Scania Commercial Vehicles India’s managing director Petr Novotny is optimistic that the commercial vehicle industry, currently languishing in the throes of a prolonged slowdown, will see its fortunes improve in 2020.

Commenting on how the commercial vehicle industry has fared in 2019 and the company’s outlook for 2020, he said: “Despite the market challenges, the Indian CV industry has continued to evolve holistically in 2019. Safety, efficiency, technology, environment, driver comfort and digitalisation have been at the core of this evolution. Considering the above trends, the premium segment which is currently at a very nascent stage will continue to grow at a steady rate.

Scania Commercial Vehicle India's BS VI-ready NTG is integrated with an upgraded powertrain, resulting in higher load-carrying capacity, fuel efficiency and uptime.

“Over the last year, Scania has on multiple occasions, reinforced its commitment to the Indian market through strategic business activities. Anticipating the tough market conditions, narrowing margins and higher productivity targets Scania proactively introduced New Truck Generation (NTG) for our Indian customers. To maximise impact and engage more closely with on-site influencers, we introduced SAMPARK, an initiative which took the NTG and Scania’s global automotive technology to the doorstep of Indian mines. Additionally, we also launched a Central Parts’ Warehouse in Nagpur, moving closer to our largest distribution partner, L&T.

“Furthermore, efforts have been taken in developing a more competent and scalable India organisation as our commitment to the market grows. The reputed Great Place To Work certification conferred to Scania India is another big indicator of our commitment to investing in our people and reinforces our strategy.

“Scania is optimistic about an uptick in CV demand for 2020 and will continue to expand in existing segments while exploring possible investment opportunities to diversify. We will continue to enhance customer profitability and be an active partner in the Indian infrastructure growth story by offering sustainable transport solutions.”

Interview with Petr Novotny: 'We're keen to test the haulage segment with the new NTG.'