The 15 year-old vehicle Minidor, from Force Motors (earlier Bajaj Tempo) will be no more on production, said its Chairman. The reason cited for this is the lack feedback from the customers and the inability to meet the BS III norms. There is no scope, he said, to concentrate on BS IV norms since the market will not feed what the company may need.
Further, the company intends to switch over to passenger sector from the personalized segment. The result is the launch of a SUV sometimes this year end, he added. However, the withdrawal of Minidor production is not a whole vacant in the three wheeler segment, he asserted. The move to enter into the SUV is to fill the vacuum left by Force Motors and the company wants to show its muscle in the most popular and stylish sector. Currently the company is doing good with its Trax in top rural packets as a MUV and the proposed SUV will not resemble this MUV anyway, he mentioned.
The company has a JV with MAN Nutzfahrzeuge for making commercial vehicles and the JV is to launch its first inter-city coach during the ensuing festive season. This vehicle will be exclusively indigenous with all localization to be erected in Jaipur and will bear MAN brand. There are two facilities each in Pune and Pithampur where the JV with MAN is doing business.
The company is keen on portraying the brand image with both options as MAN and Force. He said the priority now is for this inter-city bus and other products will follow later. Force is well-organized with its platforms- rural sector, muv like Trump, the Trax and the city sector with its Traveler. The proposed SUV will not be covered under any of these section and the company is not crucial about the sale volume of the bus.
Force Motors is no exception in meeting the surge of insufficient response from the suppliers for the components. The company can sell around 2000 units of Trump against the current 600 commercial vehicles. The shortage is due to the unavailability of the components like fuel pumps, castings, forgings and tyres especially from OEMs. Even the JV between Force and MAN is also facing the constraints for the truck manufacturing. The JV is seeking to set right the shortage through a contract basis dealing, he said. The company is capable of delivering a minimum of 50% tool with its available capacity.
Yet, Force Motors is not a big name in the segment except being a commercial vehicle maker for more decades. The company is capable of manufacturing its own engines, gear boxes, chassis and axles for its self made products. In addition the company supplies engines for passenger cars made in India by Mercedes Benz; it manufactures major cab vehicles and 9-speed gear boxes for MAN Force. With the supply hitch affecting the net prospects, the company is not likely to import TGA trucks as CBUs as the deal could not yield the desired result. In spite of that, the company is planning to sell 5000 trucks during this FY. Hereinafter, the company may focus on the indigenous production and launch more versions with cost conscious products to differ from those of Europe. Force Motors is not in any hindrance regarding export which is looked after by its ally MAN.