Tata Motors is gearing up for a big launch. Soon to introduce its new range of World Truck, the group is ensuring that leasing options are available for buyers.

 

R. Ramakrishnan, head of sales and marketing, who was in the city today to attend the launch of the new range of world trucks, said besides the lease option, the company is also looking at providing new packages to its customers.

 

"We have decided to initiate talks with vehicle financiers on offering loans with a longer tenure period, as the vehicle has a longer life than other trucks. We expect the tenure period to go up to seven years and more from the present four-five years," said Ramakrishnan.

 

The price of the World Truck series would be announced later.

 

Tata Motors, the country's leading manufacturer of both heavy and light automobiles, had unveiled its World Truck range, developed jointly with Tata Daewoo Commercial Vehicle (TDCV) of South Korea, at Mumbai on May 29.

 

The company plans to roll out 55,000 World Trucks per annum from its Jamshedpur plant. The production can be extended to 1.50 lakh vehicles per annum, depending on the demand. The World Truck project incurred an investment of Rs 1,000 crore.

 

The company also plans to export the World Truck by the end of the current financial year.

 

Head of Jamshedpur plant S.B. Borwankar said the launch of the new series also marks the company's objective to bring quality trucks into the Indian market. The World Truck range comprises multi-axle trucks, tractor-trailers, tippers, mixers and special application vehicles.

 

About eight industrial units of Adityapur Industrial Areas have been selected for supplying spare parts for the company's ambitious project. The company plans to give more orders to its AIA based ancillaries. "Anything good happening at the Tata Motors is good news for industrialists here. We are sure that more ancillary owners would benefit from the project in days to come," said S.N. Thakur, the president of Adityapur Small Industries' Association.

 

The company has plans to set-up a vendors' park, for which, they have approached the state government for land.

 

Tata Motors European Technical Centre based in UK assisted in designing the World Truck, which has a capacity to carry 10 to 75 tonnes. The company drew inputs from about 800 customers worldwide before designing the truck. The World Truck can hit 100 km/hour and can travel about 700-800km a day.

 

June 4, 2009 / Telegraph