The Truck, Trailer & Tyre Expo 2016 at Coimbatore showcased innovative products
Story by:
Bhargav TS
Organised by Bangalore-based Media Day Marketing, the Truck, Trailer & Tyre Expo 2016 at Coimbatore showcased a wide range of automatic load closing mechanism and struggle-free tyre removal and replacement solutions. The fair, held from August 06 to August 08, 2016, at the Codissia Trade Fair Complex, attracted a good number of visitors from in and around the region. Supported by 25 associations including the Ministry of Road Transport, Highways & Shipping (Government of India), Indo China Promotion Council (ICPC), Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Madurai (TNCCI), Tamil Chamber of Commerce, and other organisations including many federations and associations of trucks, trailers, tyres and petroleum products, the fair contained 70 stalls. Seven out of the seventy exhibitors which participated were joint ventures with companies from the USA, Germany, Japan, China and Turkey, In his inaugural speech, the president of Coimbatore Lorry Owner’s Association K S Kaliaperumal expressed that manpower shortage was one of the major issues faced by truckers. “The products displayed here will be useful to the drivers and fleet operators,” he said.
Volvo Eicher Commercial Vehicles displayed its Pro Series range of trucks at the show. Notable was the Pro 8000 Series truck among the range that was displayed at the fair. Ashok Leyland displayed the Captain range of trucks. Among the tier suppliers that participated in the show were Kalyani Maxion and Wabco. Kalyani Maxion displayed its range of wheels whereas Wabco displayed its range of braking system components and solutions. Aftermarket suppliers like Luthra Industrial Corporation and Mansons Rubber displayed their products. ATS Elgi showcased a wide range of garage equipment it has developed for CVs. The CV tyre industry was reprsented by Apollo Tyres and Michelin. Both displayed the range of CV tyres they offer. Notable other participants included ICAT and Faro among others. Claimed Rambhau Soundalkar, Director, Media Day Marketing, that the exhibition is the first of its kind where truck, trailer, tyre and components manufacturers came together and shared a common platform. “The Indian commercial vehicle industry is witnessing sizeable investments by OEMs towards upgrading their products, and introducing new models,” opined Soundalkar. “While manufacturers are expanding their manufacturing capacities,” added Soundalkar, “lorry owners and other industry stakeholders will get an insight into the new developments that are taking place in their field.” He also stressed upon the need to understand the utility value of CVs fully. Drawing attention to influential commercial vehicle associations in Namakkal, Salem, Tiruchengode, Sankari, Erode and Coimbatore, Soundalkar expressed that the ttruck, tyre and trailer industry has emerged and is continuing to evolve.
Attracting visitors from CV intensive regions of Coimbatore, which is known for its industrialisation, apart from people from nearby cities like Salem and Nammakal, the Truck, Trailer & Tyre Expo 2016 provided a good business opportunity for many. The fair provided a good place to seek as well as exchange information pertaining to CV industry. The expo also reflected on tha fact that the state, Tamil Nadu, has a sizeable population of auto ancillaries and auto companies. Tamil Nadu is home to Cv majors Ashok Leyland and Daimler India Commercial Vehicles. It is also home to tier suppliers like Wabco, TVS Group, Simpsons & Co., and various others. Apart from attracting visitors from other South Asian countries according to the organisers, the expo attracted a good number of associations, federations and government bodies from various states. Said Soundalkar, that the event would help to bridge the gap between manufacturers, buyers, sellers, other equipment manufacturers, service providers and allied sectors. “We have succeeded in bringing them under one roof to explore the truck, trailer and tyre market in India. It will provide new opportunities to tap into the growing business potential of the CV industry in India,” he added. Drawing attention to the changes and challenges the CV industry should face, averred an industry expert at the event, “Such fairs provide the opportunity to regional players to come under one roof and highlight their business activities in an effort to grow. “Transport by road continues to be an important mode. The road transport industry is gaining ground by a string of strategic actions. India is the 4th largest commercial vehicle market in the world. In the past five years, the output of CVs has grown three times. Each year there is an increase of 20 per cent. The CV market in India is expected to double to 1.6 million units in the next five years. It is due to the increase in infrastructure spend, rapid urbanisation and entry of major multinational players in the country, that the CV industry will clock good growth,” he added.
Held at Coimbatore, which is home to automotive workshop equipment specialists like Elgi and auto components manufacturers like Pricol and Roots, the fair provided exhibitors with a quality trading platform.
