This is the opportune time for Indian Original Equipment Manufacturers to move without inhibition and seek a global position by showcasing manufacturing prowess and demonstrating the products of global standards of quality and reliability, said a top official of Ashok Leyland Ltd (ALL).
“We are now ready with an in-house developed new Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) range and the launch had to be deferred due to the pandemic crisis,” said Dheeraj Hinduja, chairman, Ashok Leyland, in a note to shareholders.
“The introduction is expected to be a game changer just as DOST did, further reinforcing our product range. ALL is also making inroads into the electric vehicle segment in buses locally here as well as in the London market through the Optare range. We are moving fast in the learning curve in this realm, keeping pace with global trends and are poised for major strides soon,” he said.
During 2019-20, supplied 359 units of completely built up units including bullet proof vehicles and 888 kits to Defence, which is another thrust area for ALL. “Being one of the largest providers of logistic vehicles to our armed forces, we will continue to position mobility products and solutions in an accelerated manner. We should be seeing the benefits of our plans and efforts before long,” he said.
Mentioning that pandemic had caused a debilitating impact on all sectors of the economy, he said it was anybody’s guess as to when normalcy would be restored and what form would it take. ALL’s long-term outlook for the sector continues to remain positive, with the current phase seen only as an aberration.
According to Mr. Dheeraj Hinduja, ALL managed the COVID-19 situation very well last year by focusing on cost, efficiency and long term initiatives that yielded creditable market and financial performance despite the odds.
He said it was proud moment for the company when the design, cost and time targets were achieved indigenously and innovatively.
During the year, ALL introduced a modular truck platform AVTR for the medium & heavy range along with the introduction of iGen/BS6 emission technology and upgrades to freshen up the product lines.
“With AVTR and the upcoming LCV range, ALL is ready to expand its presence in India and overseas market,” he added.
