Goldhofer, a global powerhouse in heavy-duty and oversized cargo transport, is aggressively promoting its new ADDRIVE technology across global market including India. While the new technology has evoked excellent response globally, the company is excited about being able to offer it to customers in India. Mr. Jean-Philippe Martin, Area Sales Manager, Goldhofer AG, talks about the company’s plans for the Indian market, implications of the Trailer Code, ADDRIVE and lots more.
Excerpts:
2016 review
For us, the big highlight in 2016 was doubtlessly the market launch of our ADDRIVE, the ultramodern switchable drive that we unveiled at last year’s BAUMA in Munich and which attracted the first orders there and then. The extremely positive response to our ADDRIVE technology is a clear confirmation that we are right on track with our development activities.
The ADDRIVE combines the characteristics of our towed (THP) modules with those of a PST self-propelled modular transporter in one compact system. The switchable drive can be activated or disconnected by remote control as required for fast travel on the flat or additional power on a gradient. Our sales figures since the market launch and today’s order books show that there is keen demand for the system in the industry.
Outlook for current year
For 2017, our objective once again is to consolidate our position as world market leader for heavy-duty and oversized cargo transport solutions. This is where our new senior management team will also play a role. Following the departure of Mr. Stefan Fuchs as CEO, Mr. Rainer Auerbacher is now Head of Transport Technology and has already switched into top gear there. On the global transport market, we have plans to upgrade our commitment in the Middle East as well as in India, of course. At the same time we have to consider that changes to economic policies and regulations in the US could have an impact on future sales of our products there.
We are therefore all the more delighted to see the new potential on the Indian market following a number of years which in our view have been fairly quiet. The current introduction of a nationwide Goods and Services Tax and simplifications to the corporation tax regime could prove a decisive step for India in the interest of uniform growth on the whole of the Subcontinent. In the wind power industry especially, we continue to see great opportunities to grow the market with our transport solutions.
Impact of Trailer Code and GST in India
We are concentrating our R&D activities with regard to the Trailer Code on the need to make registration of our vehicles on the Indian market as simple as possible. The Trailer Code is a major advancement in the step-by-step introduction of a track and trace system for the Indian transport industry and will undoubtedly improve the quality and efficiency of the country’s logistics services. The standardized GST offers Indian States that currently have lower rates of growth an opportunity to further stimulate their regional markets. That applies in particular to those of the country’s industries with which we are already involved, namely the wind power and construction industries and the whole of the energy sector.
Expectations from Indian Government
It would be a big advantage if the Government could make further progress at the national level with standardization of traffic regulations in general and the regulations for highways and expressways in particular. That would help make India’s roads safer and at the same time facilitate the planning and implementation of heavy haul operations.
Major plans for current year
In our view the energy sector in particular is a driver for growth. We are placing a stronger focus on the wind power industry, for which we offer tailored solutions for oversize loads. A case in point is our FTV 300 rotor blade transporter, which is designed to cope with the growing demands made of haulage companies by the growing size of modern rotor blades. We also intend to expand our service capacities nationwide so as to offer our Indian customers still more efficient support.
Sales & financial targets
We prefer not to discuss specific sales figures in this context. We are convinced, however, that we have a strong market presence in India which those who know the industry are very much aware of. Our goal for 2017 and beyond is to make our ADDRIVE system a best-seller on the Indian market.