Established in 2007, Doosan Bobcat India (DBIN) is a subsidiary of the global Doosan Bobcat business. Headquartered in Chennai, DBIN has five direct regional office representations in India and over 25 channel partners. DBIN boasts of strong presence across the country and is focused on its flagship services such as Bobcat skid steer loader (SSL) and mini excavator business. Over the decade, DBIN has established itself as the market leader with over 65 per cent market share in the skid steer loader industry.
DBIN had launched its mini excavators in India during 2013 and is today one of the strong contenders in the mini excavator market with close to 20 per cent market share in the segments it represents, growing steadily with introduction of new models to suit the needs of the Indian customers. With profound knowledge gained out of managing operations and maintenance contracts for major customers for varied applications, DBIN is well poised to transfer the knowledge to prospective buyers to suggest the right attachment and cost optimization for their benefit and symbiotic growth.
Mr. S. Manjunath, GM – Sales & Marketing, Doosan Bobcat India, shares: “As multi-functional tool carriers, Bobcat compact skid steer loaders can be equipped with more than 80 quick mounting attachments. The exclusive Bob-Tach mounting system allows attachments to be changed quickly by the operator while working on site without any assistance and within a few minutes only. Bobcat skid steer loaders are made-to-measure by a cab forward design, improved digging and pushing power, excellent reliability and great 360-degree visibility to offer the operators ergonomics, comfort, safety, ease-of-use and efficient operating space. Effectively, we can say that a single Bobcat skid loader can replace up to 15 manual laborers per every shift of operation.”
Bobcat’s strength lies in India is its wide range of equipment on offer. The brand has skid steer loaders in two main categories based on the geometry of lift arm which are radial and vertical lift path. Also, the different models on offer position themselves based on the engine power and the rated operating capacity.
DBIN currently offers five models of SSL and two models of mini excavators. Mr. Manjunath defines: “In the SSL segment, the rated operating capacity ranges from 600 kg to 1570 kg. The mini excavator segment has machines from slightly lower than three tons up to eight tons. With world-wide experience and exposure, Bobcat is in a comfortable position to offer solutions to any application with the range of equipment and more than 100 custom-built attachments. Any prospective buyer can be supported by the sale of equipment the need by sourcing through any one of the manufacturing bases spread across the world. All the equipment is built with the latest technology and conform to international standards.”
The aftermarket network of Doosan Bobcat ensures unparalleled uptime of the equipment at optimized cost of operation.
At EXCON in 2015, Doosan Bobcat had launched E-26 mini excavator that offered under-five ton capacity. And more recently, they launched another E-64 mini excavator that offers six ton capacity. Mr. Manjunath further shares: “We had launched Bobcat S770 skid steer loader with a nine feet grader attachment during the last EXCON. It was placed extremely well for two reasons – one, the competitive initial investment and second, it is well suited for road widening purposes which offers the best in cost saving on diesel and that’s why we have witnessed a tremendous response in this category. In fact, our customers have the option to choose one machine with different attachments rather than trying to buy different machines.” With 11 feet of vertical lift, the S770 is also used to load trucks, grinders and hoppers.
While there is no denying the increasing attraction of showcasing at the biennial EXCON with heavy footfalls of potential customers, industry giants and fleet owners, Doosan Bobcat has decided to reach out to their potential customers in a unique and interesting way.
Mr. Manjunath shares the details: “Following an initiative that we witnessed in Czech Republic where we have a factory, three months ago we launched a truck of ours with our corporate identity carrying several attachments to meet our customers across the country. We call this Segment Application Marketing Management or SAMM TRUCK. The truck has already finished touring Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. It is traversing Tamil Nadu currently. This helps us to meet our existing and potential customers. We invite them to a common point and then we demonstrate its various functions. This way we have attracted much more popularity than expected. Six months later, we will be introducing another vehicle to reach out to our customers.”
What his team has found out during their customer outreach program is that people are unaware of the complete set of utilities of the machines. It is an uphill task for Doosan Bobcat to attract potential customers through these road shows because cost is a major deterrent to the customers and manual workforce is inexpensive.
Sharing his company plans for the near future, Mr. Manjunath says: “DBIN’s vision is firmly focused on long-term investment plan in India. We certainly are making steady in-roads into the construction equipment segment with renewed strength. At Doosan Bobcat India, we strive to empower our customers to do their jobs more efficiently and effectively.”
And that is how Doosan Bobcat India is planning to stay ahead of its competition!