Swedish commercial vehicle and engine manufacturer Scania is planning to expand its employee pool to 1,200 people at its Achatnahalli plant in Karnataka in the next four years, as the company aims to double the production capacity.
“We now have a production capacity of 2,500 trucks and 1,000 buses, and that is to be doubled in 2020. That is our long-term strategy for the Indian market,” said Scania India Business Unit Managing Director Mikael Benje.
Besides, the company is aiming to increase market share in the luxury segment and is looking at the development of infrastructure as a ‘positive integers’ for volume growth here. However, Benje declined to share the company’s investment on expansion of its Karnataka’s plant.
Scania unveiled its hybrid bus Citywide at the Auto Expo. The vehicle can run on fossil fuels as well as on renewable fuels like bio-ethanol, bio-diesel and bio-methane.
“We are going to have collaboration with the state governments. We would talk as how they can have right infrastructure with different right kind of fuels. Different cities have different demands,” Benje said.
When being asked whether Scania is also exploring the export potential from here, Benje said that the domestic market is its first priority, however, it would look on that aspect.
Magnus Zetterberg, Project Leader of Scania told Deccan Herald that in coming years, the company wanted to the hybrid buses at its Karnataka plant expecting hope that eco-friendly buses will have great future.
Apart from promoting eco friendly buses in public transport system, the government should ensure sufficient bio-fuel availability in the market easily, he said.
The company, which has 35 per cent market share in the premium segment is using up to 70 to 80 per cent of locally sourced parts.
