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BAL is also all set to increase its share in the domestic market with a tie-up with State Bank of India.

Pune , Sept. 18

TWO and three wheeler manufacturer Bajaj Auto Ltd (BAL) has set its sights firmly on the overseas market and is firming up a comprehensive market development strategy for which it is placing teams in strategic markets such as South America and Indonesia.

"While our exports have till now been to SAARC countries and mainly driven by our dealers, the idea is now to push exports by getting a first-hand grasp of what the market in various countries want and giving them the product,'' Mr R.L. Ravichandran, Vice-President, Business Development and Marketing, said.

The company hopes to substantially drive exports up from the current level of about 5,000-6,000 units to the level of 10,000 units in the next few years and has already started evaluating the Indonesian market where a dealer is currently testing its two wheelers.

"While the decision will finally be driven by the costing, we are not against putting up assembly lines in places where there is considerable potential,'' Mr Ravichandran said.

BAL is also all set to increase its share in the domestic market with a tie-up with banking major State Bank of India through which it hopes to leverage the latter's nine thousand strong branch network to offer two wheeler loans at affordable rates to consumers.

"In addition to giving a whole new segment of populace across the country easy to finance for buying two wheelers, we are also betting that it will push aspirational buying and upgrading within our existing consumer base,'' Joint Managing Director, Mr Rajiv Bajaj said.

While 24 per cent of the company's two wheeler sales currently comes from finance extended by Bajaj Auto Finance Ltd and ICICI, the company is hoping that the bank's network grow sales significantly in smaller towns where finance is currently offered by the unorganised sector from rates varying between 18-24 per cent as against the 10.5 per cent for three years that SBI will offer.

"Our strategy is to tie-up with select OEMs to offer affordable finance to consumers to acquire their own personal transportation,'' Mr T.S. Bhattacharya, Chief General Manager (Business Planning, Marketing and Personal Banking), said. Meanwhile, the company is all set to unveil the completely indigenous digital twin spark ignition (DTSI) engine technology which will significantly introduce fuel efficiency and power in its vehicles, Mr Bajaj announced here.

The technology will be launched next month in its premium new Pulsar 180 and the Pulsar 150 which will be commercially launched beginning November. "For the consumer it will mean fuel efficiencies increasing from 63 to 75 km/ltr on the 150 model and 77 to 85 km/ltr on the Pulsar 180, Mr Bajaj said adding that the new technology would be available to the consumer in less than Rs 2,500 extra over existing prices. Meanwhile, the company has kicked off its scheduled voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) for the 4,000 permanent daily rated workmen at its Akurdi manufacturing facilities from September 17.

The scheme will be open till October 1 for workmen who have crossed age 40 or put in more than 10 years of service.

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