AutoPartsAsia | AUGUST 2017 | 25A: May start, may not start; I can’t
comment now but I can certainly say
that two-wheelers will start sooner
than later. We have started multi-
brand service for tractors; this is in
addition to the unit repair service we
already have. Multi-brand products
are what give the customer choice.
Q: What about off-road vehicles?
A: Off-road vehicles, we do touch
JCB; we are fairly strong in such
vehicles; but we are not strong in
every kind of such vehicles, yet.
Q: What parts do you supply to
construction and off-road vehicles?
A: Filters, lubes, diesel pumps,
certain kinds of starter-alternators.
Today it’s a small niche but we are
present.
Q: Do you see potential to start
multi-brand service for this
segment?
A: At the moment, no. Presently
we will focus on tractors and two-
wheelers; HCVs are very much in the
pipeline but not very sure.
Q: The OEs presence in the
aftermarket is also increasing –
Comment?
A: Yes, it’s a good thing because
customers get the choice of a
genuine part from a reliable source.
That’s the single biggest way you
can squeeze out spurious and
reconditioned products. Why
should I see them as competitors?
I see them as collaborators. It’s as
simple as that. It ensures that the
reach significantly increases, the
quality message goes faster, and
training goes deeper. So why should
anyone think of buying a spurious or
reconditioned part except the bottom
level that will only choose for price
reasons.
Q: There is a school of thought
that feels spurious parts prevail
because of non-availability of
originals from OEMs. It might
also happen to an independent
aftermarket player like you - your
own brand can be copied and soldin the market. How will you tackle
such issues?A: Since we are only an aftermarket
company – reach, reach, reach is
our mantra. If I supply to both OEMs
and the aftermarket, the setting
of priorities might happen. That
is why reach is so important; we
are actually present in over 1,230
towns in the country in almost all
the 600 districts, from Kargil to the
Andamans and Agartala to Bhuj; we
are geographically dispersed. Our
expectation is that this will lead to a
quantum jump in turnover in the next
five years.
Q: What kind of growth do you see
in future?A: Strongly in double digits, for the
next three years at least. We will gain
market share and grow stronger.
Q: Do you find new opportunities
in areas you have not ventured into
so far?
A: Yes, definitely. We are constantly
looking at more areas, like safety
systems (brakes), transmission and
suspensions, starting systems and
powertrains; wherever there is an
aftermarket. We won’t get into tyres
since we have a group company
manufacturing it; also I don’t think
we will ever touch things like chassis
parts. We have always believed
in technology upgrade. From
incandescent bulbs we have gone
on to halogens and then LEDs; inlinepump to common rail pump; no more
dynamos but alternators. Non-stop
upgrading of a product will keep us
one step ahead and that’s what will
give the service value-add.Q: Would you get into making those
parts or will you outsource?A: We keep all options open, keeping
in mind what our group companies
make. We don’t have to necessarily
trade only; we are not in that league,
we have so many partners within and
outside the group.Q: What about exports?
A: We will be geographically present
in SAARC by 2017, with service, andAutoPartsAsia | AUGUST 2017 | 25Diesel injection system