The truck and trailer industry will move from a purely hardware-driven approach to connected, intelligent, and sustainable mobility ecosystem, says Mr. Pradeep Gorur Sheshagiri, MD, JOST India.
The truck and trailer industry is entering a transformative decade, driven by efficiency, sustainability, digitalisation and supply-chain resilience. Geopolitical uncertainties, shifting trade routes, commodity volatility, and regulatory changes will continue shaping global fleet investments, even as demand for efficient freight movement stays strong, especially in fast-growing economies like India, he said.
India’s infrastructure push, highways, multimodal logistics, and manufacturing growth are expected to drive freight volumes and trailer penetration. Fleet operators seek better uptime, safety, fuel efficiency, and TCO — with AIS 113 tractor-trailer interchangeability and an incentivised truck scrappage policy acting as growth catalysts.
By 2030, key trends will include smart, connected transport via telematics and predictive maintenance; greater safety, compliance, and driver-assistance focus; growth of electric, hydrogen, and low-carbon propulsion; demand for lightweight, high-performance components; and expanding logistics ecosystems requiring specialised trailers and advanced coupling systems.
Preparing for the Road Ahead
JOST India’s mission is to remain the preferred partner for the commercial vehicle industry through innovative, safe, and sustainable truck and trailer solutions. Its 2030 strategy centres on three priorities: innovation, customer value, and operational excellence, with continued investment in products improving performance, safety, reliability, and efficiency. Digitalisation and connectivity will help customers optimise fleet operations and maximise uptime. With sustainability as the core pillar, it aims to reduce environmental footprint while enabling efficient, lower-emission transport, he said.
“In India, we see significant opportunities arising from infrastructure growth, logistics modernisation and increasing adoption of global standards. Our focus is to strengthen localisation, enhance customer support, expand market reach and work closely with OEMs and fleet operators to address evolving mobility needs. We are also actively presenting our operations in India as a best cost location to strengthen JOST global needs. We have already set-up a greenfield plant in Chennai exporting our Front Loaders and Backhoes, 100% to the North American market. This is in addition to promoting India as a supply base for component requirements worldwide. By 2030, JOST aims to further strengthen its position as a trusted technology and solutions partner, helping shape a safer, smarter and more sustainable future for the commercial mobility industry. While this would be our vehicle to propel us forward, we plan to do this both through organic and inorganic growth,” Mr. Seshagiri added.
“Our focus is to strengthen localisation, enhance customer support, expand market reach and work closely with OEMs and fleet operators to address evolving mobility needs.”