Scania bus order book size stands at 300 units

Swedish commercial vehicle major Scania has got orders to supply 300 buses in India.  

According to Anders Grundstromer, managing director of Scania Commercial Vehicles India (SVCI) and senior vice-president, Scania Group, said the company has so far supplied 38 Scania Metrolink coach buses in India, primarily in South and Western region like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat.

“We have received orders to supply 300 buses to various fleet operators in India. We are also in the process of closing a major order from a state transport corporation,” he said.

The company will start local manufacturing of buses soon at its manufacturing facility in Narasapura industrial estate near Bangalore. Already trial production for bus assembly has commenced. The bus will have 80 percent localisation with the bus body coming out with 100 percent indigenization while the chassis has 30 percent local content. The company has around 50-60 vendors to supply components for the buses to be locally produced.

Grundstromer was speaking to Autocar Professional after delivering two Metrolink coaches to Bangalore-based intercity luxury bus operator National Travels. National Travels Managing Partner Shakeel Ahmed Khan received the keys from Grundstromer.

In August, Grundstromer said the company has given two Metrolink coach buses to Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) for trial runs in Karnataka. Now the company is likely to bag a bulk order from KSRTC.

Scania is also provide its Ethanol-fuelled city bus to Bangalore Metropolitan Corporation (BMTC) for trial runs in January. Recently it gave an ethanol-driven bus to Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) for trial runs.

Currently the company has been assembling trucks at its Narasapura manufacturing facility in Karnataka, which was inaugurated in October 2013. With an investment of Rs 250 crore, this facility will serve as the centre of the company’s commercial operations in the country. Scania’s goal is to sell about 2,500 trucks and 1,000 buses per year in the Indian market within the next five years.

 Photograph: Anders Grundstromer, managing director of Scania Commercial Vehicles India.