Volvo trucks offer the higher power on tippers which help carry heavy loads even from deep mines with ease.

– Dinakar B, Senior Vice President – Sales, Marketing & Aftermarket, Volvo Trucks India, VE Commercial Vehicles Ltd.

How do you assess the growth prospects of the mining sector as a whole, and how the demand-supply scenario of mining trucks look like?

Mining in India has always had a steady growth path. Several new initiatives taken up by the Govt. are very promising for the future growth in mining sector. To mention a few, opening of commercial mining of coal, bringing in revenue sharing model for auction of coal blocks, faster clearance of licenses etc. Added to these changes, National coal Index is also being introduced to bring in a better understanding of coal prices grade-wise and based on domestic & global prices. Coal mining is poised to see new methods of conducting business which is closely monitored by us to ensure that we change ourselves to suit the environment.

Even in the iron ore sector, good measures were taken in order to maintain continuity of mines whose leases were going to expire on 31st March’20. Seamless transfer of permits ensured that there would be no disruption while ownership of mines changed during auctioning. Even the ore was produced in excess in anticipation of some disruption from April’20.

When it comes to trucks, we are seeing good demand from Coal OB contract segment where Volvo trucks are market leaders. Continued OB removal projects in various subsidiaries of CIL is driving the higher demand.

During this pandemic what are the innovative solution you have launched to service your customers?

It wasn’t a business as usual scenario. It was a time of great stress and uncertainty. It was also a moment in time when the work we’re doing is very critical for the continuity of customer’s business. We’ve changed our sales & service processes to meet the needs of the current challenges. We provided uptime support to customers, adhering to the conditions and norms, re-enforcing the customers continued confidence on us.

I can confidently say, we at Volvo Trucks, have risen to the challenge, offering our customers consistent uptime support. The promise of uptime has been and will always be at the core of our service.

Below are some highlights of what we achieved;

– Our uptime efforts ensured over 80% of trucks were operating across the country at 143 sites

– A team of 194 service engineers were available to ensure trucks were up and running at all times.

– We continued uninterrupted parts supply to the sites from our area warehouses, after obtaining permissions from the Government.

– We digitally-enabled our processes to address all your requirements as well as impart our Driver Training and Technician Training.

– Our customer helplines are functional with our executives working from home to assist customers in every way.

Customers had reciprocated in the same manner and supported us in every way possible. A true spirit of partnership journey!!

How IoT, telematics and other such technologies is reshaping the trucking industry, especially fleet management and service and maintenance areas?  Also tell us the solutions offered in this space?

We have digitally-enabled our organization to handle all our customer requirements. While digitalization has always been our working format, new methods for monitoring and analyzing truck data in real time and machine learning are opening exciting opportunities.

Our expertise within lean production helps in identifying the idle areas across the cycle. Focusing on time, load and road factors, we work with customers to ensure optimal productivity and operating costs from load to supply.

The key to operational connectivity lies in the ability to transform real-time operational and logistical data into valuable, actionable information which impacts the entire operation. Volvo’s Connected Service Solutions are specifically developed to equip customers with real-time logistical data from across their fleet and operations, so that they can make decisions based on facts.

Uptime Center

A digital home for a more profitable transport operation

At Volvo, we know better that every second of saved uptime means increased revenue, maximized efficiency and new opportunities.That’s why we are constantly working to be the transport solutions partner that supports our customers business with innovative uptime services to help to keep the fleet on the road.

What does it take to keep the trucks moving? Our team of uptime experts know. At the state-of-the art Volvo Uptime Center, dedicated teams and technology join forces to prevent unplanned repairs, no matter where the trucks may be. And they won’t stop working until the truck is back on the road.

Volvo Fleet Management

All Volvo vehicles offer plug-in compatibility with Volvo Fleet Management, an in-built digital interface designed to monitor and report on vehicle performance, fuel consumption, loading and unloading, driver behaviour, safety follow-ups and route planning – improving efficiency in transport logistics and reducing overall maintenance costs.

• Track the spending

Customers spend a great amount on fuel every month. But how is the money really spent? And by whom? The easy-to-read fuel reports provide them with the exact details and enable to identify potential savings faster and more precise than ever before.

• Cut Fuel Cost the easy way

Dynafleet makes it easy to follow up on fuel consumption over time – and to coach drivers into improving their fuel saving skills.

• What performs the best

How well does a driver use the truck out on the road? When comparing two drivers using the same truck, considerable differences can be found. Dynafleet supports in finding ways to correct an uneconomical style of driving

• Help grow your business

A solid documentation on emissions can help both generate and keep environmentally conscious customers. With Dynafleet, environmental reports can automatically be sent to the customer at any frequency you decide.

• Plan your stoppages

With major components like engine & transmission monitored continuously, the truck tells you when it needs a break for a service or replacement of a particular part.

Could you brief us on the unique features of your range of trucks offered for mining sector for optimizing production and uptime?

We are proud to be the first choice of contractors in mining segment. This position is achieved through 2 decades of collaborative working with the customer – understanding what they need and modifying / improving our solution to them.

For mining, we are offering our FMX range of trucks: This is designed keeping the tough Indian mining conditions in mind. Safety, productivity, fuel economy, reliability and driver comfort are the five pillars on which our trucks deliver results. Volvo trucks offer the higher power on tippers which help carry heavy loads even from deep mines with ease. This is done with the best fuel economy in the industry – which is why contractors find us suitable. The trucks and the aftermarket ecosystem around it ensures that operations are on uninterrupted. Safety has been the core value of Volvo ever since inception.  There are several safety features on trucks like crash tested cabin, electronic braking system, emergency steering, canopy over the cabin, higher ground clearance just to name a few. Volvo offers the best driver comfort in the industry – air suspended seats, climate controlled cab, i-shift automated transmission, excellent visibility – to ensure that they deliver the best productivity throughout the shift. As mentioned earlier, the telematics and uptime solution is always there at the background ensuring the trucks are running smoothly round the clock, every day of the year.

Also tell us the initiatives taken to up the skill and comfort of the drivers?

We understand that a driver is crucial in making sure an operation is successful. They keep customer’s operations safe and drive it to profitability. Volvo’s Driver Training helps optimize the performance of a Volvo truck, by increasing fuel economy, ensuring safety and reducing driver inefficiency. Volvo Driver Support provides the operators with real-time support to increase driving economy – such as improving gear change, braking and other driving techniques.

Volvo has the broadest range of training courses in the industry. These courses can reduce your fuel consumption with up to 10%. Volvo Trucks Driver Development is a profitable investment in drivers’ professional competence. Better drivers – improved profitability and image. Our training programme takes into account driver’s overall working environment and covers a wide range of topics including efficient driving, safety and load securing.One of the benefits of advanced training is the possibility of saving fuel. Other advantages include improving the driver’s ability to drive safely and to avoid risks at work.

Volvo trained Driver is well-known for high quality and reliability.

The training is led by qualified instructors with extensive experience of the truck and transport industry, who can provide high-quality driver training with a focus on safety and care for the environment. We have trained till date more than 100000 drivers at our driver training center. We have driver trainers stationed at various locations strategically to assist and ensure that driver training happens on continuous basis at remote sites also.

How do you foresee the growth prospects and how geared up your company is to meet the challenges in the post Covid era?

Fortunately during Covid times also Mining and construction sector continue to grow – logistics is the only sector which has been hit hard. With all the reforms in place, we see mining growing further. We are already discussing on addressing the new demands arising out of the reforms in the mining sector.Road construction is another area sector of focus courtesy the National Infrastructure pipeline and ambition of the Ministry of Roads to double the high construction rate. On Road Haulage is another opportunity primarily due to the focus by the government to reform the haulage sector which is reflective of the various regulatory changes and we have just made inroads into the long haul segment. We will continue to focus on segments where productivity, safety and turnaround time are main decision points.

Put in box

We would like to emphasize that India is heading in the right direction with regard to the trucking industry. The implementation of GST and Fastag has eliminated long waiting time on highways and improved the daily run kilometres. BS6 implementation has brought us at par with the best emissions norms globally. The increase in axle load norms was also progressive. Road trains, which has just been announced and alternate fuels (LNG, Electric) which are still in nascent stage are also going to change the trucking landscape in near future. Volvo has all the solutions necessary for this, proven in the global markets. We are just waiting for the right time and opportunity to bring in this technology to India.

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