A sturdy truck from Pantnagar with car-like features
Over the last five years, the Intermediate Commercial Vehicle (ICV) segment has grown at a CAGR of more than 15 per cent against the marginal, or rather a negative growth, in the medium and heavy commercial vehicle (M&HCV) segment. In order to realise the company vision to join the top 10 global players in the truck business segment, Ashok Leyland Ltd. of the Hinduja Group, is all set to capture a major market share in the ICV segment in the coming years.
Against this backdrop, Ashok Leyland’s launch on September 26 of its BOSS, the new range of ICVs with five different product platforms spread across GVWs of 8T – 14T, will suit all the various needs of its esteemed customers. Recently, the company had arranged a visit for a selective group of automobile journalists to its world-class facilities set up at the company’s Pantnagar plant in Uttarakhand, which is better known as one of the youngest factories of its kind in the country. Of course, the plant has most sophisticated state-of-the-art technology with a higher number of robots in operation. The training centre set up within the plant in association with NTTF is the first of its kind by any commercial vehicle manufacturer in the country.
It is in this context that AL’s launch of its BOSS assumes special significance. The revolutionary vehicle model seamlessly combines the strength and ruggedness of a truck with the comfort of a car. With contemporary styling, aesthetically designed trim lines and powerful and strong aggregates, the BOSS delivers superior performance, reliability and durability at the lowest operating cost.
“Manufactured on a modern and efficient chassis line and a state-of-the-art cab line using robotic processes and with unmatched comfort features, we have made every investment to ensure that the BOSS delivers on quality, durability and reliability. We are confident of making significant headway in the fast growing ICV market with the new BOSS,” said Mr. Vinod K. Dasari, Managing Director, Ashok Leyland Ltd., at the press meet arranged in connection with the vehicle launch.
The BOSS boost
The BOSS is available in two variants – the LE and the LX – and is launched in the haulage segment with 9.6T, 11.9T and 12.9T, with a future launch of 8T and 14.5T. Its spacious cabin promises to make every ride comfortable and productive with its innovative design features. An ergonomically designed dashboard, with intelligently placed controls and multi-angle adjustable seats ensures a fatigue-free drive for the driver.
The steering column comes with tiltable and telescopic movements, and a two-point suspended cabin provides a comfortable ride even on the roughest roads. The hydraulic cab-tilt mechanism helps tilt the cab with minimum effort and allows easy access for easier maintenance.
The BOSS LE variant is fitted with a 120 hp H-series BS3 engine with in-line fuel injection pump (FIP), which delivers superior mileage and ensures low maintenance costs. An over-drive 6-speed gear box offers higher fuel efficiency. The best in-class turning radius of the vehicle helps the driver negotiate sharp turns with ease.
The BOSS LX has the industry-first automated manual transmission (AMT) with clutch-less operation and gear-shifting and will deskill the driving while offering consistent and superior fuel efficiency along with better comfort. It is equipped with a powerful 130 hp Common Rail System (CRS) engine which delivers superior mileage and additional 5-7 kmpl compared to the LE variant. The LX cabin comes with a factory-fitted air-conditioning system that guarantees fatigue-free for the driver.
Ashok Leyland will deliver the vehicles to its customers with zero km reading through truck-on-truck transportation mode to ensure quality. It has tied up with leading financial institutions and insurance companies to offer hassle-free vehicle financing and a comprehensive insurance cover.
The BOSS sets several industry firsts. It comes with best-in-class service interval of 40,000 km, which means less time spent in maintenance, a hydraulic power steering system, a turning radius of 15.3 m, a three-year anti-perforation warranty for the cabin and a five-year replacement guarantee on the rear LED lights. The ICV has undergone 9,50,000 km road trials and 24,00,000 km of endurance testing under strenuous driving conditions.
The vehicle cabin has an electro-deposited coating to prevent rusting. Its frame, powder-coated for rust prevention, has a thickness suited to different applications (5mm – 7mm).
AL has set up new cab repair facilities at select authorised dealer and service outlets to strengthen its accident support base. This will help customers get their cabs repaired quickly and cost effectively. The dealers can also order the spares online.
“Specifically engineered to meet evolving customer expectations in the areas of performance, comfort and reliability, the BOSS promises to make its customers more profitable by offering them tailor-made solutions to meet their needs and certainly will be a game changer for them”, added Mr. Dasari.
During a presentation on the Pantnagar plant by Mr. Alok Kumar Gupta, Plant Director, Ashok Leyland, said: “This plant is built on an area of 200 acres, with 40 per cent green cover consisting of 50,000 trees. We have a zero discharge plant in which effluent treatment is taken care and the recycled water is used for watering the plants around the factory. We also have rest rooms for the drivers, who are the most important people here. They are able to relax, have subsidised food in our canteen and also avail the medical facilities available for them. We are trying to give back what we take from the State. We started the BLESSING Scheme (Building Leaders of Excellence for Social Sustainability through Inspiring & Nurturing Gennext) through which students who have completed Standard XII are selected from the neighbourhood and undergo training and learning by experienced faculty. It’s a four year diploma course, after completing which the students are assured of a job at the same plant and are also free to move out. We see more girls coming forward to join the training. The toughest operations in our factory are done by girls. This plant also has bagged the best environment-friendly plant award from Frost and Sullivan.”
In a detailed discussion with R. Natarajan of MOTORINDIA during the factory visit, Mr. Gupta spoke about his longstanding relations with the company and how he enjoyed working there. He said: “I am associated with Ashok Leyland for nearly 27 years. This Pantnagar plant is the young face of AL. We believe in strong employee relationship. The plant is at present running at 60 per cent capacity. Our suppliers have opened their warehouses inside the plant; thus we get the majority of high value components just in time from our suppliers. With two shifts the plant has a capacity to produce 50,000 vehicles. Mostly we work with zero ppm levels.”
In an exclusive interview with MOTORINDIA, Dr. Devendra Sharma, Head – Human Resources, Ashok Leyland, spoke about their training program and facilities provided by the company for the trainees. He said: “The BLESSING Scheme was a collaboration with NTTF to bridge the gap between unemployment and employability and address Indian industry’s lack of skilled labour. We select students 100 per cent from Uttarakhand. Our training learning centres are beyond IITs. It has the latest state-of-the-art facilities, Autocad 2012 version is taught here, on-the-job training in CNC machines is given to the students. It’s a four-year diploma where the students earn while they learn. After the completion of the program they are assured of a job in the factory. At present 940 students are undergoing training, and the first batch is coming out in 2014.”
Prior to joining the organisation, Dr. Sharma worked with Samsung and LML. He is proud to be a part of Ashok Leyland which gives him complete freedom and maintains a transparent approach.
A thrilling experience
During the test drive, the vehicle gave the feel and comfort of a gearless car. Its Avia cabin had all the comforts of a luxury vehicle. Its excellent air-conditioning assures a fatigue-free drive for the driver and shall keep him on road most of the time. The BOSS is definitely a good bet for Ashok Leyland.