32
P une-based Rochi Engineers is looking to set up a manufactur- ing facility for diesel filters and emission control tech- nologies in association with Germany’s PURItech GmbH. The company is looking to man- ufacture around 200,000 units per annum at the Pune facili- ty, mainly for exports to Europe and North America. They will also evaluate opportunities for advanced emission control prod- ucts in the domestic market as and when new emission control regulations are implemented by the Indian government. The JV will set up a research and development centre and a manufacturing facility in Pune, which is expected to come on- stream by 2014. The facility will design and manufacture emission control systems for diesel engines, including diesel particulate filters, catalytic convertors, diesel oxida- tion catalyst systems, and filter cleaning and detection devices. “Rochi Engineers current- ly supplies exhaust systems, Auto Monitor www.amonline.in 4 February 2013 Vol. 13 No. 02 32 Pages ` 50 INDIA’S NO. 1 MAGAZINE FOR AUTOMOTIVE NEWS, VIEWS & ANALYSIS Top 5 Car Makers Company Dec-11 Dec-12 Change Maruti 77,475 82,073 5.93% Hyundai 29,516 26,697 -9.55% M&M 21,540 25,014 16.13% Tata Motors 34,264 24,669 -28.00% TKM 15,948 12,071 -24.31% Top 5 Car Exporters Company Dec-11 Dec-12 Change Hyundai 19,433 21,136 8.76% Maruti 14,526 12,916 -11.08% Nissan 2,211 8,793 297.69% Ford 1282 4382 241.81% TKM - 2,307 #DIV/0! * Source: SIAM/ ** Excluding exports/ *** all sub segments considered/ ^ excluding MRPL DATA MONITOR Scan this code on your smart phone to visit www.amonline.in Rochi Engineers In JV With PURItech Our Bureau Mumbai A vtec Ltd., part of the CK Birla Group, will start mass production in India of crown gears and other patented technology from ASSAG, the Swiss company it recently acquired, Prabhakar Kadapa, Managing Director of Avtec told Auto Monitor. ASSAG crown gears were previously manufactured only in limited numbers, owing to their niche market in the Netherlands. “ASSAG does the design and prototype building, but we will do the manufacturing here in India. That is the plan. We’ll man- ufacture and export to the parent company or the end consumers. We wanted to have an overseas export footprint, and not limit ourselves only to the Indian mar- ket,” Kadapa explained. A basic spur face gear set con- sists of a cylindrical pinion and a disc shaped angular face gear. The cylindrical pinion can move freely in the axial direction with- out affecting the contact pattern. The face gear has an angular drive in which the axis angle can be in the range of zero degrees to approximately 135 degrees. They are used more and more as an alternative to bevel and worm gears. The difference between normal gears and face gears is that the latter can be moved axially. The ASSAG face gear, marketed under the brand name Cylkro, is unique given its optimized shape and material properties. Cylcro face gears are also often used as differential gears. The axial freedom makes these drives robust and easy to install at the same time. Upon inquiring whether the timing of the acquisition was well thought out, Kadapa replied, “If we had acquired the company at the peak time, it would have cost 30-40 percent more.” Kadappa sees huge potential for this technology in the auto- motive, construction equipment, and medical equipment sectors. According to experts, although the technology is still in its nas- cent stage, both in India and abroad, it has high adoptability. Avtec seems to be following their strategy and trying to leverage the opportunities they envis- aged during acquisition. “We bought this company especial- ly because of the intellectual property rights. They have about seven different patents in face gear technology,” he said. The advantage crown gears offer is that they can run without any constraint. They allow axial float, and this is useful where unconstrained movement is important. Some of the applica- tions are in the Sydney Monorail, in AutoTram gear boxes, and in the landing gear of the Airbus A350. Up in the air, tempera- tures can be extremely high or extremely low, and gears must perform well in all conditions. The axial float allows perpetual clearance. So, expansion or con- traction due to temperature does not affect the profile of the gear teeth. Face gears are also used in New Generation Face Gears Nabeel A. Khan Mumbai Pg 10 Pg 12 India Key To BRIC Presence On A Roll INTERVIEW INTERVIEW Anders Grundstromer, Scania CV India’s new MD Prabhakar Kadapa, Managing Director, Avtec Advantages Of Face Gear - Axial position of pinion is nearly free (without affecting the contact pattern or backlash) - Multiple pinions could be placed on one face gear (multiple output shafts) - High efficiency - No axial forces on the pinion - Can be used as angular gears and differentials - Can withstand extreme temperature variations - Easy mounting, space saving, and free combinations for differentials and multiple outputs An example of space saving combined with multiple drives can be seen in the new Audi Quattro, which uses a self-locking crown gear differential. Two Cylkro face gears with different tooth geometries create a 40:60 torque split in this lightweight differential. Using the Cylkro face gear technology, Audi realized a substantial weight reduction compared to a conventional differential. Read Interview on Page 14 Contd. on Pg 08 Contd. on Pg 08 Bernhard Kahlert, MD, PURItech and Pradeep Kharkar, CEO, Rochi Engineers

Auto Monitor - 4 February 2013

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'AUTO MONITOR’, India’s leading weekly automotive news magazine, focusses on offering a broad platform to the automotive industry. It strives to facilitate effective interaction among several fraternities of the automotive, auto component and auto allied industries by enabling them in reaching out to their prospective buyers and sellers. It facilitates domestic business exchange and acts as a gateway to international business opportunities for Indian automotive manufacturers. It is recognised by leading associations like CII, SIAM, ACMA, and SIAT.

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Page 1: Auto Monitor - 4 February 2013

Pu ne-ba se d Roch i Engineers is looking to set up a manufactur-ing facility for diesel

filters and emission control tech-nologies in association with Germany’s PURItech GmbH. The company is looking to man-ufacture around 200,000 units per annum at the Pune facili-ty, mainly for exports to Europe and North America. They will also evaluate opportunities for advanced emission control prod-ucts in the domestic market as

and when new emission control regulations are implemented by the Indian government.

The JV will set up a research and development centre and a manufacturing facility in Pune, which is expected to come on-stream by 2014. The facility will design and manufacture emission control systems for diesel engines, including diesel particulate filters, catalytic convertors, diesel oxida-tion catalyst systems, and filter cleaning and detection devices.

“Rochi Engineers current-ly supplies exhaust systems,

Auto Monitorwww.amonline.in4 February 2013Vol. 13 No. 02 32 Pages ` 50

I N D I A ’ S N O . 1 M A G A Z I N E F O R A U T O M O T I V E N E W S , V I E W S & A N A LY S I S

Top 5 Car Makers

Company Dec-11 Dec-12 Change

Maruti 77,475 82,073 5.93%

Hyundai 29,516 26,697 -9.55%

M&M 21,540 25,014 16.13%

Tata Motors 34,264 24,669 -28.00%

TKM 15,948 12,071 -24.31%

Top 5 Car Exporters

Company Dec-11 Dec-12 Change

Hyundai 19,433 21,136 8.76%

Maruti 14,526 12,916 -11.08%

Nissan 2,211 8,793 297.69%

Ford 1282 4382 241.81%

TKM - 2,307 #DIV/0!

* Source: SIAM/ ** Excluding exports/ *** all sub segments considered/ ^ excluding MRPL

DATA MONITOR

Scan this code onyour smart phoneto visit www.amonline.in

Rochi Engineers In JV With PURItech Our Bureau

Mumbai

Avtec Ltd., part of the CK Birla Group, will start mass production in India of crown gears

and other patented technology from ASSAG, the Swiss company it recently acquired, Prabhakar Kadapa, Managing Director of Avtec told Auto Monitor. ASSAG crown gears were previously manufactured only in limited numbers, owing to their niche market in the Netherlands.

“ASSAG does the design and prototype building, but we will do the manufacturing here in India. That is the plan. We’ll man-ufacture and export to the parent company or the end consumers. We wanted to have an overseas export footprint, and not limit ourselves only to the Indian mar-ket,” Kadapa explained.

A basic spur face gear set con-sists of a cylindrical pinion and a disc shaped angular face gear. The cylindrical pinion can move freely in the axial direction with-out affecting the contact pattern.

The face gear has an angular drive in which the axis angle can be in the range of zero degrees to approximately 135 degrees. They are used more and more as an alternative to bevel and worm gears. The difference between normal gears and face gears is that the latter can be

moved axially. The ASSAG face gear, marketed under the brand name Cylkro, is unique given its optimized shape and material properties. Cylcro face gears are also often used as differential gears. The axial freedom makes these drives robust and easy to install at the same time.

Upon inquiring whether the timing of the acquisition was well thought out, Kadapa replied, “If we had acquired the company at the peak time, it would have cost 30-40 percent more.”

Kadappa sees huge potential for this technology in the auto-motive, construction equipment, and medical equipment sectors. According to experts, although the technology is still in its nas-cent stage, both in India and abroad, it has high adoptability. Avtec seems to be following their strategy and trying to leverage the opportunities they envis-aged during acquisition. “We bought this company especial-ly because of the intellectual property rights. They have about seven different patents in face gear technology,” he said.

The advantage crown gears offer is that they can run without any constraint. They allow axial float, and this is useful where unconstrained movement is important. Some of the applica-tions are in the Sydney Monorail, in AutoTram gear boxes, and in the landing gear of the Airbus

A350. Up in the air, tempera-tures can be extremely high or extremely low, and gears must

perform well in all conditions. The axial float allows perpetual clearance. So, expansion or con-traction due to temperature does not affect the profile of the gear teeth. Face gears are also used in

New Generation Face Gears Nabeel A. Khan

Mumbai

Pg 10 Pg 12

India Key To BRIC Presence On A RollINTERVIEW INTERVIEW

Anders Grundstromer, Scania CV India’s new MD Prabhakar Kadapa, Managing Director, Avtec

Advantages Of Face Gear- Axial position of pinion is nearly free (without affecting the

contact pattern or backlash)- Multiple pinions could be placed on one face gear (multiple

output shafts)- High efficiency- No axial forces on the pinion- Can be used as angular gears and differentials- Can withstand extreme temperature variations- Easy mounting, space saving, and free combinations for

differentials and multiple outputs

An example of space saving combined with multiple drives can be seen in the new Audi Quattro, which uses a self-locking crown gear differential. Two Cylkro face gears with different tooth geometries create a 40:60 torque split in this lightweight differential. Using the Cylkro face gear technology, Audi realized a substantial weight reduction compared to a conventional differential.

Read Interview on Page 14

Contd. on Pg 08

Contd. on Pg 08 Bernhard Kahlert, MD, PURItech and Pradeep Kharkar, CEO, Rochi Engineers

Page 2: Auto Monitor - 4 February 2013
Page 3: Auto Monitor - 4 February 2013
Page 4: Auto Monitor - 4 February 2013

At a time when the automobile industry is jittering over shallow sales (except for a few select com-panies), an interesting report has emerged from Espirito Santo Securities. It predicts that the

Indian auto and auto components industry can be expect-ed to surpass China’s growth path by 2021. Simultaneously, the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India has pegged annual growth for the industry at 12 per-cent from 2012 to 2021.

The researchers seem pretty confident that the industry is in a comfortable position to beat this estimated growth rate driven by robust demand from OEMs coupled with growth in the replacement market as vehicles age and exports improve with scale, as was seen in China.

Components suppliers are actually on a roll. In most cases, it’s because of their vicinity to the manufacturing plants that helps them get a good idea of production. Also, a major part of their business comes from being assured suppliers to the aftermarket which in itself is a huge business.

Last month, during my conversation with an OEM, he joked that while they may suffer poor sales pangs, their sup-pliers are doing better than them. At least they don’t have to keep looking at sales charts all the time.

ADEA Awaits

The response from the dealers requesting their nomi-nations for the Automotive Dealership Excellence Awards has been heartwarming. The dealers have been prompt in filling in laboriously the forms and sending it across. Our Knowledge Partner is hard at work in making an assessment of the forms and doing its groundwork. Like you, we too will know on the day of the awards.

But in case you haven’t received your invitations, we request that you call our representative on the number pro-vided on the website and avail of your pass to the awards night. As an attraction, you will see a fantabulous crowd of the top OEMs, not to mention some high profile industry people who are just waiting to listen to what their dealers have to say.

We wish you all the best and hope to see you at the awards.

Comments can be sent to [email protected]

The Right Time

QUOTESSergio Marchionne, Fiat-Chrysler CEO said on its expected sales in China.

Arnaud Montebourg, France Industry minister on Renault’s layoff plans compared to PSA Peugeot Citroen.

We expect production of around 100,000 Jeeps per year which is expandable to 200,000.

It’s better than having to deal with layoffs and drastic plant closures that hit company morale.

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Views and opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of Network18 Media & Investments Ltd (Network18)*, its publisher and/or editors. We at Network18 do our best to verify the information published but do not take any responsibility for the absolute accuracy of the information. Network18 does not accept the responsibility for any investment or other decision taken by readers on the basis of information provided herein. Network18 does not take responsibility for returning unsolicited material sent without due postal stamps for return postage. No part of this magazine can be reproduced without the prior written permission of the publisher. Network18 reserves the right to use the information published herein in any manner whatsoever.

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MARKETING TEAMGanesh Mahale, Akshaya Jadhav

Page 5: Auto Monitor - 4 February 2013
Page 6: Auto Monitor - 4 February 2013

Tyre Trends 14Dr Arup K Chandra, Head Global (Raw Material & Compound Development), R&D, Apollo Tyres speaks on the product development cycle and innovation challenges in the tyre industry

CONTENTS

Green Technologies A Priority 18Tyre manufacturers and suppliers are actively scouting for materials and processes that can aid in the reduction of green house gases in the manufacturing process

Lexus Design Awards Creates Buzz 20The Lexus Design Award has attracted strong interest from around the world, with more than 2,100 initial registrations leading to 1,243 projects being submitted by the closing date for entries

White Tops World Car Colour Ranks 22White/white pearl dominates the global automotive colour popularity ranks for the second consecutive year, according to the 2012 DuPont Automotive Colour Popularity Report

VW Inaugurates Solar Park In USA 25The new solar park is Volkswagen’s strategy of generating more and more power within the Group from renewable energy sources

JLR launch locally-built Jaguar XF in India 26JLR is commencing production of the Jaguar XF saloon at its facility in Pune, India, from components supplied from the company’s Castle Bromwich plant in Birmingham, UK

On A Roll 12Prabhakar Kadapa, Managing Director, Avtec speaks to Auto Monitor about the opportunities that have opened up with ASSAG acquisition and how they might be leveraged

CORPORATEScania Launches Three Luxury Buses 10Metrolink makes worldwide debut with India launch

GLOBAL WATCH

12

10

14

18

20

26

Page 7: Auto Monitor - 4 February 2013
Page 8: Auto Monitor - 4 February 2013

Auto Monitor

N E W S84 FEBRUARY 2013

There are approximate-ly 6,500 auto dealers in India, and although debatable, it is still a

considerable number. And they have a tough job. Their success lies in the ability to convince cus-tomers to pick a vehicle among the brands they sell, and ensure they are happy with their buy. Their personal success lies in the ability to convince the customer and make the sale. No easy job, that. Even more so, considering that the auto market is feeling a little under the weather.

Surely, good work must be recognized. And it is for this reason that for the fourth year in a row, Auto Monitor along with Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) will engage with the entire fraternity to honour the best dealers.

We would here like to mention that this is the first-of-its-kind initiative ever undertaken in the country for the automotive deal-ership fraternity. It is also the only platform that recognizes excellence in automotive retail.

The ADEA is a big step forward

for FADA as it has been a con-stant endeavor with them to be at the forefront of the change in automotive retail. It helps them be unique considering that it is an apex body representing auto-mobile dealers across vehicle categories and class.

Know The SystemWhile the awards function

will be held at a glitzy ceremo-ny on March 9, 2013, work at the backend begins five months in advance. We take precise care to notify OEMs, dealers, asso-

ciations, et al, and constantly remind them to send in their nominations so as to quali-fy. The nominations could be sent by post or filled online at http://www.adea.in/adea.html. The forms are then screened for accuracy and eligibility by our Knowledge partner, CARE – Credit Analysis & Research Limited. The agency then rati-fies the form through visits or calls with the respective deal-ers to acquire more detailed information that would enable them to slot the dealer in any

of the following parameters: Sales satisfaction index; Service satisfaction index; Employee satisfaction index; CSR initia-tives index; Green initiatives index; and Safety initiatives index. Six such awards will be given. Besides this, based on the nominations, we will also iden-tify two top performing dealers in four key vehicle categories: two wheelers, three wheelers, passenger cars and commercial vehicles. Thus a total of fourteen awards will be presented to deal-ers across vehicle categories.

The purpose of ADEA is to recognize best practices and pro-cesses, forward looking initiatives and latest equipment and tech-nologies that have helped dealers set new benchmarks in customer service and satisfaction.

Even if you have not sent in your nomination, we are keen that come to felicitate your fel-low dealers and for a meeting of minds. May be it would help to know that most top OEMs will also be present.

We look forward to seeing you that evening.

An ADEA Whose Time Has Come

the rotor blade of helicopters. Thanks to the face teeth profile, it can support high torque levels.

The new design is supposed to lower the cost by about 15-20 percent, because of the smaller overall design. Further, it also acts like a standard pinion, allowing it to be used anywhere. Conventionally, the crown and pinion are joined together, but in this case they don’t need to be. That will also lower the cost of aftersales parts. The size of the gears will also be about 25 percent smaller. However, the manufac-turing technology isn’t yet complete. It’s an evolving technology and is slowly finding applications.

One use is in the new Audi Quattro, where the central gear differential that distributes torque uses this gear technology. The use of face gear also reduces the diameter, which increases the ground clearance. The technology was developed by ASSAG in association with Audi and licenced back to Audi since ASSAG did not have the capacity for large volume production.

mufflers, and other emission related components to OEMs in India. This JV will enable us to move up the technology ladder, and prepare us for the upcom-ing emission control legislations. Though we will continue to supply existing emission control prod-ucts from Rochi Engineers, the demand for BS III B and BS IV products and other future technologies will be met through this JV,” said Gautam Kharkar, Director, Rochi Engineers. He added that the JV does not see a major market in India either in the OEM or replacement segments at this juncture since emis-sion products are driven largely by regulations. The JV partners are looking to invest around $11 million (Rs 60 crore) over the next four to five years.

A major challenge for the JV, as pointed out by Kharkar, is the absence of quality suppliers for ceramic substrates, an essential component for particle filters. The company plans to tackle this by initially importing the substrate of the specified quality, and later manufacturing it themselves as manufacturing capability grows in the JV facility.

Kharkar said that the products from the JV are expected to serve OEMs of on-road and off-road vehicles, and the power genset industry. The company currently caters to customers like Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland, Eicher Motors, Mahindra Navistar, Volvo, AMW, and MAN Trucks. In the off-road category the company will cater to the construction and mining segments and will tap Caterpillar, Komatsu, Hitachi, JCB, Terex, Volvo, and Case New Holland as potential customers.

New Generation.....

Rochi Engineers.....

Contd. from Pg 1

Contd. from Pg 1

January 2012 ADEA Awards

Page 9: Auto Monitor - 4 February 2013
Page 10: Auto Monitor - 4 February 2013

Auto Monitor

N E W S104 FEBRUARY 2013

Globally, especially in Europe, Scania is going through a rough patch. Is entering emerging markets a way of compensating for the losses in Europe?

Our ambition is to be a global company. We want to be present in the BRIC countries because these four markets alone with the markets around them like South East Asia, the Middle East, and Africa are important markets for the future. Markets like India will grow much more than Europe in the coming years.

Scania is stepping into a fairly well-understood mar-ket, one in which Volvo has now spent over a decade. For a com-pany with a similar product portfolio and from the same home country, it must have been fairly straightforward for Scania to plan its India strategy. What will be your focus here?

My immediate focus is to get the project up and running. We are inaugurating the assembly line for trucks and bus chassis in June, and also our service work-shop and head office. To support

Sivakumar (Director - Sales) to increase sales in India, and later on to get the bus-body factory up and running by December. This is my main priority in India right now. I also want to visit a lot of customers and suppliers to learn what possibilities Scania has in India.

Setting up a factory in Bangalore was a strategic move by Scania to share suppliers already delivering to Volvo. Can you elaborate on how it has helped?

Yes, absolutely. It has helped. I started operations of Scania in Russia in 1996-97. Volvo was present there before us too. It is not important to be the first to enter the market. We are a dom-inant player in Russia today in our segment, and we want to do that in India too. Besides manu-facturing, sales, and service, we are also doing R&D in Bangalore together with Larsen & Toubro; not only for Indian products but also for global products. Scania has a global production system so the R&D we do in Bangalore is part of the global operations.

That means the products we sup-ply here are the same as in the rest of the world, and with the same quality standards.

What sort of an R&D set up do you have here?

We have about fifty consult-ants working on R&D and it’s constantly growing. There are very good engineers in India. Even the supplier base in India is growing in quality, every day I would say. So what is important for us is we will have a bus that is 100 percent Indian, produced with all the components for the bus body sourced locally, from January 2014 onwards. Before that the buses will be imported as CBUs.

And what about the chassis and engine components?

We already have compo-nents in our mining truck that are Indian made. The number of Indian suppliers is growing as we introduce new features to our trucks and buses.

What is Scania doing about local supply chain management?

You have distribution of goods in big cities for which we can play a role if we get better infrastruc-ture. In Bengaluru, for example, the traffic is tough. You need more ring roads around big cities so we can play an important role in the supply chain.

How is India faring com-pared to other BRIC nations and what is Scania’s role at present in the rest of the BRIC nations?

Russia operations started in 1996-97. They were on the top ten list of Scania in 2011 selling about 6000 units in the premi-um segment. Brazil too is on the top ten, so I don’t see any rea-

son why India shouldn’t be on that list.

And how is China doing?China is a bit different. You can’t

have your own company in China. You have to have a joint venture and the majority shareholder has to be the Chinese company. We want to enter the market by ourselves.

Scania has launched Metrolink in India, which marks the com-pany’s entry into the bus

and coach market. The com-mercial vehicle manufacturer claims that the Metrolink is a purpose-designed coach for lux-ury intercity or charter travel in head-turning style. The coach will be offered in three models with a capacity to accommodate 45, 49, and 53 passengers.

Scania has introduced the Metrolink exclusively to the Indian market at this point of time. In a few years’ time, the Scania Metrolink will grow into a global range of complete vehi-cles with network support. The commercial vehicle manufac-turer says that its Metrolink will stand out from other competitors as a premium product.

The Metrolink features Scania’s ‘wrapping T’ styling motif that sweeps from the front into the window line along the

sides. The first batch of deliver-ies to customers is expected to begin from mid-2013 and assem-bly of complete coaches will start at Scania’s new facility in Bengaluru in early 2014.

The Metrolink HD 45-seater variant is a 12-metre 4x2 model with 45 seats, a Scania 9-litre 310 hp Euro 3 engine, and Scania Opticruise 8-speed automated gearchanging. The vehicle is 2.6 m wide, 3.7 m high, and fitted with a 465-litre fuel tank.

The Metrolink HD 49-seater variant is a 13.7-metre 6x2 model with 49 semi-sleeper seats (or

53 without calf support). It gets power from a Scania 13-litre 360 hp Euro 3 engine, and Scania Opticruise 8-speed automated gearchanging. The third axle is hydraulically steered for easy manoeuvring. The vehicle is 2.6 m wide, 3.7 m high, and equipped

The Metrolink HD 53-seater is a 14.5-metre high-capacity 6x2 model featuring 53 semi-sleeper seats (or 57 without calf support). It has the Scania 13-litre 410 hp Euro 3 engine, and Scania Opticruise 8-speed automated gearchanging. The third axle is hydraulically steered for easy manoeuvring. The vehicle is 2.6 m wide, 3.7 m high, and fitted with a 465-litre fuel tank.

“It is with great pride that Scania makes India the first market worldwide to enjoy the benefits of the Scania Metrolink, a new range of intercity coaches, with a distinct Scania character, and bristling with state-of-the-art technology. Scania has been at the forefront of developing new coach concepts and technologies for more than a century. It gives us great pleasure to now bring the world-renowned Scania buses and coaches to India,” said

Anders Grundströmer, Managing Director, Scania Commercial Vehicle India, and Senior Vice President of the Scania Group.

“Our products are known for their outstanding fuel economy and high uptime, while ensur-ing low operating costs.” Scania Metrolink is a premium prod-uct that is completely in line with Scania’s mission to be a trusted partner for the transpor-tation industry in India,” added Grundströmer. The company aims to sell about 2,000 trucks and 1,000 coaches per year in the Indian market within the next five years.

Scania is investing about `250 crores in an industrial facil-ity located near Bengaluru. The head office, complete with a ser-vice workshop and a central parts warehouse, will be housed at the same site. The Scania Regional Product Centre, will also be the centre of the company’s commercial operations in the country. Production is expected to start in early 2014. It is esti-mated that some 800 people will be employed at the facility

in the long term. The industrial operations will consist of final assembly of trucks with body-work, and building of complete coaches with bodywork.

Scania has been represented in the Indian market since 2007, when a partnership was initiat-ed with Larsen & Toubro (L&T). L&T has successfully established Scania’s trucks and services and has developed a close part-nership with customers in the mining industry. L&T currently operates about 10 Scania service workshops at various mining sites in the country.

In 2011, Scania established the company Scania Commercial Vehicles India in order to boost its presence in India through sales to additional segments of the Indian commercial vehicle mar-ket. Scania recently launched a new range of on-road haulage truck models specially adapted for the Indian market -- the R 500 6x4, the G 460 6x4, the P 410 6x2 and the P 360 4x2. The P 410 8x4 mining tipper was launched in December 2012.

The commercial vehicle

manufacturer says that its Metrolink will stand out from other

competitors as a premium product.

Our products are known for their outstanding fuel

economy and high uptime, while

ensuring low operating costs.

India Key To BRIC Presence

Scania Launches Three Luxury Buses

On his first day in office, Scania CV India’s new MD, Anders Grundströmer, talks to Anand Mohan about Scania’s strategy for India, the importance of our market to their global operations, and the role of Indian suppliers in helping Scania achieve 100 percent localization for their bus bodies by January 2014.

Metrolink makes worldwide debut with India launch

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I N T E R V I E W

Where are you looking to sell the new ASSAG face gear technology that you will pro-duce here in India?

We have to go to all the auto-mobile people. We can also go to LCV, tractor, and agricultural equipment OEMs. The applica-tions are very wide. All customers are the same, but which custom-ers will be willing to try it out, that’s the question. Our first step is consolidating what we acquired in Switzerland, and then we will bring it to India.

What kind of advantage does this new gear technology offer?

In this technology, the axial position of the pinion is nearly free (without affecting the con-tact pattern or backlash), and multiple pinions can be placed on one face gear (multiple output

shafts), offering greater efficien-cy. There are no axial forces on the pinion and it can withstand extreme temperature varia-tions. It is also space saving, and allows for easy mounting and free combinations for differen-tials and multiple outputs.

An example of space saving combined with the possibility of multiple drives can be seen in the recently launched version of the Audi Quattro, which has a self-locking crown gear dif-ferential. Two Cylkro face gears with different tooth geometries, resulting in a 40:60 torque split, are built into this lightweight dif-ferential. Using the Cylkro face gear technology, Audi realized a substantial weight reduction over a conventional differential.

Was product synergy the major driver for this acquisi-

tion, or was it the value of the company?We acquired ASSAG for any-where between `100-110 crores. The company by itself is prof-itable. And we have seen the synergy benefits. The company can work in tandem with our tech centre in India. ASSAG also have a known design capability. They can design any complex gearbox. They have a patent-ed technology that can be used in a gearbox, but they can also design conventional gearboxes.

We intend to integrate opera-tions, we are going to do our R&D and use their design capability. We are investing 20-25 crores in the Indian technical centre. It started operations in 2012. The Indian tech centre has the capa-bility to design transmission and gearboxes and current-

We acquired ASSAG for

anywhere between `100-110 crores. The company by itself is profitable.

And we have seen the synergy

benefits.

ly I’m designing a new 4x4 transfer case for a European customer. It is to be used in SUVs. We are also exploring opportunities in India.

This acquisition is sure to win you new business in overseas markets. How do you see your exports growing?

Today 10 percent of our revenues come from exports. We plan to increase it to 22 percent. The current pie size is ̀ 850 crores this year. We close in March, so it’s an estimate. I’m hoping the last three months will be strong. Last year it was `650 crores. Our PAT is 7-8 percent. This year is hard.

We are also working with Daimler on vari-ous programs currently. My product is getting launched in Jan. So far we have seen small num-bers, but now we have to go for large numbers.

You were planning to shift some assem-blies and production to Hosur for better logistics and become a just-in-time supplier. How is that progressing?

Last time I told you we were setting up a components plant in Hosur. It’s almost ready, but currently we are only doing the Caterpillar components there. For Daimler LDT we make engines, and for HDT we make a system for transmission. We also do gearbox assembly there for Ford. March onwards we’ll start the transmission assembly for Ashok Leyland that we’re making in Pithampur. The assembly lines are ready, we are waiting for the final vali-dation from the customer. That will make the process just-in-time as we get closer to the cus-tomer. Today we have a transit time of almost 40 hours.

Can you tell us about the investments you are looking at for this process?

Current investment there is `40 crore. Some of the current and existing equipment will also shift there to form a completely new venture there. We are doing it in phases and also creat-ing space there for some of my switch products that we’ll be making there.

On A Roll

All customers are the same, but which

customers will be willing to try it out, that’s

the question. Our first step is consolidating what we acquired in

Switzerland, and then bring it to India.

Prabhakar Kadapa, Managing Director, Avtec, is the man who brought the ASSAG acquisition deal to the table, and took the engine manufacturing company to a new level by wooing many new customers. He spoke to Nabeel A Khan about the opportunities that have opened up with this acquisition and how they might be leveraged.

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I N T E R V I E W144 FEBRUARY 2013

ward and all the new tyre capacities coming up across the country are in the radial segment. We are also witnessing a massive shift towards radialisation in the CV segment in a gradual manner.

What are the newer technologies that tyre companies are working towards or are likely to introduce into India?

In many sectors, innovation is generally driven by demand and by legislation, and this is true of the tyre segment as well. The tyre industry is gradually adopting blue technolo-gy before it can fully embrace and adopt green technology. Most current legislations in terms of emission norms and fuel efficiency param-eters can be achieved through amalgamation of bio and synthetic materials.

Green technology, by contrast, implies raw materials sourced from organic or bio-based sources, enabling environment-friendly pro-cesses and recycling capability. Most tyre companies are making a gradual move towards green processes and technologies, but it will be a while before we witness green manufacturing in tyre production.

We have the process and material technol-ogy but wider adoption of bio-based materials or green technology is likely to be driven by regulations.

What could be the outcome of product devel-opment efforts?

We will be developing and improving on technology for high and ultra high perfor-mance tyres for different applications, with an eye on establishing ourselves as a global play-er. Market demand for such high performance tyres is likely to grow in developed markets in Europe and North America. As infrastruc-ture improves in developing markets including India, such performance tyres will have a larger market demand.

We are anticipating market demand for ‘super single’ tyres in India to replace dual tyres in multi-axle trucks. Such tyres are lighter, have a longer life, and more economical to manufac-ture, and hence cheaper compared to current options.

But their adoption will require OEM support in terms of changes in axle design and suspen-sion systems.

What are the major challenges faced by tyre manufacturers in the production process and innovation?

Like any other industry, there are a lot of technological advancements in the tyre man-ufacturing industry. Advanced products are generally offered based on market maturity and demand, since customers can-not be taken for granted. New product development and technological innovation is sig-nificantly influenced by likely market acceptance and demand.

How are market dynamics affecting product development efforts within the tyre industry?

Product research and devel-opment cannot happen in isolation. A major driver for product development is OEM demand and their expectations from suppliers. In addition to such demand, it is also important

for any supplier to the automo-tive industry to appreciate the driving conditions in order to arrive at suitable solutions.

Why is it taking longer for radi-al tyre demand to pick up in the CV segment?

In my view, the road condi-tions in cities are slightly better compared to those on the out-skirts of the city or between cities. And a large part of a car owner’s driving is done within the city on comparatively bet-ter roads. Moreover, suspension systems and wheels are tuned to different driving conditions, whereas in the case of commer-cial vehicles that is not the case. Most of the roads across the country are not in good shape and that reduces the average speed of CVs carrying goods and passengers between cit-ies. Hence, there may not be a very compelling reason for

customers to upgrade to better quality radial tyres unless they are compelled to upgrade by reg-ulations. Less than satisfactory road conditions, road conges-tion, low average speeds in most geographic areas, and poor maintenance of vehicles are not conducive to large scale radial-isation in the CV segment. But we are hopeful that the scenario

will change in favour of radiali-sation in the coming years. It is a known fact that around 75 to 80 percent of all new trucks and buses sold in China come fitted with radial tyres, as compared to just around 18 to 20 percent in the CV segment in India.

What role are OEMs playing in the radialisation process?

OEMs have been playing and will continue to play a key role in increasing radial tyre adoption in the CV segment. Customers would be encouraged to fit radial tyres in the replacement market if OEMs adopt radial tyres in a big way, and also tune suspen-sion systems towards higher adoption of radials. Radial tyres for cars and CVs are the way for-

Tyre TrendsDr Arup K Chandra, Head Global (Raw Material & Compound Development), Research & Development Centre, Apollo Tyres Ltd., speaks to Abhishek Parekh on the product development cycle and challenges in innovation in the tyre industry.

Most current legislations in terms of emission

norms and fuel efficiency parameters can be achieved through

amalgamation of bio and synthetic materials.

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N E W S184 FEBRUARY 2013

Tyre manufacturers and suppliers are actively scouting for materials and processes to reduce

green house gases in the man-ufacturing process. Though bio-based materials are consid-ered critical to this objective, it may be a while before manufac-turers can make the shift or help their supplier base to upgrade to environment-friendly materials and processes.

The recent panel discussion on ‘The Future of Mobility of India’ during the Lanxess Rubber Day in Mumbai saw Dr Arup Chandra, Head, Research & Development, Apollo Tyres Ltd., deliberating on the poor roads and stop-and-go traffic conditions in the country, which lead to low average speeds and low distances travelled, in turn discouraging tyre radiali-sation. The panel also discussed the poor maintenance of tyres by

consumers and vehicle owners.“In the truck segment, around

28 percent of vehicles are on radial tyres, while in the passenger car segment it is 98 percent. If OEMs, the tyre industry, and the govern-ment work together, in around four to five years all existing prob-lems can be overcome. The Indian tyre companies have the capabil-ity to supply OEMs with all kinds of tyres which may be required as per European standards,” he added.

The event covered top-ics including ‘The Future of Mobility in India’, ‘Innovation in Rubber for a Greener Tomorrow’, ‘Technological Trends in Automotive Rubber Components’, and ‘Driving Growth and Delivering Safety’. Around 300 participants from the rubber and automotive industries, and academia and government deliberated on environment-friendly processes and related issues. Among the prominent speakers were MF

Farooqui, Secretary, Department of Heavy Industry, Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, Dr Rainier van Roessel, Member of the Board of Management of LANXESS AG, and Sudhir Rao, Managing Director, Skoda Auto India.

The event takes place at a time when India’s tyre and automotive sectors are expected to experience strong growth in the near future. Government officials recently confirmed that India remains on track to meet the targets stated in the nation’s Automotive Mission Plan, which projects that the automotive sector will account for more than 10 percent of India’s GDP and employ 25 million peo-ple by 2016.

The second panel discussion was on ‘Innovation in Rubber for a Greener Tomorrow’. Speaking about the challenges, Dr. Rabindra Mukhopadhyay, Head – R & D Centre of JK Tyre Industries Limited, said, “The existing road infrastructure needs to

be improved and better qual-ity fuels need to be introduced. The required raw materials are available for green tyres but for manufacturing energy balance is required. Indian manufactur-ing is currently in a transition phase from market-driven to innovation-driven.”

He also highlighted the chal-lenges at the consumer level saying, “Immediate aware-ness at all levels is required, like consumers should avoid under-inflation of tyres. The awareness about lifecycle cost also needs to be increased among them. Indian OEMs want to have every-thing at the same low price, but that leaves a big question mark for the suppliers.”

“In the last few years expecta-tions of consumers from the tyre industry have changed with dif-ferent options available across the range. Change is happening gradually and is being driven by the OEMs, but is bringing in enor-mous challenges. One needs to

address sustainable scalability. The government policy will have an important role to play,” said Rajiv Budhraja, Director General, Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association of India

“Innovation is expected to drive the industry forward. There is a growing integration of IT tech-nology such as navigation. The evolution of design for adopting recycling is also catching up fast. Owing to the rising input costs, manufacturers are using the emer-gence of design schools to make cars more recyclable,” said R N K Krishnan, Consultant, Indian Tyre Technical Advisory Committee.

The process of radialisation is of keen interest to the tyre industry. A radial design does not require a separate tube, delivers longevity, better fuel economy, and substantially improved safe-ty performance. Only about 15 per cent of large commercial vehicles in India presently run on radial tyres, according to indus-try estimates.

Our Bureau New Delhi

Green Technologies A PriorityThe recent Lanxess Rubber Day in Mumbai saw a variety of stimulating discussions on the Indian automobile industry, green technologies, road safety, and radialisation.

Toyota will take the wraps off two con-trasting new concepts at the Geneva motor show and also pave the way for two new model introductions that will

strengthen its European model range in the coming months.

The FT-86 Open and Toyota i-Road con-cepts will be sharing the spotlight with the new, British-built Auris Touring Sports and the fourth-generation RAV4 compact SUV.

FT-86 Open conceptThe Toyota FT-86 Open concept previews a

possible future development of the award-win-ning GT86 sports coupe. The show car will help Toyota gauge public reaction to the idea, at the same time as it carries out engineering tests on a prototype.

Toyota i-RoadThe Toyota i-Road has been conceived as

a compact, fun and emissions-free personal mobility concept, designed to offer quick and efficient urban transport for two people.

Auris Touring SportsToyota intends Auris Touring Sports to

become a new reference point in the market for medium-size estate cars, supported by its strong, contemporary styling, excellent luggage capacity and unique-in-segment full hybrid powertrain option.

RAV4The fourth generation RAV4 offers distinctive

styling, a high quality interior, greater efficiency and improvements to its all-wheel drive system that help deliver a more engaging drive. RAV4’s debut will be supported by two special design studies, the RAV4 Premium and RAV4 Adventure.

Toyota At The 2013 Geneva Motor Show

Toyota Auris Touring Sports

Toyota RAV4

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On January 9, 2013, the Mahindra Group rewarded the unsung heroes of Indian

Transport. It rewarded those in its ecosystem who live by the principles of RISE, those who demonstrate the RISE pil-lars of ‘Accepting No Limits’, ‘Alternative Thinking’ and ‘Driving Positive Change’, in their day to day work.

The objective was to recog-nize and reward excellence and outperformance of all key stake-holders in the Indian Transport Sector. The philosophy behind the awards was to reward those who demonstrate RISE princi-ples/pillars in their work in the Indian Transport Sector. The categories for which the awards were given were Fleet Owners, Fleet Drivers, Dhaba Owners, Highway Mechanics, Customised Application Builder and Driver Training Initiative.

The first Lexus Design Award has attracted strong interest from around the world, with

more than 2,100 initial registra-tions leading to 1,243 projects being submitted by the clos-ing date for entries. These were mainly from product design (50 percent) and architecture (30 percent), with the balance from diverse fields including graphic design, interior design, fashion, film and TV.

The award, which this year takes “motion” as its theme, has achieved an excellent glob-al reach, with 44 percent of registrations from Europe, 32 percent from Asia and 20 per-cent from the USA.

Announced in October 2012, the Lexus Design Award is an international competition for designers across a wide spec-trum of creative disciplines. Lexus aims to use the compe-tition to nurture creativity and support designers around the world; more details are avail-able at www.lexus-global.com/design/lda.

A jury of six experts will select 10 finalists, to be announced by the end of February. Two of these will be given the chance to work with world-famous designers who will oversee the creation of their prototypes: product designer Sam Hecht and architect Junya Ishigami. As well as working with their mentors, they will also receive financial support to cover pro-totype and production costs.

All the finalists will be invit-ed to present their work at Milan Design Week 2013 in April. The two full prototypes and panel displays of the other eight final-ists’ work will be put on public show in the Lexus exhibition halls.

1,243 project entries

by end of February-

played at this year’s Milan Design Week in April

More details about Lexus’s involvement in this year’s Milan Design Week will be announced on 5 February.

Mahindra Transport Excellence Awards 2012

Lexus Design ‘Moves’ Designers

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White/white pearl dominates the global automotive colour popularity

ranks for the second consecu-tive year, according to the 2012 DuPont Automotive Colour Popularity Report. Black/black effect moves into second place in the global ranks this year, largely due to the increased popularity in the Asia Pacific market as this colour has a worldwide percep-tion of high quality and luxury. Silver fell to third, as its popular-ity has waned due to its overall gradual decline, especially in the critical large automotive markets of Europe and Asia.

White/white pearl moved to top the ranks in Europe in 2012, and was in the leading position as the most popular car col-our in North America (U.S. and Canada), Japan, South Korea, Russia, South Africa and Mexico. Overall, white/white pearl rep-resents 23 percent of the global market in DuPont’s 2012 report.

Over the past decade, white has held significant rankings in automotive colour popular-ity and is widely seen in other consumer products worldwide. During this timeframe, white’s popularity had been highlight-ed across all vehicle segments, though historically, it had been most popular among the truck segment. Past advancements in pearlescent whites enabled this colour to initially break into the luxury segments.

“Today, white tri-coats are more readily applicable to the global manufacturing base and evoke quality and value among a variety of vehicle segments,” according to Nancy Lockhart,

DuPont colour marketing man-ager. “Solid whites have been seen in vanilla shades, stone shades and the current prefer-ence of bright whites.”

Black/black effect led among vehicle colour popularity in China, but took second place in the global ranks with 21 percent of the world’s share of automo-tive colour. Silver rounded out the top three global colour choic-es, topping the ranks in South America, Brazil and India, but slipped four percentage points to just 18 percent of the overall global automotive market from 22 percent last year.

“Silver peaked during the start of the digital age between 2000 and 2006,” said Lockhart. “We’re seeing more luxury vehicle pur-chases now that the economy has started to stabilize, and vehicles painted black/black effect are seen as luxury status symbols in several key global markets.”

The top global vehicle colours in DuPont’s report are as follows:1. White/White Pearl – 23 percent2. Black/Black Effect – 21 percent3. Silver – 18 percent4. Gray – 14 percent5. Red – 8 percent6. Blue – 6 percent7. Brown/Beige – 6 percent8. Green – 1 percent9. Yellow/Gold – 1 percent10. Others – 2 percent

North America – Top Three Remain the Same: White/White Pearl, Black and Silver

North American vehicle col-our in 2012 was once again dominated by white/white pearl, with 24 percent market share,

putting it in first place for the sixth consecutive year. It also led the compact/sport and truck/SUV segment.

Black/black effect was at the top of the intermediate/CUV segment and luxury/luxury SUV segment popularity ranks. It rep-resented 19 percent of the overall market, maintaining second place in vehicle colour popular-ity in North America. Compared to metallic versions, solid blacks are most favored in the truck seg-ment. Metallic blacks brought interest to the market and have been widely used in all segments, especially in luxury/luxury SUV.

For the first time since 1998, silver did not lead in any of the North American vehicle segments, which may be attrib-uted to the increased influence of black and white as status symbols for luxury and quality. However, silver held steady in third place overall with 16 percent market share.

Gray rose two percentage points this year with increases in the truck, luxury and interme-diate vehicle segments. The top four preferences, white, black, silver, and gray, have represent-ed the majority of popularity the last 10 years.

Red rounded out the top five colour choices across each vehi-cle segment and consequently, overall in the region, with 10 per-cent of the market.

Europe: In 2012, white/white pearl overtook black/black effect as Europe’s most popular vehi-cle hue. With 24 percent of the overall European market, white/white pearl also topped the compact/sport and truck/SUV categories in the region.

“The significance of white is represented in sustainabil-ity preferences and advanced design,” said Elke Dirks, DuPont colour designer for Europe. “White pearlescent shades are growing in popularity as well, although their use is minimal compared to solid whites.”

Black/black effect has been losing popularity in the region since it peaked in 2009, accord-ing to DuPont, and has slipped to second place overall, with 23 per-cent of the market. However, it maintains its leadership position in the intermediate/MPV and luxury/luxury SUV categories.

White Gains In Asia Pacific White, black and gray are the

top colours in the Asia Pacific region overall, but white seized the lead this year from silver, with 22 percent market share in the region. Black and gray were 21 and 20 percent respectively, while silver dropped to fourth overall with just 14 percent. Red rounds out the top five colours in the region, with 7 percent of the overall market in 2012.

Japan’s affinity for white/white pearl continued in this year’s report for the sixth consec-utive year, with the top spot and 27 percent share, up from 26 per-

cent in 2011. At 22 percent, black/black effect increased in popu-larity and ranks second in Japan. Rounding out the top five, silver (17 percent), blue (8 percent) and gray (7 percent) fell in popular-ity this year, while red is growing in popularity, netting 6 percent of the overall Japanese market.

“The compact car segment in Japan shows more eco-trends with more natural and earthy colour choices, which we expect to see more of in the market moving forward,” said Kumiko Ohmura, DuPont colour market-ing manager, Asia Pacific.

South Korea has the highest popularity of white/white pearl in the Asia Pacific region at 28 percent, an increase of 3 percent over 2011 and overtaking the longtime leader, silver (23 per-cent), in the country by 3 percent. Black/black effect represents 16 percent of the South Korean mar-ket and gray colours 15 percent of vehicles in South Korea, with blue and red tied in fifth with 5 percent each.

India sees the lightest colours at the top of the colour popularity charts. Silver leads, with 28 per-cent of the overall market, while white/white pearl is a close sec-ond at 27 percent. In third, light versions of brown/beige rank with 12 percent, while gray fol-lows with 11 percent. Black receives its lowest ranking glob-ally in India, with just 7 percent.

Colour Returns to RussiaWhile white/white pearl (18

percent), silver (15 percent) and black/black effect (14 percent) lead the colour preference charts in Russia, more vibrant colours are making a local statement. Red is in a close race with black/black effect for third place, with 13 percent of the market, and blue follows with 12 percent. Green also shows the highest ranking in the world in the Russian mar-ket, with 8 percent.

South America: Silver led the South American market with 29 percent share, though it dropped 1 percent from last year. White/white pearl (21 per-cent) increased 4 percent and moves into second place, with 21 percent of the market in South America. Black/black effect (19 percent), gray (13 percent), red

(9 percent), brown/beige (5 per-cent), blue (2 percent) and green (1 percent) follow. Decreases in silver, gray and red were compa-rable with increases in white and blue in 2012. Specific to Brazil, the colour rankings mirrored the overall South American market rankings for the top 10.

“Colour Mind” Showcases Global Colour Trends

To complement its 60th Global Automotive Colour Popularity Report, this year’s annual DuPont global colour collection represents a collaboration of new styling trends and technologies showcasing a colourful inspira-tion for automotive designers.

The latest collection, “Colour Mind,” showcases trends that are focused on four groups, as follows:

Exceptional luxury and quality are associated with col-ours in the “Noble Ambition” group. These colour selections are those most associated with luxury goods throughout histo-ry. Colours include a jewel-like green, “Ivy League,” a pearles-cent white, “Prince Charming,” and a bold bronze, “Nobelist.”

High visibility design trends and modern colours exagger-ated in the “Individual Attitude” group. These stylish colours are intended for the fashionable indi-vidual who wants to be noticed. Colours include an intense red solid colour, “Eye Candy,” a dark teal, “Miss Personality,” and a soft muted pink metallic, “Lone Wolf.”

Innovative technologies and energy initiatives are brought for-ward in the “Progressive Nature” group. Some of the metallic vari-ations are “Electronic Beat” and “Virtual Vision.” Natural col-ours include beige, “High Tech Nature” and a medium earthy brown, “Futurist.”

Historical automotive colours are revived in the “Authentic History” group. In this group, past favorites are reformulated with a modern twist. Key col-ours are “Re-imagined Gray” and “Green Revival.” Others include a bright red, “Famous,” and a grayish blue, “Global Heritage.” These latest colour trends are formulated into lead-ing technology and application processes for today’s automotive manufacturing.

White Tops World Car Colour Ranks

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Frank Fischer, CEO and Chairman of Volkswagen Chattanooga, said: ‘We are proud to inaugurate

today the largest solar park of an automaker in USA. This facility is a key part of our ‘Think Blue. Factory.’ programme and further proof of Volkswagen’s worldwide commitment to environmental protection. Once again, we are setting standards in efficient, sustainable production.’

The Volkswagen Group Officer for the Environment, Energy and New Business Areas, Wolfram Thomas, stated: ‘The new solar park is an integral part of Volkswagen’s worldwide strategy of generating more and more power within the Group from renewable energy sources.’

VW Inaugurates Solar Park In USA

The expected annual output of the about 33,600 crystal solar modules installed on an area of 13 hectares around the plant is about 13,100 megawatt-hours per year. The power is to be used directly in production, with solar power providing 12.5 per cent of the electric power required in full-capacity operation and meeting 100 per cent of demand when the plant is not in production.

Partners in the project are the Californian subsidiary of Phoenix Solar AG, Sulzemoos near Munich, and Silicon Ranch, headquar-tered in Nashville/Tennessee.

The Chattanooga plant has a workforce of more than 3000 people, who produce the new Volkswagen Passat especially developed for the North American market. As a result of extremely environmentally compatible production at the plant, Volkswagen in Chattanooga has already received several awards. In December 2011, Volkswagen was the first automaker in the world to receive the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum certification.

The company also operates an environmen-tal management system in accordance with ISO 14001 and an energy management system in accordance with ISO 50001.

Matthew Kisber, President and CEO of Silicon Ranch: ‘We are proud to implement this key project as a partner of Volkswagen. The commissioning of this park will improve the energy efficiency of the Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga and confirm Volkswagen’s posi-tion as a company with leading environmental standards throughout the world. The solar power generated at this park will have a strong positive impact not only on the environment but also on our economy.’

Dr. Murray Cameron, Chief Operating Officer of Phoenix Solar AG and currently also President and CEO of Phoenix Solar Inc.: ‘Over the next few years, the USA will become one of the largest photovoltaic markets in the world. We are proud that we have been able to dem-onstrate our experience in the design and construction of major solar power facilities at the Volkswagen plant.’

About VW in ChattanoogaVolkswagen has invested about $1 billion in

the facility, creating more than 5000 jobs in the region to date. According to independent stud-ies, the Volkswagen facility is expected to boost income in the

region by $12 billion and lead to the creation of a total of 9500 jobs. The US plant produces the new Volkswagen Passat devel-oped especially for the North American market, which won the Motor Trend 2012 Car of the Year award.

About Silicon RanchSilicon Ranch Corporation

develops and operates util-ity scale solar facilities. Silicon Ranch is distinguished from other developers by its ability to deliver a green energy solution that addresses the environmen-tal, business and work force issues associated with success-fully expanding solar capacity and green jobs. Silicon Ranch has gained prominence as a low

cost producer of solar energy by focusing on creating efficien-cies through every step of the deployment process thereby increasing capital investments in clean energy.

About Phoenix Solar AGPhoenix Solar AG (www.phoe-

nixsolar-group.de), which has its headquarters in Sulzemoos near Munich, is a leading inter-national photovoltaic system integrator. The Group devel-ops, plans, builds and operates

large-scale photovoltaic plants and is a specialist wholesal-er for turnkey power plants, solar modules and accessories. With sales operations through-out Germany and subsidiaries throughout the world, the com-pany has sold solar modules with an output of more than one gigawatt since its founding. The shares of Phoenix Solar AG (ISIN DE000A0BVU93) are list-ed on the official market (Prime Standard) of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.

The Volkswagen brand has inaugurated its largest solar facility in the world at its US plant in Chattanooga.

The Volkswagen Chattanooga Solar

Park has a peak output of 9.5 megawatts and

is the largest solar facility operated by an automaker in the USA. The environmentally compatible power is to be used for Passat

production.

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Auto Monitor

G L O B A L W A T C H264 FEBRUARY 2013

The initial Pune-built Jaguar XF models will feature the company’s acclaimed 2.2-litre die-

sel engine, which is coming to the Indian market for the first time. The Jaguars will be built alongside Land Rover Freelander 2 vehicles which have been pro-duced in Pune since May 2011

Dr Ralf Speth, Chief Executive of Jaguar Land Rover, said: “India is a market that offers signifi-cant opportunities for both the Jaguar and Land Rover brands. The expansion of our Pune oper-ations to include the Jaguar XF will help us realise our ambitions for the Indian market.

“Jaguar Land Rover is com-mitted to building a sustainable, profitable business; increas-ing our global manufacturing footprint is a key element of our growth strategy. Together with our joint venture manufacturing facility already under construc-tion near Shanghai, expanding our operations at Pune will help

us increase the global volume of cars we build, in addition to those produced in the UK.”

Rohit Suri, Vice President, Jaguar Land Rover India said: “The Land Rover Freelander 2 and the Jaguar XF are our best-selling models in India and this has driven the move to build

these products locally.“The Jaguar XF has become

very popular with our cus-tomers due to its spoarts car performance, outstanding luxury saloon elegance and con-temporary individual styling. Its inspired engineering and tech-nological innovation have helped

it to win more than 100 awards internationally. So we are now delighted to offer this car as a locally built product with a new engine for this market, which will enable us to provide our cus-tomers with a wider choice of competitively priced models.”

Jaguar Land Rover India

recently announced a 32% growth in wholesales in 2012 at 2393 cars compared with 1813 cars in the previous year.

Further details, including specifications, are available on the Jaguar India website (www.jaguar.in) and Land Rover India website (www.landrover.in).

JLR Launch Local Built Jaguar XF In IndiaJaguar Land Rover is commencing production of the Jaguar XF saloon at its facility in Pune, India, from components supplied from the company’s Castle Bromwich plant in Birmingham, UK.

Seatbelt laws were first put into place thirty years ago in Britain, but they still face issues with their

use. One in five (19%) motorists in Britain claim to know some-one who doesn’t use a seatbelt in the front of their car.

31 January 2013 will see the anniversary of the introduction

of compulsory wearing which came to effect in 1983. Latest figures show 95 per cent of driv-ers and 96 per cent of front seat passengers wear a seat belt; 89 per cent of rear seat passen-gers use one. Yet every year, not wearing a seatbelt is still a con-tributory factor in more than 220 deaths and serious injuries.

A higher number of younger motorists know someone who does not wear a seatbelt com-pared to the older age group.

of 18-29 year olds know someone who doesn’t wear a seatbelt compared to 25%

the front of the car, 36% of

16-29 year olds know some-

year olds.

wearing rates combined with the highest accident rates.

admit to being inconsistent seat-belt wearers.

Road safety charity IAM’s chief executive Simon Best said: “In the past three decades seatbelts have made a fantastic contri-

bution to road safety success in Britain helping to save thou-sands of lives. But the ongoing message needs to be reinforced to all age groups.”

“All the modern technol-ogy in a new car assumes the occupant is wearing a seatbelt. Younger drivers know that not wearing a seatbelt is dangerous, but they must still be reminded that no matter where you are sit-ting in a car, a seatbelt will save your life.”

30 Years Of Seatbelt Laws In UK

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Auto Monitor

C L A S S I F I E D S 294 FEBRUARY 2013

The leading source for automotive parts, components & accessories.

Tej Control Systems Pvt LtdPlot No.329/331, Road No.25,

Wagle Industrial Estate, Thane(W) - 400 604. Tel. +91 22 2583 8191 to 98, Fax: +91 22 25838199Email: [email protected], [email protected]

Website: www.tejivs.com

Page 30: Auto Monitor - 4 February 2013

Auto Monitor

C L A S S I F I E D S304 FEBRUARY 2013

Advertiser’s Name & Contact Details Pg No Advertiser’s Name & Contact Details Pg No Advertiser’s Name & Contact Details Pg No

ACE Micromatic Group 1, BC

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Alfa Flexitubes Pvt Ltd 8

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Auroral Sinter Metals Co., Ltd. 29

T: +886-37-542-988

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W: www.auroral-sinter.com.tw

Automotive Dealership Excellance Awards 16

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Fiem Industries Ltd 14

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Fox Solutions 5

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Haas Automation India Pvt Ltd 9

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International Bus & Utility Vehicle Show 2013 26

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Jyoti CNC Automation Pvt. Ltd. BIC

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Kalpa Industries 18

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Kamal Ced Solutions Llp FIC

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Metro Tyres Ltd 15

T: +91-120-4147414

Molex Incorporated 19

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National Engineering Industries Ltd 28

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Prayag Polytech Pvt Ltd 23

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Sahajanand Laser Technology Ltd 25

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Shriram Pistons & Rings Ltd 21

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Tata Motors Ltd. 7

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Our consistent advertisersFIC : Front Inside Cover BIC : Back Inside Cover BC: Back cover Not Applicable

The leading source for automotive parts, components & accessories.

A D V E R T I S E R S ’ L I S T

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