The Hindu Business Line : Same Deutz-Fahr plans Indian export hub

Mr Vittorio Carozza, Chairman, Same Deutz Fahr Group, and Mr Kamal Bali, Managing Director, Same Deutz Fahr India, at the launch of new tractors in Chennai on Monday. - Bijoy Ghosh

Chennai , Oct 3

SAME Deutz-Fahr India, part of the Same Deutz-Fahr group of Italy, will become the group's hub for exporting tractors in the 35-70 HP range to South and South-East Asia and Central Africa and for components - engines and transmission - to the parent.

The group is a leading manufacturer of tractors and other agricultural machinery such as combine harvesters.

According to Mr Andrea Bedosti, Corporate Director (Sales, Marketing and After-Sales), the Indian subsidiary will export completely built basic and utility tractors the components - engines and transmissions made at the Ranipet plant - will be fitted on to tractors that will be sold in North America, Europe, and South Africa.

He said that the group would shortly introduce in India a combine harvester that would be imported from the unit in Croatia. The combine harvester would be suitable for paddy fields.

Mr Bedosti was speaking to newspersons along with Mr Vittoria Carozza, Chairman of the group, and Mr Kamal Bali, Managing Director of Same Deutz-Fahr India (P) Ltd, to launch two tractors - of 35 HP and 55 HP capacities - in India to supplement the five models being made currently.

The Indian arm has tractors in the 35-60 HP range and hopes to introduce tractors in the 60-70 HP range shortly, Mr Bali said.

He added that the Ranipet plant has a capacity to produce 10,000 tractors and 15,000 engines. Over the next three years, the capacity would be increased to 15,000 tractors and 20,000 engines.

The Italian group would invest about $10 million (Rs 45 crore) over the next three years, said Mr Carozza.

Mr Bali said that the Indian market was shifting to tractors with higher horsepower and with multiple use functions, a transformation that the company was ideally placed to tap.

Same Deutz-Fahr India hopes to garner 10 per cent market share over the next 2-3 years.

According to Mr Bali, the Indian subsidiary would end 2005 with a turnover of about Rs 150 crore against Rs 78 crore last year. It is also expected to report a cash profit of Rs 3 crore for the year.

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page