Scania to export city buses from India

SCANIA Group inaugurated its city bus production in Narasapura in the Indian state of Karnataka in the presence of the Swedish and Indian transport ministers on Tuesday. The Swedish heavy transport manufacturer has so far invested about SEK 400 million (EUR 40 million) in Narasapura, where the company has also been assembling trucks since 2013.

 

 

Martin Lundstedt, president and CEO, said the official opening of the bus production facility is an important milestone for Scania’s Indian operations.The first deliveries of city buses are planned by year-end.

 

“The buses and coaches produced here will also be exported to other regional markets in the future and even to the rest of the world in the longer term,” Mr. Lundstedt said.

 

The establishment of the Scania operations in Narasapura, 40 km east of Bangalore, began more than two years ago. Industrial operations  include final assembly of truck and bus chassis as well as bodybuilding and fitting out of complete vehicles. The production of fully-built long-distance coaches is already running. The production facility is currently designed for 2,500 trucks and 1,000 buses per year and has 600 employees. Within the next five years, Scania expects to double capacity and to recruit a further 200 employees by the end of 2017.

 

Narasapura is also where the head office of Scania’s Indian subsidiary is located as well as a service workshop and a central parts warehouse.

 

Trucks are also assembled at the plant in Narasapura (Photo © Scania CV AB)

 

Demand is increasing for vehicles with Scania’s quality and performance India. The Government’s various initiatives to improve the environment and transport systems in the cities are also creating great opportunities for Scania’s sustainable solutions.

 

“Already today – here and now – we can deliver trucks and buses that can run on biofuels, which are increasingly being produced, for example by using waste from the cities. Scania can also contribute with competencies and experience relating to biofuel production and efficient public transport systems,” said Anders Grundströmer, managing director, Scania India, and senior vice president, Scania Group.

 

The Swedish heavy transport manufacturer has been present in India since 2007, when cooperation with Larsen & Toubro (L&T) successfully established Scania’s trucks and services and has developed a close partnership with customers in the mining industry. During 2011, Scania formed the company Scania Commercial Vehicles India with the aim of boosting its presence through sales to additional segments of the Indian commercial vehicles market.