Light-weight GRP/FRP solutions in sandwich panel construction for truck bodies enhance fuel efficiency
An exclusive feature by MOTORINDIA
Five years ago, Mrs. Cosima-Klinger Paul landed in Delhi with all preparedness to meet the challenge of setting up business in India for Lamilux, the world’s leading manufacturer of fiber reinforced composites. The idea was to create a market for GRPs and FRPs in the transportation and cold storage segment in India, which is still in its infancy.
Five years on, Mrs. Cosima-Klinger Paul, now Managing Director of Lamilux India Private Ltd., is bullish on the market opportunities evident in the Indian market. But it has been a roller-coaster ride for her running across the length and breadth of the country and meeting all stake-holders – vehicle manufacturers, application builders, fleet operators and government agencies – in her attempt to create awareness on the use of GRPs as an alternative to steel for side walls, roof and floor construction of truck bodies. Convinced of the growing market size in India, Lamilux has set up a 100 per cent subsidiary, Lamilux India Private Ltd.
Mrs. Cosima-Klinger Paul says: “We started 5 years ago in India. Since then it has been a great experience working with customers in India. I spent the first 2 years explaining to people the material that we are offering to the market and how different it is from what is being traditionally used”.
Lamilux’ GRP sheets surpass conventional materials in terms of strength and stiffness, and excel in reducing vehicle weight and corrosion, enhancing fuel efficiency, cutting operational costs and increasing indirect operator revenues through higher payload capacity. The added width of the sheets allows them to be used in flat panel/sandwich applications, where width and thickness requirements are very critical.
Steel is the same all over the world, but GRP comes in various thicknesses and strengths and can be flexible or rigid depending on the customer requirements. One of the main advantages is that it is produced in a width of up to 3.2 m which enables whole side walls of trucks made out of one panel only.
As Mrs. Cosima-Klinger Paul mentions, it took a couple of years to convince customers of the advantages of GRP. This involved extensive travelling across the length and breadth of the country, meeting vehicle manufacturers and application body builders on the one side and fleet operators on the other. The first major break happened at Tata Motors when the Lamilux team, along with the Tata Motors team, developed a refer box for a Tata Super Ace model. The Lamilux GRP box weighed 100 kg lighter compared to the traditional steel box, which ensures almost 10 per cent saving in payload.
Mrs. Cosima observes: “Using Lamilux’s GRP sheets in truck bodies can make the parts 30-50 per cent lighter and 3 to 4 times tougher. In a prototype testing done by Lamilux jointly with a customer, it was found that these GRP sheets could trim approximately 2,000 kilos from the total truck weight and reduce fuel consumption by 20 per cent. This also reduces the carbon footprint of the vehicle.”
Compared to steel and aluminium which are commonly used in commercial vehicles, caravans, motorhomes and recreational vehicles, GRP sheets manufactured by Lamilux have far superior features. They have a tensile strength 10 times higher than that of the conventionally used material. The strength and stiffness of the sheets can also be manipulated using different resins and fibers such as carbon fibre with Lamilux production process enabling such modifications.
Initially customers were sceptical of the benefits offered by this material and its durability, strength and suitability to Indian conditions. Mrs. Cosima, supported by her Lamilux team in Germany, spent the last five years discussing the major benefits offered by the material, and with the best of efforts removed the general apprehensions about its usage. This has also helped develop a strong relationship with the customers who are today well convinced that GRPs are a more superior alternative to steel.
But the challenges are not yet over. Having convinced the customers of the product features, the next challenge has been creation of infrastructure for manufacturing quality GRP sandwich panels for a refer box. Only then is it possible to prove the advantages of this material.
Lamilux has been working closely with application builders in helping them set up the infrastructure for its manufacture. Today Lamilux works closely with companies like HLM, part of the TSI Group of Pune, Jindal Mectec from Gurgaon, Indicon, part of the Thapar Group, CEBBCO, JCBL, the Lloyds Group, Suraksha and others building a strong and sustainable business for all stake-holders.
“We are so confident about the product and technology that we are offering. If this fails, then India would probably be the only market in the world where this technology is a failure”, says Mrs. Cosima.
Lamilux is manufacturing 90 lakh sq. metres of material per year and is exporting it from Germany to all major markets across the globe.
“Our efforts are gaining momentum with customer calling us and showing more interest in using our products. I can comfortably say that I am sitting in a train which is already moving and there will be more people coming into the train, and I just have to keep the momentum going”, says Mrs. Cosima.
Lamilux has opened a warehouse in Delhi which gives it the advantage of availability of ready stock and easy and quick product delivery to its customers.
There has also been considerable interest shown by OEMs. Lamilux has been working with Ashok Leyland both for the LCV and HCV segments. Also, with the entry of global players, there is increasing acceptance of the technology and the product, thanks to the experience of Lamilux working with them in other global markets. Daimler, for example, has launched a range of trucks for various applications, and one of them is a refrigerated truck with the box built by HLM using Lamilux GRPs. Mahindra and VECV have also fitted some of their trucks with boxes made of Lamilux sheets.
A study done by one of the fleet operators shows that a truck plying from Pune to Delhi doing four round trips a month will be able to save close to Rs. 5 lakhs on fuel cost alone per year. Add to this the lower maintenance and wear and tear cost. Another important characteristic which needs mention is the corrosion-free nature of the material. Corrosion is a major menace affecting the performance of refer trucks which are built using steel bodies for the boxes. Some of these boxes come for replacement within just one or two years. This is where Lamilux scores above the rest.
Lamilux GRPs sheets are corrosion resistant. They are also bacteria resistant, preventing of growth of fungi. This is another important factor, which will be legislated by the government once the standards are put in place. The Ministry of Agriculture is working along with the National horticulture board and National Cold Chain Development center in preparing the standards for transportation and storage of perishable commodities.
But what is hampering growth of this market is the high import duty on GRP sheets. Currently there is a 10 per cent import duty and 19 per cent excise on this material which makes it very expensive to import for the customer. The company is in dialogue with the authorities explaining the advantages that this product offers and the need for reduction of duties.
Along with its primary markets, which are recreational and commercial vehicle segments, Lamilux is also marketing its GRP sheets to automotive and sports equipment markets. For instance, the low thermal conductivity of the GRP sheets can ensure optimum insulation for refrigerated trucks or the gelcoat application and the in-line painting process makes the GRP sheets easy to incorporate in products such as skis and snow boards. In addition to this, the Gelcoat applied to the sheet during the production process enables high glossy finish, protects the material from UV radiation and ensures excellent weather resistance.
The GRP sheets are available in customized shades and in lengths up to 12 metres. Lamilux is also a major supplier globally to the Motor homes and Caravan market, with a dominating share in markets like North America and Europe. India is a virgin market for these products with companies like JCBL making an entry into this segment. These segments will also offer interesting opportunities for growth. Ambulance is another segment which Lamilux is bullish about.
In the last five years, the market is evolving and maturing. Today every customer in this business is talking about using our product. The Government decision to open up the retail sector was a shot in the arm for the transport industry, particularly the refrigerated vehicles. Global retailers come with clear standards for transportation of perishable commodities and ensure more efficient storage and transportation solutions. All these will drive demand for our products in the future, says Mrs. Cosima. Lamilux is also working on certain projects with the Defence segment for their specific requirements.
“One thing I have learnt in India is patience. We had decided long time ago to develop the Indian market and that’s the right decision. I have to thank my team in Germany who have greatly supported my efforts in India. I have managed to establish strong relationships and an atmosphere of mutual trust and confidence with all the stake holders and I think that was absolutely crucial for the level of confidence that people have. Because if we don’t trust each other and if we don’t pull each other out of difficult situations who will”.
For five years, working in the most toughest conditions, creating a market from scratch, and all this in an alien land. We salute the spirit of Cosima, who has taken up the challenge, stayed on course and built relationships, and is today all set to reap the success of her efforts.
Lamilux has been equally committed to the Indian market, and there is no doubt that the company will play an important role in the growth of the transportation industry in India.