The Indian Association of Bus Manufacturers (IABM) was formed in 2009 by a team of heads of bus body manufacturing organizations from different States. They were Mr. Kulwant Singh Wilkhu of Sutelej Motors, Ludhiana, Mr. P.S. Sodhi of JCBL, Chandigarh, Mr. Kunal Kasliwal of Kamal Coach Builders, Jaipur, Mr. Dilip Chopra of Starline Auto, Belgaum, Mr. N.P. Karthik of Bangalore Body Builders, Mr. Shridhar Kalmadi of Corona Motors, Pune, and Mr. Balraj Bhanot (ex-Director, ARAI).
The objectives of forming the Association were to have a common platform for Indian bus body manufacturers, to bring about awareness of futuristic changes in bus body building and to provide members world class technology for bus manufacturing to enhance passenger safety, comfort and product quality. There was also a need to represent and protect the overall interests of bus body and component manufacturers.
IABM is the forum to raise the concerns of procurement of readymade buses by the Government and semi-Government authorities. It has been proved that separate procurement of chassis and bus bodies ensures higher price competitiveness and faster deliveries. It also generates awareness about the bus industry competence to produce innovative vehicles with world class quality and passenger safety and comfort.
In the last two years, IABM has actively participated in JnNURM Phase II Bus Specification formation along with the Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD). It has also got his demand for revision of excise duty for bus body manufacturers conceded by the Government.
IABM is led by a team of experienced and dedicated persons with high potential from the Indian bus industry. The Board of Directors is headed by Mr. Pankaj Kapashi who is Managing Director of Ruby Bus Pvt. Ltd., Ahmedabad, and has dedicated his 35 years for bus and automobile body building. He has guided many fleet operators in introducing better features to make buses safer for passengers.
Future plans of IABM are include getting bus body builders ready for the forthcoming Bus Code supporting them to resolve their regional concerns and to providing new technology and world class manufacturing processes for bus body manufacturing.