New facility at Neemrana to further boost sales
By R. Natarajan, Managing Editor & Publisher
Trans ACNR Solutions Pvt. Ltd. is a leading supplier of Bus air-conditioning systems and Truck Refrigeration solutions in India. The company represents two global brands in the Indian market – Hwa Sung Thermo, Korea for truck refrigeration systems and Jingyi Automobile Air-Conditioning Company Ltd., China for bus air-conditioning systems. MOTORINDIA had an exclusive interview with Mr. Shatrughan Kumar, Managing Director, Trans ACNR to find out the company’s ambitious plans.
With the Indian commercial vehicle segment poised for strong growth in the coming years, Trans ACNR is keen on leveraging on the huge potential, especially in its focus areas of air conditioning and refrigeration. The company, started in 2003 by a group of young engineers, has grown to become one of India’s most reputed companies in the field of bus air-conditioning and truck refrigeration, mainly driven by its strong technical know-how in the field.
In order to cater to the growing demand for its products, the company is setting up a new state-of-the-art facility in the name of Jingyi Trans Climate Control Systems Private Ltd. at Neemrana, Rajasthan.
The plant is being established at an initial investment of Rs. 17 crores with production set to begin by January 2013. The facility would manufacture bus air-conditioning units in collaboration with Jingyi and also assemble insulated boxes imported in CKD form from South Korea.
Trans ACNR is the first company to bring the XPS (Extruded Polystyrene) technology for insulated boxes for truck refrigerators to India and is highly confident that it would be a path-breaking revolution in the local market.
Says Mr. Shatrughan Kumar: “The XPS technology offers immense benefits to customers such as long life of insulation property, improved fuel efficiency, better tyre life and increased carrying capacity.”
The company has already launched the XPS technology through supplies for the Ashok Leyland DOST’s reefer van as well as similar applications on the Mahindra Bolero. Its technical partner for truck refrigeration systems, Hwa Sung Thermo is a renowned player in the field and is also a major supplier of refrigeration systems to Korea’s leading commercial vehicle manufacturers including Hyundai, Kia and Daewoo.
Currently, Trans ACNR has a facility to assemble insulated boxes in Chennai through which it caters to the requirements of Southern India market. In 2013, the company plans to set up a bigger plant in Tamilnadu which, apart from manufacturing at low costs, would facilitate easy export of XPS boxes to different countries, taking advantage of the excellent port facilities in the location.
In the bus air-conditioning segment, Trans ACNR has been importing from Jingyi and selling around 100 units per month. The new facility at Neemrana is likely to double the sales to 200 units per month. The company’s products are highly user-friendly, efficient and are designed and fitted exactly as per customer needs. Increasing the percentage of localization is definitely the way forward for the company, mainly to be cost-competitive in the market. However, critical components such as compressors, alternators, fans would continue to be imported. The company has supplied units to almost all leading bus operators in the country as well as some State Transport Undertakings namely KSRTC, UPSRTC, Punjab Roadways, and Assam Roadways.
Trans ACNR banks on product quality and customer service to maintain and expand its customer base. Ten years ago, it supplied its first bus air-conditioning unit to Jupiter Travels in Delhi, and even today, the unit is fully functional. This is a laudable feat indeed, especially considering the Indian conditions. The company offers direct service through six service outlets and 14 representatives in different locations across the country. The sales and service network, which is continuously being expanded, is another reflection of the company’s commitment to the Indian market and its growing aspirations to reach the top of the bus air-conditioning and truck refrigeration segments in the country. With the segments likely to witness exponential growth in the coming years, the future certainly looks promising for the company.