JOIN USDaimler opens bus plant in Chennai
Daimler India Commercial Vehicle (DICV), a 100 per cent subsidiary of Stuttgart-based Daimler, on Tuesday unveiled its new bus manufacturing facility at Oragadam business bub and also introduced a new range heavy duty trucks.
The new state-of-the art bus manufacturing unit, constructed within the existing premises of DICV spread across an area of more than 27 acres, will manufacture and assemble buses under two brands — Mercedes-Benz and Bharat Benz. With an investment of Rs 425 crore, the bus plant is set up for an initial capacity of 1,500 units which would be further expanded to 4,000 units subsequently. The new plant will manufacture buses with gross vehicle weight of 9-, 16- and above 16-plus-tonnes.
“We continue to strengthen our presence in the Indian commercial vehicle market with new products, now also including buses. In doing so, we are opening a new chapter of growth,” said Wolfgang Bernhard, member of the board of management responsible for Daimler Trucks and Buses. The bus plant will roll out vehicles under two brands — Mercedes Benz (rear engine for inter-city travel) and BharatBenz (front engine for schools, tourists and staff transportation).
According to Hartmut Schick, head of Daimler Buses, the company see enormous potential for growth in the Indian market. “We expect the volume of the Indian market for buses weighing over eight tonnes to more than double by the year 2020,” Schick said. He said the buses will be served by the existing dealership network, which covers 85 per cent of the Indian market.
Markus Villinger, MD of Daimler Buses India, said the new bus plant would generate more than 1,300 job opportunities. The company also ventured into the mining segment with its BharatBenz 3143 truck as a natural progression. The model will be available in two variants.