TIL’s strategic alliances with Hyster and Manitowoc Crane Group enhance our capabilities and expand our technological expertise.

Alok Kumar Tripathi, President, TIL

TIL has an 80-year legacy in the industry. Could you highlight some of the key milestones in TIL’s journey that shaped its leadership in the material handling and infrastructure equipment space?

TIL Limited has carved out a significant place in the material handling and infrastructure equipment space over its 80-year legacy. The company's journey began in 1944 when Tractors India Ltd. was incorporated as a Caterpillar dealer, establishing three strategic business units - Construction Solutions (CMS), Power Systems Solutions (PSS), and Material Handling Solutions (MHS). In the 1960s, TIL entered into a joint venture with Coles Cranes, enhancing its market presence and rolling out India's first indigenously manufactured mobile crane from its Kamarhatty plant in Calcutta. The 1970s saw the expansion of Caterpillar's distributorship to include Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, and Myanmar, broadening TIL's geographic footprint. The 1980s were marked by strategic technology partnerships, with TIL manufacturing India's first rough terrain crane in 1982 and introducing the country's first 100-tonne truck-mounted mobile crane in 1988. During the 1990s, collaborations with global brands and technology transfer agreements allowed TIL to integrate advanced technology into its products, improving efficiency and performance. This was also the decade when TIL tied up with Manitowoc, USA for crawler cranes dealership. In the 2000s and beyond, TIL diversified into new segments like road construction and earthmoving equipment, while investing heavily in R&D to innovate and adapt to changing market needs. Key milestones included the 2008 tie-up with Nacco Material Handling Group (now Hyster-Yale Group) for forklifts and container handlers, the 2009 partnership with Astec Inc for hot mix asphalt plants, and the inauguration of the new factory at Changual, Kharagpur in 2011 to address growing demand. This strategic move eventually led to TIL's acquisition by the Gainwell Group in 2024 under the new management.

How has TIL’s acquisition by the Gainwell Group influenced its business strategy and growth plans?

The acquisition of TIL Limited by the Gainwell Group signifies more than just a change in ownership; it embodies a union of shared values, strategic vision, and dedication to excellence. TIL's journey has been significantly strengthened by Gainwell's vast aftermarket support expertise and innovative approach. By harnessing the synergies between the two companies, TIL aims to establish new benchmarks in quality, reliability, and customer satisfaction. Under the new leadership, TIL is taking targeted steps to improve capacity utilisation, increase operational efficiency, and revamp its engineering and technology portfolio. Furthermore, the company is launching a new generation of products to reinforce its market-leading position. Gainwell's reputation for unparalleled aftermarket support will also enable TIL to provide comprehensive service solutions that maximise equipment uptime and performance for its customers.

With its rich 80-year legacy of excellence and the Gainwell Group's forward-thinking strategy, TIL Limited is now poised to lead with distinction in the material handling and infrastructure equipment space.

How does TIL plan to leverage its manufacturing capabilities and expand its presence in India and international markets, especially in the context of initiatives like ‘Make in India’ and ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’?

At TIL, we are proud to support the 'Make in India' and 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' national initiatives, which are pivotal in strengthening India's self-sufficiency in infrastructure development. By manufacturing top-quality engineering and material handling equipment domestically, we create substantial value for our customers both in India and abroad, ensuring ongoing growth and improved margins for our shareholders. The current rise in urban development projects and the establishment of smart cities significantly amplify the demand for TIL's diverse range of products. As infrastructure projects expand, our offerings are essential in facilitating efficient construction and logistics, which are critical to the success of these initiatives.

Moreover, TIL's strategic alliances with global industry leaders like Hyster and Manitowoc Crane Group enhance our capabilities and expand our technological expertise. These partnerships not only strengthen our product offerings but also align with India's push for increased exports under the 'Make in India' initiative. This strategic positioning allows us to access international markets, thereby broadening our customer base and enhancing our competitiveness on a global scale. Additionally, TIL has the potential to act as a feeder industry for large-scale fabrication and forging, supplying critical components and specialised services to other manufacturing sectors. This capability not only diversifies our revenue streams but also positions us as a vital player in the broader manufacturing ecosystem, fostering collaboration across industries.

By expanding our market reach in this way, we contribute to a robust supply chain that supports the growth of various sectors within the economy. Overall, our commitment to these initiatives further reiterates our role in advancing India's infrastructure capabilities and also reinforces our strategic vision for sustainable growth and innovation. We are dedicated to ensuring that our contributions lead to lasting benefits for our customers, stakeholders, and the nation as a whole.

The recent renewal of the Dealer Sales and Service Agreement (DSSA) with Hyster-Yale Asia-Pacific is a significant development. How does TIL envision this partnership boosting its leadership in the material handling segment, and what does it mean for TIL’s customers?

The recent renewal of the Dealer Sales and Service Agreement (DSSA) with Hyster-Yale Asia-Pacific marks a pivotal moment for TIL as we strengthen our exclusive partnership with a global leader in material handling solutions. This collaboration significantly enhances our leadership position in the material handling segment through multiple strategic advantages.

The partnership enables us to offer our customers an extensive range of high-capacity forklift trucks, empty and laden container handlers, and ReachStackers across India, Nepal, and Bhutan. By providing these advanced, high-quality products, we can effectively meet the diverse needs of our customers across various industries. Furthermore, our alignment with Hyster-Yale allows TIL to leverage their cutting-edge technology and expertise in manufacturing and service, ensuring our customers benefit from state-of-the-art solutions that enhance efficiency, safety, and productivity in their operations.

For our customers, this renewed partnership translates into significant advantages. They gain access to a wider selection of premium products backed by Hyster-Yale's global technological expertise and TIL's deep understanding of the Indian market. The agreement emphasises continuous training and skill development for TIL's teams, ensuring they remain at the forefront of industry innovations. This enhanced service capability, combined with improved maintenance and parts solutions, ensures prompt support that minimises downtime and maximises operational efficiency for our customers. The partnership reaffirms our commitment to setting new industry benchmarks in product quality and service excellence while delivering comprehensive support throughout the product lifecycle.

Could you shed some light on the strategic significance of TIL’s partnerships with leading global brands and how these alliances contribute to delivering innovative solutions to your customers?

TIL’s strategic partnerships with leading global brands are pivotal in enhancing our technology and manufacturing capabilities, ultimately enabling us to deliver innovative solutions to our customers. These alliances help us set new standards in design and manufacturing excellence, ensuring that we remain at the forefront of the material handling and infrastructure sectors. For instance, in addition to manufacturing hydraulic cranes, we market a diverse range of imported cranes tailored to meet specific regional and application needs. This includes wheeled and lattice boom crawler cranes, as well as the Grove range of cranes from the Manitowoc Crane Group in USA. By incorporating these advanced products into our portfolio, we address the unique requirements of various industries and projects, providing customised solutions that enhance operational efficiency. Our exclusive partnership with Hyster-Yale Asia-Pacific, a global leader in big forklift trucks and warehousing solutions, further amplifies our capabilities. Through this alliance, we offer a comprehensive range of high-capacity forklift trucks, empty and laden container handlers, and ReachStackers across India, and in overseas markets like Nepal, and Bhutan. This extensive lineup not only meets the growing demand in the region but also ensures that our customers have access to world-class equipment that improves productivity and safety in their operations. These collaborations enable TIL to leverage cutting-edge technology and best practices from our global partners, allowing us to innovate continually and enhance our product offerings. By integrating advanced features and improved designs into our equipment, we provide our customers with solutions that are not only efficient but also reliable and cost-effective.

With TIL’s strong emphasis on customer service and aftermarket support, what key initiatives has the company undertaken to enhance equipment uptime and ensure operational reliability for its customers?

TIL places a strong emphasis on customer service and aftermarket support, recognising that equipment uptime and operational reliability are critical to our customers' success. Building on Gainwell Group's reputation for unparalleled aftermarket support, we have implemented several key initiatives to enhance these aspects of our service delivery.

We have developed an extensive service network with teams strategically located across North, East, South, West, and Central India. Our regional offices in Kolkata (HQ), Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, and Singrauli ensure that our technicians are readily available to address customer needs promptly, minimising downtime. This is complemented by our comprehensive preventive maintenance programs designed to keep equipment in optimal condition through regular inspections, servicing, and necessary repairs to prevent breakdowns before they occur. Leveraging Gainwell's experience, TIL is now actively working to integrate telematics into our equipment. This advancement will enable real-time monitoring of performance and usage, enhancing operational efficiency and reliability for our customers. We also provide extensive training for our customers' personnel to ensure they understand how to operate and maintain their equipment effectively, maximising performance and equipment lifespan. To ensure rapid response times, we maintain a well-stocked inventory of spare parts, ensuring essential components are readily available when needed. This quick access to parts significantly reduces waiting times for repairs, allowing customers to resume operations swiftly. Additionally, we have implemented robust customer feedback mechanisms to better understand their needs and challenges, helping us continually improve our products and services to meet and exceed expectations.