The city of Namakkal has carved a niche of its own in the goods transport industry. It is a city that has become synonymous with trucks and entrepreneurs who have made it big in the transport industry. One such success story is that of Saravanan Transports of the Rajam Group, led by Mr. P. Saravanan, which has grown from strength to strength over the years.
Sitting in his sprawling office at Namakkal where we had gone to meet him, Mr. Saravanan reminisced: “We started with just one truck in 1984, and today the number has grown to 285”, a truly remarkable achievement propelled by three key factors – enterprise, hard work and JK Tyre.
Just as in the case of leading transport operators in other parts of the country, Mr. Saravanan felt that his company owes a lot to JK Tyre for its consistent growth: “Our association with JK Tyre dates back to the early 2000s when JK Tyre had taken over the ‘Vikrant’ tyre brand. It is a bond that has grown stronger by the day,” said Mr. Saravanan, whose company has interests in transportation of goods, cement, clinker, fly ash, coal, ready mix concrete, refrigerated products, and e-commerce merchandise.
Some of the top clients of the company include BHEL, Ranipet and Trichy, South Eastern Coalfields Ltd., Chhattisgarh, Dalmia Cements Ltd., Dalmiapuram, Everest Industries Ltd., Coimbatore, JAYPEE Cements, Jaggayyapet (AP), Lafarge Aggregates and Concrete India Pvt. Ltd., Chennai, and IOCL, Perundurai. The group’s 400-strong employee team manages a network of 10 branch offices spread across South India.
Strong customer focus
The company has its diverse portfolio of vehicle brands, including Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland, BharatBenz, Eicher and Mahindra. However, when it comes to choice of tyres it has been only JK Tyre. As one of the biggest fleet operators associated with JK Tyre from South India, Mr. Saravanan cited a few key reasons for the choice, and said: “As far as I am concerned, the tyre cost is the second most important cost component, next only to diesel. This explains the reason why tyres are so crucial. I want tyres that provide true value for every paisa spent, and JK Tyre perfectly fits into my scheme of things.”
He further observed that JK Tyre goes that extra mile in ensuring that a fleet operator is made to feel comfortable. “Appointment of a dedicated fleet manager is a master stroke from JK Tyre. It assures fleet operators like us that, yes, here is a tyre company that truly cares for your needs and is always near you, working with you,” stated Mr. Saravanan explaining the main reason for the choice of JK Tyre. “This kind of dedicated customer service frees up my time and allows me to focus on the core areas of my business, for I know that a professional is taking care of my fleet’s tyres,” he added.
Mr. Saravanan also feels that periodical vehicle and tyre maintenance as well as driver training programs conducted by JK Fleet Management Team ensure excellent upkeep of the fleet.
Referring to the special initiatives of JK Tyre, he said: “Upkeep of the vehicle, especially tyres, is of crucial importance. A bit of complacency on our part could mean about 10-20 per cent increase in overall costs, something that we can ill-afford at this stage of economic ups and downs, as well as stiff competition.”
Forging bonds
So impressed has been Mr. Saravanan with JK Tyre that his association with the top tyre brand did not stop with just using an average of about 700-800 tyres per annum. His company has also been a JK Retreads franchisee from 2009 and has established its presence in Namakkal, Hosur, Coimbatore, Trichy and Sankagiri, in Tamil Nadu.
The Rajam Group also has a JK Truck Wheels franchisee in Coimbatore, which is a one-stop solution for all truck and bus tyre maintenance needs. This apart, the group has an exclusive JK Tyre dealership in Coimbatore.
Given the meticulous attention paid to detail in tyre maintenance by Saravanan Transports, it is not surprising that the company has won several awards from JK Tyre such as the Best Fuel Saver Award, Best Maintenances Practice Award and the Retread Champion Award.
Shift to tubeless radials
According to Mr. Saravanan, the future belongs to tubeless radials, and Saravanan Transports is well on its way to adopting the technology in a big way. Going into the details, he explained: “We have already started the process with our cement bulkers. About 25% of our fleet is now running on tubeless radials. In another couple of years, we expect our entire fleet to run on them.”
The company has been focusing on shifting from the radial tyre model 10.00 R20 JDH3 to tubeless radial model 295/80 R 22.5 JDL for drive axles and from 10.00 R20 JUH3 to 295/80 R22.5 JUL1 for the front axle.
“We are already seeing a difference. There has been marked improvement in fuel efficiency and mileage. At the end of the day, these are significant factors that make a huge difference to the bottom line,” Mr. Saravanan signed off.
By M.K. Prabhakar