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MOTORINDIA
l
September 2012
Hinduja Automotive’s
new initiatives paying off
Though there is widespread con-
cern over industrial slowdown hit-
ting all the industries, the auto sec-
tor, for one, has its special scope to
bounce back with redoubled vigour.
This is more than evident in the
growing freight movement with its
closer link to GDP. A possible 6
to 6.5 per cent growth in GDP and
the recent portfolio changes in the
Union Ministry are pointer to rapid
economic growth with greater em-
ployment opportunities, more per
capita buying power, etc. The over-
all scenario would change for the
better and the Indian economy will
be restored to health sooner than
later.
This optimistic view came from
none other than Dr. V. Sumantran,
Executive Vice Chairman, Hin-
duja Automotive, and also the Vice
Chairman of Ashok Leyland, while
reacting to the fast-changing de-
velopments since last few months
which have adversely affected the
economy.
In an exclusive interview to the
MOTORINDIA Editor & Publisher,
R. Natarajan, Dr. Sumantran, an au-
tomobile expert himself, referred to
various key initiatives taken by Hin-
duja Automotive and pointed out
that though there is an overall drop
in medium and heavy commercial
vehicles, sales of Ashok Leyland’s
first ever LCV, the DOST, reflected
an upward trend. In fact, DOST,
which is considered his pet project,
has proved a runaway success with-
in few months of its launch. Inter-
estingly, DOST has emerged the
most popular and leading brand in
six out of the eight states where the
product was rolled out. Currently,
the vehicle has a waiting period of
three months, as the company ramps
up production capacity to meet the
growing demand.
On the issue of product diversifi-
cation, Dr. Sumantran said the com-
pany foray into the Defence vehicle
segment with the Stallion model has
not only been a welcome expansion
for Ashok Leyland, but also made
the company emerge the second
most successful nameplate holder
after Hammer. Today, there are as
many as 70,000 Stallion vehicles in
the Indian Army alone, apart from a
few vehicles supplied to the United
Nations and Thailand.
Further, according to him, the
Hinduja Group has also gone in for
vertical expansion as in the case of
Hinduja Foundries by setting up a
state-of-the-art plant at Sriperum-
budur, introduction of indigenously
vehicle zone
An exclusive interview with Dr. V. Sumantran, Executive Vice Chairman, Hinduja Automotive
Dr. V. Sumantran, Executive Vice Chairman, Hinduja Automotive