Daimler and Volvo are making India their export hub

Daimler AG, the German multinational automotive corporation and Volvo AB, the Swedish multinational manufacturing, will most probably feature among the biggest success stories of the Make-in-India campaign of the Indian government. Both established names in the global heavy-duty transport industry are eyeing India as the export hub for their large trucks and luxury buses.

Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi Fuso, Freightliner and UD Trucks are all being manufactured for buyers located across the globe, thus helping India step out of its comfort zone of exporting compact cars and two-wheelers to emerging economies.

Daimler has its Indian subsidiary called Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV) and exports Mercedes-Benz-badged trucks and buses from its suburban Chennai (Oragadam) facility. These orders are primarily placed by Southeast Asian markets. On the other hand, it exports the India-made Mitsubishi Fuso range of trucks to 28 countries.

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Later this year, it will also begin exporting the Freightliner-branded giant trucks to Mexico, people in the know told ET.

"DICV has been awarded significant responsibilities within Daimlers' global truck and bus businesses. With the launch of a third product line for exports in 2017 at DICV, we will enter the next stage in the strategic collaboration of DICV and Mitsubishi Fuso Trucks & Buses Corporation, under Daimler Trucks Asia," said Erich Nesselhauf, MD of DICV.

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Volvo AB will also begin overseas sales of the light-duty UD Trucks later this year, locally made at its Indian joint-venture plant at Pithampur in Madhya Pradesh.

These trucks and buses that have been made in India have been praised by international buyers.

Apart from these foreign players, India’s own truck makers Tata Motors and Ashok Leyland are also in the process of building modern truck ranges so that they can gain a competitive presence in the export markets.

(Image source Team BHP)