factors such as driver comfort and reliability of the vehicle were taken care of.
“In challenging mining conditions, our drivers prefer to run the truck for hours together rather than stay outside”, he added.
In the 25-tonne tipper segment AMW has done really well and is gaining market share at a steady pace. The company offers factory-built tippers with warranty. Since last year, the growth rate has been 80-100 per cent quarter to quarter. The company is a fully-integrated one with concept, design, development, testing, simulation, production and piloting all done in-house. The delinquency rate for AMW tippers is very low and the resale value of vehicles is fairly high.
By the end of the year, the company aims to produce trucks covering the entire range – highways trucks, tractor-trailer, tippers, mass-market trucks, cement mixers and concrete pumps – which would be available in the market next year.
Mr. Anirudh Bhuwalka observed: “We aim to produce modern trucks at an affordable price which provides significant value to customers. We are in the 16-49 tonne segment and are currently focussing on the HCV market. By expanding this segment we want to exploit the high potential in the MCV & HCV segments. Our LCV project is currently shelved, and there are no plans for a 12-tonner yet.”
The company’s USPs revolve around three variables, namely, higher hp, more trips per day and better cabin for enhanced driver productivity. The improved load body can sustain 10-15 per cent more load, the comfort level in cabin is better and customers get payback on premium in just six months, thanks to the reduced cost of ownership and increased efficiency. Air-conditioning, adjustable seats, AM/FM radio, ABS dashboard, and color decals on the outside are value-additions which instil a sense of pride in the driver who enjoys driving such a truck.
AMW trucks are exported to Bhutan and Nepal, but the focus remains on the Indian market. The company’s service networks reach out to customers’ doorstep to put the vehicle back to work. A first of its kind was the service and spares centre with mechanic, workshop and spares parts set-up in Bhutan even before truck sales to the region had begun. The onsite aftermarket support adds a lot of value to customers, especially in remote locations.
Call centres, mobile vans, container workshop and warehouses are an integral part of the service scheme. Truck service centres are located as parallel support to distribution network, and there will be 15 such centres in the next three-five years.
South India is where AMW started sales, and the region has always been an important market for such companies. Currently, AMW sells the maximum number of units in northern and western parts. It firmly believes in higher power, higher performance and higher turn-around to support its vehicle sales. For rigid trucks, fuel efficiency and load capacity are key factors.
AMW is the largest consumer of 9-speed gearboxes from ZF. The vehicles are fitted with Cummins engine and axles from Meritor and Hande. Eaton gearbox is also an aggregate in some vehicles. A notable aspect is the 100 per cent cabin configuration of all vehicles.
The company has 17 products in its portfolio which will be increased to 22 by the end of this year. It has so far set up two vendor parks. Another 13 parks will be added shortly. More than 1,500 personnel and 250 engineers operate at the Bhuj facility and the R&D center at Navi Mumbai respectively.
With over 20,000 vehicles on road, a dealership count of 89 and a firm corporate philosophy in hand, AMW is surely moving ahead with trucks that are ‘Built to Win’.