Jamshedpur: Sudhir Deoras, MD, TRF, handed over the first fully built tractor-trailer vehicle to a customer from the new Tata-DLT satellite facility at Jamshedpur (Adityapur) on March 4, 2011. In order to get closer to customers in eastern India, Tata International-DLT (Dutch Lanka Trailer Manufacturers), a subsidiary of TRF, has set up a CKD assembly facility at Jamshedpur to supply fully built tractor-trailer vehicles. With this facility, fully built units will be now made available with a substantial reduction in delivery lead time. The facility is initially planned to assemble 50-70 trailers a month and can ramp up the capacity based on market demand.

 

The customers get a fully built vehicle which is ready to use. The customers benefit as they do not have to spend time on fabrication, which is mostly done by local manufacturers. Also, it is easier for them to get finance on such vehicles which results in substantial savings on working capital.

 

Tata International DLT is in the business of manufacturing and supplying trailers from its Pune facility to Tata Motors for the entire range of prime movers. These tractor-trailers are sold to the end customers / transport operators as fully built units by Tata Motors, across the nation. The product range includes flat bed trailers, skeletal trailers and side wall trailers catering to various transportation needs like steel coils, cement, containers, etc.

 

The commercial vehicle industry is expected to grow at 23-25 per cent in 2010-11 and 16-18 per cent in 2011-12 with a CAGR of 16-18 per cent over five years. The tractor-trailer segment is also expected to grow at 17-19 per cent in 2011-12. The demand for commercial vehicles will grow primarily due to substantial growth in freight demand from primary sectors like steel, cement, power, better road infrastructure boosting long-haul freight movement, organised retail and development of cold chain. The industry is moving towards extremes of value chain viz. one tonners, LCVs and ICVs for 'last mile' or spoke distribution and HCVs including tractor-trailers for hub-to-hub transportation. This will foster application consolidation and de-commoditisation.