Volvo is looking at India as an export hub to address the Middle East and South East Asian markets, Volvo India Managing Director Eric Leblanc said on Friday.
Briefing reporters, after handing over the 200th Volvo Tipper to VPR & Co Partner V Prabhakar Reddy, he said the company, which currently exports to Korea and Japan, plans to address the Mynamar, Vietnam, Indonesia, China as also other South East Asian and Middle East markets from India.
Volvo, which plans to export 300 trucks in the current calendar year, as against 120 in 2006, expects to beef up the number to 1000 plus during 2008.
 With a view to meet both local demand and exports, the company, he explained, plans to step up both its annual truck and bus capacities from current 1,500-1,600 to 2,500 numbers next year.

No investment
Stating that the expansion would not see fresh investments, Mr Leblanc said, the company will be adding another shift at its facility to meet the plans.
Volvo, he said, enjoyed a 50 per cent market share in the mining segment and close to 70 per cent repeat purchase rate.
The bus market, though, is currently flat, but once infrastructure improves, more inter-city and luxury buses will be required, he said, adding that they planned to expand city buses. He said they were also in talks with Chennai officials on city buses.