Volvo is a name synonymous with heavy-duty trucks in the global market today. The company, which entered the Indian market in 1998, has been an aggressive competitor and has consistently raised the benchmarks over the past 17 years. The models and technology that the company introduced in the market like the 8×4 have become the industry norm today.
Having sold over 10,000 trucks in India, the company has set its sights higher and has plans to expand its presence and meet the demands of the rapidly growing Indian market. Going into details on the company’s future plans, Mr. G.V. Rao, Director – Product, Brand & Marketing, Volvo Trucks India, says: “We believe 2020 will be a remarkable year. The introduction of BS VI will pave the way for technological upgradation for the introduction of new generation trucks. Focus will shift significantly towards driver productivity and truck efficiency. Being a global leader, Volvo will be at the forefront to bring in innovative products to create better value for the customers.”
According to Mr. Rao, Volvo Trucks has been a leader in the heavy duty mining and haulage segments, not just in terms of market share but also in introducing new technologies to the industry. The company strives to offer innovative solutions both in terms of hard and soft products to meet the customer’s rising demands. As part of its core corporate values, the company focuses on areas like environmental sustainability, driver safety, and improving the socio-economic status of truck drivers in the country. By offering world-class driving environment and best-in-class fuel-efficient trucks, Volvo improves the productivity of the driver and the profitability of the customer. “Our focus will continue in this direction”, observes Mr. Rao.
With the Government’s progressive policies and the customer base becoming more receptive towards new and more efficient technologies, Volvo sees great potential for its trucks in the Indian market. Discussing the company’s roadmap for achieving its goals in 2020, Mr. Rao states that they believe that the combination of high technology innovative product solutions and world-class customer service provided by a highly competent and experienced team will ideally place them to cater to the needs of the Indian market. The company targets high market penetration as well as market expansion in different segments, particularly off-road and on-road segments.
Mr. Rao has highlighted the three key areas that Volvo India will focus on until 2020. These include sustaining the company’s leadership position in heavy duty mining segment, expanding its presence into on-road segments, and making Volvo the most preferred premium truck brand in India.
Pointing out that India is one of the key and strategic markets for the Volvo Group and that the Government’s initiatives in the infrastructure and mining sectors and major reforms such as GST will definitely bring in the required positive impetus, Mr. Rao adds: “In line with this momentum, Volvo is gearing up to address the needs of these segments with suitable products and investments to harness this opportunity.”