Is demand for your haulage and mining trucks seeing an upturn? Are
things getting better in the Indian economy, especially the CV segment?
The mining industry is picking
up in India. This year has been particularly good for the mining industry with
the government giving 12 concessions on new mines. It’s been a record of sorts
since 2009. This segment will pick up very strongly. We expect another 12 this
autumn which means 24 in a year. You have not seen such a thing since the
beginning of the 21st century. But also with the infrastructure
development and the introduction of the GST, there will be improved flows in
India. We travel with a much higher speed than the local products but we are at
a disadvantage today because of all these stops at borders and inefficient
handling as a result of the existing taxation structure and bad infrastructure.
If this is solved then I see a very bright future for the on road business. The
premium segment will definitely grow and once this segment grows the economy will
grow.
What’s been the progress with your Metrolink buses? Which are the
markets in India where you have been successful with it? Also can you talk
about these buses in terms of its quality?
The Metrolink is an intercity
coach. It is doing its debut in STUs (State Transport Undertakings).We have
sold 100 of these buses to private operators. We have sold 35 to KSRTC and 35
to the MSRTC. We are now opening up to the STUs. This bus has been very much
appreciated. All our products can run on bio fuels. This is the safest bus in
the market fulfilling the rollover demands, and it’s a very modern and safe
coach running in a very environmentally friendly way. The feedback we have been
getting from the passengers in the bus is very good. Good quality bio fuel is
now available in Gujarat, bio gas and bio ethanol is available in Maharashtra,
and now more and more states are understanding the importance of producing bio
fuel from waste, either agro waste or household waste or sludge. It is a good
thing for India. We say it’s a local waste, to local fuel for local
transportation. I think it is a win, win, win! And the bus keeps moving on
waste.
Lastly, the Indian government has an ambitious plan to build
around 100 smart cities in the country and I am sure companies like Scania
would like to be part of this growth story. What is your take on it?
I think it means good business
for everyone, for Indian companies as well as foreign investments into India.
An infrastructure growth demands a lot of cement and other materials for
building. Everyone will benefit a lot from Make in India campaign.