Life cycle cost of equipment

Jasmeet Singh
Head-Corporate,Communications and External Relations, JCB India

Jasmeet Singh, Head-Corporate,Communications and External Relations, JCB India

We are committed to the NE and are in a position to take full advantage of the opportunities as we have set up an efficient network of local dealers, parts outlets, service centres, warehouses and training centres.

How do you assess the opportunities from projects in north eastern states?
Over the last three to four years there has been a major thrust on north eastern states by way of connectivity projects through rail and roads, and creation of physical infrastructure. This increased momentum is driven by three aspects – the geographical and strategic importance of north east, defence and security, and huge potential for travel and tourism. The government has realised the importance of developing NE as rest of the country, and the renewed thrust is part of the inclusive growth agenda of the government. The high activity levels in the NE have opened up plenty of opportunities for the CE sector.

Given the geographical challenges, product and technology wise to what extent JCB is geared up?
JCB has products which can work in minus 40 degrees in Russia, and products which can work 55 degrees in Middle East. So product and technology wise we are fully prepared. For high altitudes we have turbo charged machines, for subzero temperatures we have machines fitted with cold start kits. We have aggressively worked upon various aspects of air conditioning, heating, ventilation and any JCB machine should be able to work any part of the country. In fact, machines made in India are working in 72 different countries, different terrains, a wide range of temperatures etc.
We have been supplying to BRO, an organisation working on difficult terrains across the country. They have very stringent quality norms. Our offerings such as 4DX and 2DX, and most models of excavators are turbocharged and we also supply wheel loaders, compactors and skid steers.

Capability of OEMs to meet the requirements of spares and services for these projects seems to be in question. What is your take on this?
From the industry perspective there are two important parameters – one is MTTR, which is ‘mean time to restore’ and MTBF which is ‘mean time between two failures. Northeast is a challenging market, especially in terms of mobility of equipment, weather, and difficult terrains. From our side, we make products that suit well for these terrains, and also back it up with timely spares and services. We are committed to the NE and are in a position to take full advantage of the opportunities as we have set up an efficient network of local dealers, parts outlets, service centres, warehouses etc. We have invested in the last 40 years in developing the product support network. It is one of the strengths of JCB.
From the industry perspective the forthcoming conference and exhibition, Conmac, is a testimony to how committed the CE industry is towards NE development.

How do you address the acute shortage of skilled operators and technicians?
Yes, it is a major issue. However, from our side, we have already established two operators training centres – one in Gohatty and the other in Silichar in Arunachal Pradesh.

How do you anticipate the future growth prospects?
The growth trajectory is strong as there are lots of projects happening. Especially from the last year road projects are on the upswing, and there is no sign of decline in demand for equipment and machinery. The entire industry has picked up by 43 per cent, and this growth is coming from all across India, including NE regions.
For the next ten years, the focus on infrastructure development should not be lost. We are committed make the best of the opportunities.

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