CASE INDIA’S RENOWNED TELEMATICS SYSTEM

Describe about the current market status in the road construction equipment sector of India.

COVID 19 has been an unprecedented occurrence and has slowed down  businesses worldwide.  The government is trying its best to contain the situation and we’re hopeful the next quarter will be better. Recent announcements by Mr. Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of Transport and Highways, have reassured that the  sector will reinvigorate soon. MoRTH has ensured that it will reduce the build-up of arbitration cases and NHAI has asked  project managers to cancel portions of the proposed contracts in case of any hurdles in the land acquisition process. The government is also trying to ensure doubling of the roads & highways construction projects in the upcoming period. 

We are hopeful that these initiatives will help in bringing the construction equipment sector back on track.

 What are your latest product innovations? Tell us about their features in details.

Last year we launched a new product at Excon 2019, our first ever excavator CX 220 LC. This 22-ton excavator is specially designed for the Indian terrain and delivers faster cycle times and higher productivity. This is a long arm hydraulic excavator which does the job with maximum precision and efficiency and is designed for tough applications. Its robust design and versatile nature makes it a multipurpose machine, which can finish the job easily and within minimum time. Its advanced hydraulic system offers higher breakout forces, improved swing speeds and greater swing torque, resulting in faster cycle times and 5% increase in productivity.

It develops a gross power of 117 KW (157 hp) and peak torque of 622 Nm at 1800rpm. The gauge function of this excavator ensures continuous monitoring of the fuel consumption which helps in attaining up to 4% better fuel efficiency due to hydraulic system control and 6% better efficiency from FPT engine. The CX220C Excavator is the perfect machine for every application, it comes with three available power modes and 10 auxiliary hydraulic settings.

With its closed HVAC cabin and powerful FPT engine, it is highly suitable for stone quarry, road and general construction and earthwork. The CX220C Excavator is also equipped with CASE India’s renowned Telematics system which provides real time updates. The cabin has an integrated 7-inch LCD Monitor for real time parameter monitoring. An on board diagnosing system is added to the machine that gives a full measure or status of the machine with notifications on issues or need for repair. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown many challenges to operate business dealings smoothly all across the world. Therefore, in what way are you dealing to combat the challenges in your company and the market as a whole.

Covid 19 has not only affected different businesses worldwide, it has affected multiple aspects of a business such as manufacturing, supply chain, sales, delivery etc. as well. Currently, there are constraints and uncertainties in every aspect and each needs to be redressed individually with a lens of safety and precaution. At CASE, we value all our employees and their health. Our employees have been working from home since the beginning of the lockdown and connecting with each other via multiple digital platforms. Our team is constantly in touch with our dealers and conducting online trainings to keep them updated on the latest developments. We’re also engaging with our customers online and have given them loan extensions to ease out any pressure. Our plants are currently working at reduced capacity to follow social distancing norms. Our finance arm, CNH Capital, has  boosted their capital availability which is a big boon for customers who wish to make any purchases. As far as the market is concerned, it has become a little sluggish but the government is trying its best to contain the situation and lead us on the path to recovery. , We’re hopeful the next quarter will be better and CASE will be ready to hit the ground running. 

Kindly comment on the reforms and plans which are put forward from the side of the government of India to develop the construction equipment industry.

 As mentioned earlier,  the government is doing its best to cover their bases and ride out of this pandemic in the best possible manner.  In order to revive the industry steps have been taken to increase the activities in the infrastructure sector. The government has also allowed construction activities in certain areas to ensure project completion in time. A report by NIP suggests that the new and upgrading infrastructure projects with Rs.111 trn of investment will be key to raising India’s competitiveness and making it a Rs. 5 trn economy by 2025. While the impact these announcements have on the recovery remains to be seen, we’re confident that the government will continue to take corrective measures to bolster the market situation and the economy, further. 

What are your business strategies to remain competitive for the period of 2020-2022, because this is a period which can be considered as a revival of the industry?

As discussed earlier, we have undertaken a lot of measures to ensure the safety of our employees and to continue doing business. Case India has stood by its customers, dealers, partners and employees throughout this time and will walk shoulder to shoulder with them in the upcoming time as well. We’ve boosted our capital availability, engaged with customers and understood their needs, we’ve ensured our dealers are up to date with the latest product training and we’ve given our existing customers extensions and waivers where necessary – all with a view to effectively manage this situation and prepare for the future.