We are aligned to the contract mining segment as it is taking off in a big way

Volvo Trucks launched its largest capacity multiaxle dump trucks for Indian mining at Excon 2015 in Bengaluru. The company is the only manufacturer to offer higher capacity 5 axle mining dump trucks in India, which is based on the successful and globally proven Volvo´s FMX platform. These new high capacity dump trucks are being introduced to enhance the productivity in line with the increasing demands of coal production. The FMX 520 10 x 4 dump truck offers a 33 per cent higher capacity and the FMX 480 10 x 4 offers a 28 per cent higher capacity compared to the current 8 x 4 solutions available in the market. At the expo, Volvo Trucks also showcased a highly customised coal haulage solution with 33 cu m bodies, which is the largest coal haulage truck in the Indian market along with their flagship model the FMX 440 8 x 4 I-shift. The group company - Volvo Group - in India has its presence across trucks, buses, industrial and marine engines, construction equipment and financial services. In conversation with SHANKAR SRIVASTAVA and SHRIYAL SETHUAMDHAVAN, Vinod Aggarwal, CEO, VE Commercial Vehicles; Pierre Jean Verge Salamon, President, Volvo Group Trucks India and Dimitrov Krishnan, Vice President, Volvo Construction Equipment India, share more on their offerings in the contract mining scenario. Pierre Jean Verge Salamon: Our new launch is a clear proof of what we deliver for customers in India. For the Indian market, we have developed a unique set of solutions and configurations to deliver excellent performance for our customers. Coal India has said that they will double the output for the next five years from 500 million tonne to 1 billion tonne. Considering this, we should be able to double our growth in the next five years. Vinod Aggarwal: In contract mining, it is not only about buying the trucks, but getting into lifetime relationships. So we get into the entire gamut of services associated with running the truck, which includes training of the driver, setting up on-site sports centre at remote locations, making the parts available and giving various options for maintenance of contracts. Also, our vehicles are offered with the advanced Dynafleet telematics system. So the relationship we are building is beyond that of a seller and buyer. This has led us to control more than 60 per cent of the market share in the high-end mining segment. The excavators sold by our group company Volvo Construction Equipment can also go along with it. This year, we have grown by over 50 per cent; against 650 units sold in the first 10 months last year, this year we have sold 1,000 units. Dimitrov Krishnan: The contract mining segment in India is taking off in a big way and this is the sector that we are aligned to the most. The coal mining contractor is the prime contractor and the bigger class of excavators is mainly for these contractors. Our machines for mining are not just sold to the government but to the contractors who are doing the job. In September 2015, we launched the 750D and it is in sync with our Volvo truck FMX 480 and the 520, which were recently launched in EXCON. So, Volvo Group offers a good combination of products at lower cost for coal mining contractors, considering that the coal mining contractor is cost conscious. We are a complete package, where if we sell equipment, we can also offer finance and service the contractor. To share your views on the construction equipment industry, write in at feedback@ConstructionWorld.in