The country’s largest automotive company Maruti Suzuki Limited expects to continue its growth momentum during the current financial year with the first five months registering strong double digit growth of 13.9 per cent and a market share of 47.6 per cent

The market share has also gone up by about 3 per cent during the year backed by strong volumes. With festive season ahead, where volumes tend to go up, the company expects a strong double digit growth.

Ram Suresh Akella, Vice President & Commercial Business Head (South), told Business Line that the growth momentum has been possible due to wide network of sales and service centres, strong brand presence and a wide range of models to meet the diverse requirements of the customers.

Significantly, an initiative started few years ago to tap into rural markets too has been a major success, he said.

The automotive company had planned to enter into rural markets by seeking to reach out to new untapped villages in a country with 6,50,000 villages. In the first year, Maruti managed to sell 43,000 units (2012-13), followed this up with 94,000 units in 2013-14 and closed with 1,25,000 units in 2014-15. “We expect this number to go up to 1,50,000 this year,” he said.

Ram Suresh Akella was in Hyderabad to open its new large showroom and workshop of Adarsha Automotive at Chandrayangutta in the old city of Hyderabad. Adarasha has been a long associate with Maruti with a strong dealership network in several districts in Telangana.

Akella said together with strong rural push, it was ensuring the availability of spares and services at the least affordable costs and at distances closer than others. The company has also been strengthening and expanding its network of sales and service centres while also reaching out with its spares and support.

With a network of over 3,000-plus service outlets of varying formats and sizes, the presence and reach is huge providing great comfort to the large customer base, he explained.

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