To establish manufacturing facility by 2011
Telma, a world leader in the design, development, manufacture and sales of electromagnetic retarders, has announced plans to make India as an important part of its global business. The company has established a team in India currently represented by Western Auto RACE, the Research & Engineering consulting firm part of the ETA Star group, for sales & marketing, service support, network Development, localisation of parts, interface engineering and establishing a manufacturing facility in India by 2011.
Telma SA, with its headquarters at Cergy-Pontoise near Paris, France, is more than 60 years old and has been part of the Valeo Group since 2001. In March 2010, Valeo decided to sell Telma to the Current Management Team.
Mr. Jan Bor, Managing Director of Telma, says: “Having established our presence globally, we are now entering the Indian market. We will be working exclusively with Western Auto RACE for selling our products in India. Our target is to set-up a manufacturing facility in India by the 3rd quarter of 2011”.
From September 2010, Telma has become an independent company with its headquarters and main plant based in Saint Ouenl’Aumone, France, a joint venture plant in China, which produces specifically for the Chinese market and distribution centres based in the UK, the US, Germany, Spain and Mexico. The two plants produce a very wide range of retarders and control systems for all types of commercial and industrial vehicles ranging in weight from 2.8 to 44 tons. Telma is targeting sales of Euro 50 million in 2010.
A Telma retarder is frictionless electromagnetic braking system. The system works by sending an electric current to coils with alternating polarities which create an electromagnetic field. Eddy currents are generated in two rotors as they pass through this field slowing their rotation, and slowing the driveshafts attached to them. The stator houses the electromagnetic coils are attached to the chassis, the transmission, or an axle of the vehicle. Round discs called rotors are attached to the driveline. A thin air gap is maintained between the rotors and pole shoe. In normal operation it rotates freely. But when electric current flows through the coils, eddy currents are created that slow the rotors, and the driveline. Some studies indicate that Telma retarders can increase the life of foundation brake lining by upto 7 times.
Telma has been working with Western Auto, in many other global markets, including Middle East and Africa. In India, Western Auto started dealing in Telma brake retarders a couple of years back, and this has now become an important business unit within the Indian operations. Currently a few hundred buses are already fitted with Telma retarders and discussions are on with many other fleet operators. It is also expecting Government regulations regarding enforcement of fitment of retarders as standard for better safety.
Telma offers a range of products. First is an axial product, which is fitted in the driveline. The second product is focal retarder fitted on the transmission or the drive axle. Telma works with Eaton, ZF, ArvinMeritor and Dana, where the product is directly fitted on their transmissions. The 3rd product is a light weight product line, specifically for Vans like Sprinter, Iveco Daily and others. All Telma products are electromagnetic. Some of the major global OEMs of Telma include Mercedes, Iveco, Irisbus, Evobus, Temsa, Otokar and Yutong.
Mr. Jan Bor says: “Telma’s association with the Indian market started since the entry of Volvo buses in 2000. In fact, the initial units of Volvo buses, nearly 450 to 500 of them, were fitted with Telma retarders. This gave us an entry into the Indian market. From 2005, we have been increasing our Indian presence and now we have decided to set-up a manufacturing facility by 2011”.
“We are investing in India to demonstrate to the Indian OEMs that we are serious about this market. We will localise the product and at the same time increase our engineering capacity. We see a huge opportunity in India for our products”, he added.
Telma has already integrated its retarder on the Ashok Leyland Luxura bus. The retarders are also available as option on the AL Falcon 10 and 12m chassis. The company is talking to Tata Motors for their 1628 bus model, Mercedes for their Actros 4841 mining truck and also to Mahindra Navistar and Corona.
Mr. Jan Bor feels that the demand for retarders will be driven by the bus market in India. Other segments which will fuel demand are mining, transportation of fuel and hazardous goods. Telma retarder will significantly increase the safety of these vehicles.
Telma currently commands a 65 per cent marketshare in China. We expect the market in India in the next 5 to 10 years would be 5,000 to 10,000 retarders per year, adds Mr. Jan Bor.
