The SIAM International Bus & Utility Vehicles Show 2013 will be organised, with the support from the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, at India Expo Mart, Greater Noida, Delhi, during February 15-18.
The objective of the show is to showcase the latest technological developments, providing manufacturers the right platform to interact with customers and launch products, better understanding of the requirements of different segment users, more visibility, and focused media coverage.
On display will be city, luxury, sleeper, tourist and other utility buses, vans, mobile surgical and medical units, critical care ambulance, promotional vans, satellite signal receivers, crisis management vans, body builders, accessories, tyres/tubes, batteries, mobile services and ITES systems. The special focus will be on utility vehicles (UVs), multi-utility vehicles (MUVs), sports utility vehicles (SUVs) and vans.
The show visitors will be from BPOs, airlines, municipalities and STUs, as well as tour operators, bus operators, hospitals and healthcare, schools & other educational institutions, dealers and service agents.
Bus is the primary mode of public transport in India, catering to almost 90 per cent of public transport in Indian towns and cities, and serves as an affordable and convenient mode of transport for all classes of the society. With production touching a one lakh units per year, the Indian bus industry is one of the largest in the world and an important part of the automobile industry of the country.
Over the last few years, the bus industry has been growing on a large scale, with significant changes in terms of technology, safety features, comfort, etc., being effected. The increasing number of commuters, economic growth, development of infrastructure in small cities, and different Government schemes introduced in the bus sector have led to massive growth in demand for world class bus transportation in the country.
At the same time, utility vehicles are also rapidly catching the imagination of the market due to their multifarious uses. Especially the low-cost SUV category has emerged as one of the most favorite among the public because of the spacious interiors, sturdy exterior, road performance, mileage of a sport utility wagon or a sport utility trailer. UVs also form the backbone of rural mobility in the country. Industry-wide sales of SUVs have gone up by 56 per cent in the six months ended September 30, 2012, compared with a 0.3 per cent decline in car deliveries.
Many Indians are choosing SUVs over sedans and hatchbacks as family vehicles because their higher ground clearance allows for use on pot-holed roads both in the city and rural areas. Demand for such vehicles is growing because of changing lifestyles and the introduction of new products.