Kärcher Cleaning Systems Pvt. Ltd., the 100 per cent subsidiary of Alfred Kärcher GmbH & Co. KG, is taking giant steps to widen its base in the commercial vehicle segment. The Indian arm of Winnenden of Germany, which has carved a niche for itself as a leading supplier of a range of pressure washers, vacuum cleaners, steam cleaners and upright brush-type vacuum cleaners for automotive and industrial applications, is now introducing next-generation products and affiliated services for trucks and buses. Till now, it was having its focus on the passenger car and utility vehicle segments.
To gain a broader insight about the company’s roadmap in the automotive segment, MOTORINDIA met Mr. Ruediger Schroeder, Managing Director, Kärcher Cleaning Systems Pvt. Ltd., for an exclusive interaction. He said: “We have already testified that our products are the best when it comes to technology and efficiency. The products that we offer to the passenger car segment enable the clients to make cleaning easier, economical and environment-friendly. We are already selling hi-pressure cleaners for car owners. Furthermore, many upscale garage outfits are using our hot water hi-pressure cleaners. Then we have wet and dry vacuums for cleaning the inside (of the vehicle), upholstery cleaning equipment, steam cleaners for roof cleaning, etc. After building a strong customer base in the PV segment, we are quite confident of meeting the needs of the CV segment as a logical progression. Moreover, we do see a lot of positive growth in both truck and bus sales in the next few years.”
He further observed: “We will initially be focussing on exterior cleaning which people are interested in. And we already have bigger hi-pressure cleaners for cleaning of buses and trucks in our global portfolio. However, these are slightly different as they are equipped with special tools and extension pipes which ensure that the user can reach any corner of the vehicle. Our target group will be tuck repair shops, workshops run by OEMs, and of course fleet operators.”
It is to be mentioned that Alfred Kärcher GmbH & Co. KG is the world’s biggest manufacturer of cleaning equipment and is over 80 years old. The family-owned company is known for its high-pressure cleaners, and window vacuum cleaners, and produces both cleaning equipment and full cleaning systems. The market leader in cleaning technology employs more than 10,000 people worldwide and clocked a turnover of over €2 billion in the last calendar year.
The German giant started engaging the Indian market in the mid-90s through importers, and by the end of the last decade established a general importer in the market. In 2011, Kärcher Germany decided to take over the activities of the general importer by forming a 100 per cent subsidiary company. It is now marketing a wide selection of the most suited products for Indian conditions divided into a professional and consumer sector.
Asked about its sudden interest in the CV segment, the deutschmann stated: “The Indian truck market has really evolved over the years with modern hi-end machines hitting the roads. There is a real competition between domestic and multinational giants when it comes to bringing in world-class products. The quality of trucks and buses over the last few years has improved dramatically. I think the Indian market will catch up with global markets very quickly. I am sure that people will now opt for standardised equipment with hi-pressure cleaners. And this is where we will step in.”
Interestingly, Kärcher is catering to some of the marquee Truck OEMs in Europe like Mercedes Benz, Actros and brand of trucks in the Daimler stable in Europe, Scania AB in Scandinavian countries, and MAN Trucks in Eastern Europe, among others.
Referring to the bus segment, he said: “We see a lot of potential in various kinds of buses plying on Indian roads. We have very interesting cleaning solutions for that and are evaluating its feasibility and holding discussions with manufacturers (OEMs) and luxury bus operators. These products are ready to hit the market but need a little bit of convincing for operators to invest in our solutions. Our products are recyclable too, and not more than 20pc of it are wasted. The first systems will be in the market by next year. When it comes to the product lines, both wet-cleaning and dry cleaning solutions are looked into. We have steam cleaners too. Wet-washers (specifically for buses) need to be commercially rolled out.”
Talking about the criticality of the Indian market, he affirmed: “We, at Kärcher, believed in the growth potential of the Indian cleaning systems for quite some time. Since it became a 100 per cent subsidiary, we have been growing in double digits. We are definitely one of the leading suppliers of cleaning equipment in India and have 10 branch offices in India with a dedicated sales and service team as well as demo units and warehouses for fast moving machines and spare parts. We have a pan-India distribution of our products with all the required support of our customers. What differentiates us from our peers is our zeroing in on next-generation technology. Innovation proves to be the prominent factor for the success and growth of Kärcher Cleaning Systems Pvt. Ltd. Regular market surveys and R&D keep us updated of the changes taking place in industry, and we incorporate those changes in our manufacturing and processes, which ultimately make our range up-to-the-mark.”
Meanwhile, there is a lot of speculation that Kärcher is all set to build a state-of-the-art facility in India. Even though Mr. Schroeder didn’t confirm any such immediate plans, he maintained: “We consider India as the one of the major growth drivers and are in the process of putting up infrastructure to support our growth. Being the world leader in cleaning equipment, we are definitely taking the necessary steps for the future in the Indian market. We look forward to be more than just a sales and service organisation.”
Kärcher India is confident that it will outgrow the domestic cleaning equipment market as it will introduce more products in the CV and other segments, beef up its branch operations and increase its service footprint. Besides, it is participating in numerous shows and exhibitions like Auto Expo, Clean India, Consumer Exhibition and Machine Tools, and is also considering joining Automechanika’15.
As far as its distribution part is concerned, it has 10 major centers in India, and there are 25 to 30 dealers in smaller places bolstered by 100 service touch-points. Interestingly, it is also running stock-keeping units in major cities like NCR, Kolkata, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Bangalore, Chennai and Ahmedabad, with one more unit proposed to be set up at Indore.