3136 model to hit market next year
Ashok Leyland (AL) put out a quartet of products, namely, a 4923 tip-trailer and a 3123 tipper on the U-Truck platform, a 2523 tipper with a Captain cab and an E-Comet 1214 tipper. Despite tough competition in the tipper segment, the company has its own strengths with its good presence in many of the key mining regions across the country, including Chhattisgarh and Odisha.
Says Mr. M. Surendranath, Vice President, Global Trucks – MDV, Ashok Leyland: “Our 4923 tractor-trailer is the market leader with around 80 per cent in the 49-ton segment for all applications. It has the advantage of being approximately 750 kg lighter compared to other vehicles in the segment and hence offers better payload carrying capacity. In fully-built 4×2 tippers our market share is around 60 per cent. When it comes to multi-axle tippers, our new cabs have helped us gain around four to five per cent share in the last two years, as a result of which we currently have around 27-30 per cent share in the space.”
The 4923 tip-trailer on display was fitted with a 30 cu. m. body. AL offers a range of bodies with capacity from 27 cu. m. to 36 cu. m. depending on the application. The vehicle comes with two suspension options – Non-Reactive Suspension (NRS) in 6×4 configuration and bogie suspension.
AL currently offers the 49-ton tip-trailer in two variants – a cowl chassis variant and with a factory-built U-Truck cab. Come January, and AL customers will have a tip-trailer with a Captain cab to choose from.
The U-3123 model displayed had a 22 cu. m. body with half-pipe design which helps unload the material quicker than the conventional box type design. Typically used in port applications for coal transportation to power plants, the vehicle is also suitable for transporting construction material. The 3123 also comes with a Fixed-cylinder (FC) design that offers a higher tipping angle when compared to the usual Front-End (FE) type.
In the 31-ton tipper segment, AL is planning to unveil a 3136 variant with a 360 hp engine, which would directly compete in the premium mining tipper segment involved primarily in overburden removal. The model is currently undergoing tests in mines in Odisha and is expected to hit the market next year. “We have the confidence that the model will perform well and make a niche for itself in the market. With it, we will compete in the higher-end of the 31-ton tipper market”, adds Mr. Surendranath.
The smallest tipper presented by AL was the Ecomet 1214 with a 6 cu.m. body, suitable for city applications and distribution of construction material like sand and blue metal. The product, available in the market for seven months, has received good response from customers.