The potential that Namakkal has in terms of employment, entrepreneurship development and business opportunities is huge and ACMA as recognition of this important location took a conscious decision of reaching out to this market and supporting the players in the trucking segment with genuine spares for use.
Namakkal, a small town located in Tamil Nadu, is a well-known major hub for the transport, education and poultry business activities. Most of the manufacturers of trucks and components consider Namakkal as a place to test their products’ acceptance before they introduce in any parts of the country. Keeping this in mind, the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association (ACMA) conducted its first ever Automotive Aftermarket Road Show in the southern region at Namakkal from June 25-26, 2022. The event attracted all leading brands of Indian automotive components that showcased their latest developments to the transport community of, in and around Namakkal.
A K Murugan, Regional Transport Office, South, Namakkal, Government of Tamil Nadu, in his special address, said that Tamil Nadu not only tops the list of automobile production in the country but also in terms of road safety initiatives. Within Tamil Nadu, Namakkal has been considered the ‘Mecca’ of the transport business which is a prime mover of the Indian economy. The state also gives more importance to 3Es, i.e. enforcement, education and engineering wherein the last one plays a major role for the development of safety products. He also appealed to ACMA members to focus more on educating consumers to use only genuine parts.
Ramashankar Pandey, Chairman, ACMA Aftermarket Sub-Committee and Managing Director, Hella India Lighting Ltd., in his inaugural address, said that he was extremely delighted about the response received from the Namakkal road show. Earlier, ACMA had organised similar shows in Pune and Guwahati where the response and feedback had been equally great. Namakkal is a lifeline for commercial vehicle activities in South India and for Tamil Nadu in particular. The potential this town has in terms of employment, entrepreneurship development and business opportunities is huge and ACMA as recognition of this important location took a conscious decision of reaching out to this market and supporting the players in the trucking segment with genuine spares for use.
A Growing Hub
Since Namakkal is a hub for commercial vehicles, it automatically becomes a centre for mechanics, garage owners, and lorry and truck fleet owners and in turn a hub for aftermarket spare parts as also dealers and retailers. In addition, ACMA as part of its social responsibility also promoted safety aspects through this show that entailed a display of genuine parts, their importance and fitment and also held some training sessions for mechanics, dealers and retailers to understand the necessity of genuine parts usage for enhancing the life of the vehicle and safety in particular.
Wide Reach
The ACMA Aftermarket Road Show comprised more than 25 companies spread over 250 sq. metres of space at this show. The show was able to attract automotive component manufacturers engaged in bearings, wheels, lighting, steering and suspension, starter motors, wipers, gaskets, fan belts, oil seals, cables, speedometers, fuel injection pumps, air compressors, air filters, canisters, synchronisers, radiators, water pump assembly, gears, clutches, axle components and air filters. India’s leading automobile finance major, Sundaram Finance Ltd. was also one of the esteemed participants at the show.
Namakkal’s dealers and retailers have been very supportive of original or genuine parts. Manufacturers are therefore always working towards finding new ways and technology to ensure that products cannot be copied or duplicated as it is a huge safety issue for the end customer. With this in mind, during these two days, workshops and training sessions were organised by various auto comp manufacturers. Kirti Rathod, Convenor, ACMA Automotive Aftermarket Roadshow, and Chairman, Delux Bearings Pvt. Ltd., in his concluding remarks, said that there are two very important factors required for the transportation sector i.e. preventive maintenance and breakdown maintenance.
For this, ACMA has set up a core committee and offers its valuable guidance and services. ACMA has also conducted more than 10,000 training programmes jointly with ASDC as part of its major initiatives. Since poor eyesight is one of the major causes of road accidents in India, ACMA decided to conduct a day-long free eye check-up campaign and offered spectacles for needy visitors at the road show. This great initiative of ACMA titled ‘Eluminating Potential Blinding’ was launched to safeguard the drivers’ eyesight. Earlier, Anil Kumar Unni, Deputy Executive Director, ACMA, gave an overview about ACMA and its activities.