Volvo Trucks, synonymous with the high performance mining and over dimensional transport applications, has set a new benchmark in the premium heavy-duty commercial vehicle segment with the delivery of the 10,000th truck in India.

The country’s largest truck manufacturer in premium European segment, on June 18, 2015 achieved the landmark of crossing ten thousand truck sales. The company’s recently launched technologically advanced Volvo FMX 440 8×4 I-Shift which is leader in its class, was handed over as the 10,000th vehicle to M/s Mahalaxmi Infracontracts Pvt Ltd , who have over 350 Volvo trucks and a long standing relationship of over a decade with us. Mr. Pierre Jean Verge Salamon – President, Volvo Group Truck Sales, India, did the honours along with Mr. Rama Rao A S – SVP Sales, Marketing & Aftermarket, Volvo Trucks, VECV, at the ceremony conducted in Bengaluru.

Since its rollout of the first truck way back in 1998, Volvo Trucks has been committed to driving progress in the industry. Even when the commercial vehicle industry in India was working with age old technology and drivers were not at forefront of product and service development, Volvo being true to its Scandinavian heritage, was the first to introduce fully air-conditioned and crash tested cabin in trucks and pioneered the Driver Training concept by establishing the Driver training center even before first truck was rolled out.

Over the years, Volvo Trucks in India have become synonymous with the mining and construction industries where the 8×4 concept introduced in the mining segment has become the industry norm in the country and the innovative 10×4 Dump truck concept introduced in 2012 has also established itself. Being the customer’s best business partner Volvo Trucks innovations were not limited to products. In order to support the customers’ right through the lifecycle of the products, it pioneered the concept of container workshop at remote mining locations and on-road assistance through Volvo Action Service.

Elucidating the development since 1998, Mr. Rama Rao A S, Senior Vice President, Sales Marketing and Aftermarket, Volvo Trucks, VECV said, “Our commitment to continuous improvement drives us forward and inspires us to be focused on driving progress the industry. You can see our innovative approach at work in all our processes, but we don’t innovate just to impress ourselves or others. We do it to meet a real life need. Our long tradition of developing market-leading technology and solutions with products operational for over 45,000 engine hours in tough and challenging Indian mines is proof of this. Today Volvo Trucks facilitate around 1/3rd of coal production in India by moving overburden in the mines and in the process has been driving progress for the country. The support from the industry has been encouraging and has helped us deliver what it takes. Yet, for Volvo Trucks and our customers, our most recent innovation is just the beginning.”

Over the years Volvo Trucks has built up an elite customer base having over 100 vehicles in their fleet operating at various mining sites across India. The customers vouch by the high reliability and productivity and have expanded business operations at a fast pace with quick return on investments. Being a complete solution provider, Volvo Trucks considers that their responsibility does not stop with handing over of the keys and extends support to customers’ right through the products’ life cycle with a wide network of service and parts centers and onsite assistance.

Speaking at the handover Mr. Pierre Jean Verge Salamon, President, Volvo Group Truck Sales, India said, “Over the last 17 years Volvo Trucks has been driving progress in the Indian commercial vehicle industry. From the first high performance European tractor trailer to the recent launched technologically advanced truck range, we have personified performance, productivity and profitability for our customers. We understand what our customers need and will come to need. That is why we constantly innovate.” He further added, “Reaching the 10,000 mark is a testimony to the fact that the new high tech capabilities and the wide range of benefits of our offerings are suiting the Volvo customer.”

The progress of India is closely entwined with the progress of the mining, infrastructure & transport industry. With the recent developments in the Indian economy and with the boost in mining and infrastructure sector, there are countless infrastructure developments taking place in India, providing significant opportunities for commercial vehicles in terms of transportation and logistics. The ongoing coal block auctions and lifting of the ban on iron ore mining in several states have created the demand for heavy-duty tipper trucks and ambition of Volvo Trucks is to capitalize on these development and continue maintaining its leadership position in the European truck segment and further improve on it.

Mr. Pierre Jean Verge Salamon, President, Volvo Group Truck Sales India, outlining the path for Volvo Trucks backed by these major developments said, “Volvo faces with considerable confidence a future characterised by major opportunities in the industry, not least the demands & aspirations placed by the industry. We at Volvo Trucks want to maximize our operations with the range of technologically advanced transport solutions, offering total peace of mind to our customers and facilitate their growth and thereby continue to be the No.1 preferred truck brand in the premium European segment.”  He further mentioned that, “With the gradual turnaround the economy is witnessing and this milestone of our 10,000th truck delivery is a reiteration of the need for such technologically advanced solutions in the market. We are looking at exciting times and I am happy to say we are ready to meet these opportunities.”

Volvo Trucks is currently present in India with more than 150 touch points across the country including state-of-the art workshops and various service support centers.