By N. Balasubramanian
Over 40,000 buses ply on the Indian roads today, out of which only around 10 per cent are air-conditioned. That gives us an idea of the degree of change the under-penetration of air-conditioning in buses can bring about for Bitzer, the world’s leading manufacturer of compressors for transport air-conditioners.
Rising energy costs and growing environmental awareness are major issues affecting all areas of the refrigeration industry. At the same time, customers have increasingly high expectations when it comes to optimizing annual energy consumption. With the aim of bringing out of energy-efficient solutions, Bitzer India Pvt. Ltd., the fully-owned subsidiary of Bitzer, is currently focusing on hybridization technology in the air-conditioning space for the Indian bus and coach sector. Apart from that, the company is also working on innovative options for the transport refrigeration sector in order to accelerate the growth of the country’s cold chain industry. It is also looking to cater to the fast-rising refrigeration needs of the LCV market in India, with its latest offering, the brand new 2GFC two-cylinder compressor.
The Bitzer team talks on these lines in an exclusive interaction with MOTORINDIA. Says Mr. Holger Reimann, Sales International, Manager Key Accounts, Bus Products, Bitzer Kühlmaschinenbau GmbH: “Today, we see all developed markets moving towards the electric and hybrid models and we too are keeping pace with the complex technologies for future bus air-conditioning.
Now, we have the first generation of buses which needs to be redesigned so as to consume less power and reduce the emission levels. We need to move forward in the cooling industry as the reefer trucks use a lot of electricity too.”
Bitzer has the widest range of products in the transport air-conditioning and refrigeration space. It recently showcased the ROADSTAR 4GFC, ROADSTAR 2GFC and ELH7 at the IAA Hannover show in September this year. The new Bitzer compressor model ROADSTAR 4GFC has been developed especially for the operation in transport bus applications and expand the standard series.
It is a light-weight and compact alternative to six-cylinder compressors and thus is especially suitable for articulated and double-decker buses as well as the application in hot countries. Unique in itself, this compressor is the biggest four-cylinder in the market with a wind-speed of 744 ccm.
The new ROADSTAR 2GFC model has been developed for similar applications to expand the product portfolio towards smaller displacements. The slim two-cylinder aluminium compressor is designed for air-condition and refrigeration in medium and small size buses and for refrigerated trucks.
With the ELH7 series Bitzer provides a horizontal scroll series for transport air conditioning. Due to their horizontal and space-saving design these compressors are extremely suitable for compact air-conditioning units in trains and electric bus applications.
Gearing up for further growth
Bitzer has been keenly focused on the after-sales service in India. In 2011, the company had set up Green Points, state-of-the-art service and training centres at Delhi and Mumbai to meet the customer demands of after-sales service for its compressors. The Green Points have special focus on compressor repairs, procedures, components, tools, equipment and training.
With strong emphasis on originality, the company stocks only genuine spare parts and genuine oils at these outlets, so as to guarantee higher performance and reliability of its compressors. Following a multi-pointed approach, the company also provides trainings to the customers’ technicians at these centres, which has proved to be very successful. Currently, anew Green Point is underway at Bangalore.
The burgeoning need for air-conditioning in the commercial vehicle segment in India is sure to make the country a major base for compressor manufacturers. Bitzer is currently working with leading air-conditioning companies including Eberspaecher, Spheros, Sidwal and Subros.
Mr. Rob de Bruyn, Managing Director, Bitzer India Pvt. Ltd., has a positive outlook about the bus air-conditioning segment in the Indian market. Says Mr. de Bruyn: “Currently there are not many AC buses on the Indian roads today but with the growing impetus on travel comfort, we are sure to have something big to look forward in the country. We are also eagerly looking out for another round of JnNurm scheme from the government.” As per its global strategy, the company is gearing itself to be ready for further growth and expansion in the country. Also, considering the fact that cost will play a major role in the Indian market, localization is an important area of focus for Bitzer.
With demand for better comfort standards growing, Bitzer, with its 80 years of expertise in compressor manufacturing, seems to be much excited in being part of the whole development of the Indian market. Once issues like FDI in retail and the second round of JnNurm get the go-ahead, it would be interesting to follow the company’s strategy in its efforts to cater to the booming demand for better quality products in the Indian market.