GRD to build next-gen buses
In 1982, a first generation entrepreneur Sh. Jagdish Kukreja started a small bus body building facility at Nangloi, New Delhi. The company, Guru Ram Dass (GRD) Body Builders, commenced with just 10 employees and a 200 sq. yard shed and a capacity to build two buses per month. The humble beginning soon grew on its strength of product quality and with orders pouring in and the business started growing leaps and bounds. Today, GRD is a well-known name in the field of luxury coach building in the country.
The company, offering deluxe buses, automotive buses, commercial buses and fabrication services, is all set to roll out its new set of products from its Bahalgarh facility in Haryana. The first product that will be turned out from this facility will be christened ‘Prim’ and is one which the company believes will revolutionize the aerodynamics and aesthetics in the bus industry in the country.
In an exclusive interaction with MOTORINDIA, Mr. Mayank Kukreja, CEO, GRD Body Builders, revealed: “Our endeavour has always been to build next-generation buses and thus move ahead together with our customers. We will be launching 3 to 4 models per year on a quarterly or half-yearly basis. So keeping those objectives in mind, we are gearing up to roll out a new product ‘Prim’ by next year which will be built at our new upcoming facility at Bahalgarh.”
When asked to shed some light on the new product, he said: “We are improving the model aesthetically. Its glasses will get a chrome lining at the bottom. The front end will also be improved aesthetically. As far as its interiors are concerned, the front two seats will be purely business class seats on the lines of what we see in premium airlines. There will be more space in the racks too so that the luggage capacity is enhanced.”
Currently, the company is rolling out the g-Run model, essentially a luxury coach from its existing facility at Nangloi. The 12-metre bus is based on a rear engine chassis 6200 WB and is equipped with premium features like 45 -2X2 reclining seats, electronic rear side view mirrors, LED front & rear tail lamps, pneumatic driver seat, infotainment system with LED screen, individual AC vents with single touch, rear-view camera, etc. Its other fabricated bus bodies come with various chassis options originally built by leading CV makers in the country.
Queried further on the company’s new unit, he observed: “We will be investing Rs. 16 crores for the new facility spread over an area of 20,000 sq.m. We have built the boundary walls and are gearing up to build the shed. There will be a proper assembly line balancing as in there will be a separate parking for chassis. All the activities like CNC cutting, water testing, painting, bending and sharing will be under one roof. All the sub-assembly will be shifted from our existing units at Nangloi in Delhi. We will also be able to build the parts over there. The new facility will be equipped with a complete range of machines for cutting, bending, welding and grinding operations, apart from an in-house paint shop. Quality tooling will also be utilized for working on steel and aluminum inputs. It will also be supported with an in-house design unit with CAD/CAM/FEA facility that will help us offer state-of-the-art designed range of buses.”
The New Delhi-based firm is investing Rs. 6 crores in the first phase and another Rs. 10 crore in the next phases. Once the new unit goes on stream in the next seven-eight months, it will have a monthly capacity of building 60 bus bodies which can be ramped up further to 75 units. Nearly 250 to 350 people will be employed at the plant in different phases. At present, the company churns out 30 buses per month from its Nangloi unit. Going foward, the existing unit, which is spread over an area of 5,000 sq. metres, will be converted into a full-fledged service centre to primarily cater to the local clients.
Established in 1982, Guru Ram Dass Body Builders was floated by Mr. Mayank’s father, Mr. Jagdish Kukreja, who started with a small bus body building facility at a rented premises at Zakhira village before moving over to Nangloi in 1986. At that time, the company had just 10 employees and a 200 sq. feet yard-shed with a total capacity of building only two buses. 
But by dint of hard work and perseverance, the Kukreja senior managed to ramp up its production fivefold, and currently a team of 125 people is directly and indirectly employed at the Nangloi unit.
The homegrown bus body-builder currently catering to major tour and travel agencies like Rao Travels, Virmani Travels, Paras Travel and Satkar Travels has also attracted a few new clients like Dayal Tourist Transport Service and Sehgal Tourist. Its current product range covers body-building of school buses, ordinary buses, semi-luxury buses and luxury buses. In the next few years, it is planning to tie up with OEMs and showcase its products at trade shows. “Once our new plant goes on stream, we will be able to address the market in a better manner. 
Once the plant gets ready we can have two separate lines – one for tour operators and the other for OEMs. In two years’ time, we can think about showcasing our products at Auto Expo or at Busworld,” Mr. Kukreja said.
Asked whether existing roadside outfits are posing any challenges, he ironically stated: “Their presence is actually a boon for us rather than a bane. Any customer who walks into their shop ultimately switches over to our facility because we use high-grade material which ensures the product’s durability. And we are pretty happy that ARAI accredition has been implemented for fabricators which ensures our credibility.”
Talking about the interesting trends among its end customers, he said: “Most of the customers look for A/C buses as a primary requisite. People are switching over from 3/2 to 2/2 seating configurations. 
Another interesting trend that is coming up is 1/1 recliners and 2/1 configurations. Buses with air-suspensions are also on demand, and furthermore luxury interiors are also demanded by our customers. They also look for heating systems during winters. All these validate the point that the demand patterns of Indian tourists and travellers are catching up fast and are almost similar to foreigners.”
GRD Body Builders, which has clocked Rs. 5 crores during the last financial year, is looking to post a 20 per cent growth during FY14. It has earmarked an investment of Rs. 20 crores since inception and plans to pump in a similar amount during the next seven-eight years for scaling up its operations, including its greenfield plant and revamping of the existing facility. The company is also looking to set up shop abroad to serve customers in the overseas markets in future.