We recently reported about Daimler investing a sum of Rs 4400 crore to set up a facility for BharatBenz trucks in Orogadam near Chennai. The Mercedes subsidy also announced its plans in India with the introduction of its entire range of trucks that will carry freight across the nation’s highways. In a more recent report, the company plans to launch as much as 18 truck models of BharatBenz in next 18 months.
“We would be launching 18 models in next 18 months and the launch would start from October this year. The trucks will be customised as per the need of Indian market,” V Sreeram, Assistant Vice President, Marketing and sales, was quoted saying.
The company showed interest in the Indian market, after seeing the infrastructure conditions in the country and plans to take over the 20 percent of the market by the end of the decade. “We are focusing on network of dealership and after-sales service to ensure achievement of our target of capturing 20 per cent market share by 2020,” he said.
To expand its foothold in India, Daimler plans dealership and service centers at Jaipur, Jodhpur and Uaidpur in Rajasthan.
Daimler organized the ‘BharatBenz Power Yatra,’ under which, Sreeram and his team showcased different truck models across various cities in Rajasthan before reaching Jaipur.
The 8000-km pan-India drive kicked off in Chennai and took the team across several urban and rural areas covering Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharastra, Gujarat and will now enter into Haryana from Rajasthan. According to Sreeram, the purpose of the drive was to showcase the BharatBenz product line to drivers and transporters across the nation.
“During our journey, we spoke to truck drivers and transporters and showed them the performance of the vehicle and take their feedback,” he said.