A Focus on Collaboration, Technology, and Sustainability
At the IAA Transportation 2024 show held in Germany, Belmaks Group is making its debut, co-exhibiting with ACMA. For Raahil Bhatia, Director of Belmaks, this event is more than just an exhibition. “We came here with an open mind, unsure of what to expect, but it’s been a great learning experience so far,” he shares. In an exclusive interview with Abhilash U., Bhatia further explains that as a first-time exhibitor, Belmaks did not come with expectations of securing major business. Instead, the company aimed to gain insight into emerging technologies, network with existing customers from Europe and India, and explore potential partnerships with manufacturers and Tier 1 suppliers. “Our focus is not on immediate orders, but on building future collaborations and understanding how we can bring new technologies to India,” Bhatia adds.
Bhatia also expresses a desire for a more substantial presence at future events, noting that the India Pavilion at IAA could benefit from a larger footprint. “The Chinese Pavilion is massive, and I think the India Pavilion should be just as big—if not bigger. It’s crucial for us to showcase our strengths on the global stage,” Bhatia says.
Belmaks’ Core Competency and Market Position
As a Tier-1 supplier to commercial and off-highway vehicle OEMs, Belmaks focuses on four key product categories: complete truck chassis frames, fully built solutions like tippers, cargo-bodies, containers etc., stampings & under-body assemblies and fasteners. With 9 manufacturing plants spread out across India, Belmaks has earned a strong reputation as a strategic supplier-partner to major CV OEMs like Ashok Leyland, Euler, Force, Isuzu, Tata Motors, Volvo Trucks, Volvo-Eicher, UD Trucks and others.
Bhatia notes that the commercial vehicle sector in India, while mature, still lags behind Europe in terms of technological advancements. “While regulations in both regions are increasingly aligned, European trucks are at the forefront of technological integration, something that Bhatia believes will eventually make its way to India. “Belmaks is keen to be part of this transformation, positioning itself as a partner for future advancements in commercial vehicles”, he adds.
Future of the Indian CV Industry and Belmaks
Looking toward the future, Bhatia is optimistic about the future of the commercial vehicle industry in India. “The India Growth Story is undeniable and the Commercial Vehicle industry, being a barometer for economic growth, is hence expected to keep performing well and Belmaks is ready to ride the wave,” he says. However, he also stresses the importance of continuous improvement. “We can’t just focus on growth. We need to constantly improve our processes, systems, and technologies to stay competitive,” he says. For Belmaks, this means investing in innovation, deepening relationships with customers and expanding its presence, and ensuring that sustainability remains at the heart of all decisions & strategy. The company has set a target to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030 for its Scope 1 and 2 emissions, and they are already making significant progress in this direction.
On the future of Electrification in Trucks, Bhatia reflects “Whether its BEV or H2 ICE or Fuel Cell or LNG- it’s not the government, but the customer and market that will ultimately decide the path forward. And no one is buying trucks for fun, they buy for a purpose and hence expect maximum profitability and lowest TCO from the asset. As an industry, we need to focus on making the climate-friendly powertrains into cost-friendly and the only way that will happen is a collaboration and partnership approach across the value chain and pooling in resources for RnD & Infrastructure for scale deployment. Also, we must not ignore the present and short-to-medium term, and hence fuel & carbon-reduced fuels have to be part of the regulation and conversation.”
He acknowledges the importance of light-weighting in vehicle design, particularly for electric vehicles (EVs). “The aggregates that we manufacture, its chassis frames or tipper or cabin fascia, are considered fuel-agnostic but are heavy and have the maximum potential for light-weighting, which is the need of the hour,” he explains. Belmaks has developed a suite of solutions to reduce the component weight without compromising the structural integrity. “We have helped shave off upto 20% weight in the larger assemblies such as chassis and body” he adds.
One of Belmaks’ key differentiators, according to Bhatia, is its ability to work closely with customers right from the design stage. “We are not a typical build-to-print sheet metal company; we collaborate with the OEMs at the very beginning of the product design phase. We strive to be a 1-stop shop to our customers- from design & development with quick prototyping and in-house tooling to setting up next-door lines and plants for mass-manufacturing” Bhatia states.
As the commercial vehicle industry evolves, Belmaks aims to be at the forefront of these changes, delivering cutting-edge solutions that meet the demands of both today and tomorrow. “The future is about innovation, collaboration and sustainability,” Bhatia concludes. “We’re excited to be part of this journey and to play our role in shaping the future of commercial vehicles.”