At
a time when the big global names are creating a huge impact on the Indian
auto scenario, there are some Indian names as well that have carved
out a niche in this sector. One such established name, particularly
in the three-wheeler category, is the Rajkot based manufacturer Atul
Auto. Atul Auto has pioneered motorised rural transport in Saurashtra,
Gujarat, with a 500 kg transport called‘Khushbu’.
The company was started two decades
ago with a capital of only Rs 2000 and today it has touched a huge milestone
of Rs 168 crore. This vehicle Khushbu has been instrumental in transforming
the economy of Saurashtra by bridging the ruralurban divide. Despite
the production of Khusbu Chakada being stopped in 2003 over 1,25,000
vehicles still ply the roads of Saurashtra and these vehicles still
remain a core means of livelihood for several families in the region.
Its vehicles In 2001, when the infrastructure
had begun to improve and the city’s traffic was getting regulated
and economy had started to boom, Atul Auto took the opportunity to launch
a vehicle in the one half tonne, three-wheeler segment. It initiated
its first one-tonne threewheeler under the brand name‘Shakti’.
Shakti is also one of the most popular brands today in its segment.
There are many variants in this three wheeler broadly based on three
categories that is passenger, commercial and SPVs (Special Purpose Vehicles).
JJ Chandra, Chairman and MD, Atul Auto Ltd says, “Under commercial
and SPVs there are various models such as tipper, chicken carrier, water
tanker and other and pricewise we are as competitive as we can be.
The vehicles are priced around Rs 1,15,000–Rs
1,20,000.We even help people by financing the vehicles through our auto
finance arm and that is an added advantage that we offer our customers.”He
further says, “Today in just five years since launch over 60,000
Atul Shakti vehicles are plying on Indian roads thereby helping them
acquire a five per cent market share of the segment. It is a matter
of time before it enters the export market.”Atul Auto is targeting
a 12 per cent market share of this one tonne three-wheeler segment by
2010. The company has two manufacturing plants one at Rajkot and another
at Haridwar (Uttarakhand). The plant at Rajkot has production capacity
of 24,000 vehicles per annum on single shift with an investment of Rs
24 crore. The Haridwar production plant has a capacity of 12,000 per
annum on single shift with an investment of Rs 10 crore. Elaborating
on the Haridwar plant, Mr Chandra states,“Haridwar plant has been
operationalised in August 2006. During the month of November and December
2006 that plant has produced 450 vehicles. The company intends to achieve
the level of 500–600 vehicles per month by March 2007. The company
also intends to utilise the 90 per cent plant capacity in the year 2007–08.”The
Haridwar plant primarily caters to the North Indian market. Interestingly
both the plants (at Rajkot and Haridwar) employ ERP systems to streamline
their supply chain process.
New developments
Atul Auto has pioneered motorised transportation in the rural areas
of Gujarat and has brought revolutionary changes in the region’s
automobile sector. Their vehicles are the most preferred means of transportation
in those areas. The automobiles developed by Atul Auto have changed
over
....CONTD
