Shriram Automall India Ltd. (SAMIL) launched its brand new full-fledged Automall at Mahaboobnagar in Andhra Pradesh on February 26. It was inaugurated by Mr. Sameer Malhotra, Chief Executive Officer, SAMIL, who was the Chief Guest on the occasion. Mr. Sudarshan Holla, Executive Director CEO – South Zone, Shriram Transport Finance Company Ltd. (STFC), was the Guest of Honour.
Covering an area of over two lakh square feet, the facility allows the end-users to trade their vehicles in a most transparent and comfortable manner. Apart from trading, it also assists traders with financing and insurance options, as well as provide services for repair and refurbishing of vehicles. Rest rooms for travel-fatigued drivers and cleaners are also offered as an add-on facility. The auto mall will be further utilised for holding events periodically.
“After leaving its deep imprints across several geographies of India, SAMIL now envisions reaching even the smallest of towns & cities. The epic success of our existing Automalls reflects upon the potential of the pre-owned vehicle and equipment segment. We aim to put an end to the unreliable and old practices prevalent in vehicle transactions by cultivating organized vehicle-trading mechanism”, stated Mr. Sameer Malhotra.
Mr. Sudarshan Holla said: “Automall is a unique concept, creating a transparent platform for trading pre-owned vehicles and equipment. After a great response at our Hyderabad Automall, we hope Mahaboobnagar Automall also serves as a step forward and brings ease in the life of our consumers”.
The Automall is a virtual truck bazaar that will provide real-time information about the vast inventory of used vehicles and equipments and simultaneously facilitate registration of individual buyer’s need.
Kochi facility commissioned
Later, on March 2, SAMIL commenced operations at the much-awaited Automall in Kochi. It was inaugurated by Mr. Aryadan Mohammed, Kerala State Minister for Transport & Power, in the presence of Mr. U.G. Revankar, Managing Director, STFC, who was the Guest of Honor, Mr. Sameer Malhotra and Mr. Sudarshan Holla.
With ample infrastructural facilities, the Kochi Automall offers a platform for transaction of certified used vehicles and equipment. The services range from easy finance, general insurance and parking to assistance in documentation. As an add-on facility, rest rooms for travel-fatigued truck drivers and cleaners are also provided.
Mr. Aryadan Mohammed said: “The Automall is a unique initiative. What sets Shriram Automall off from others is the range of choice offered to customers, right from 3-wheelers, cars to trucks, equipment and much more. This concept will surely give rise to more opportunities and revolutionize the transport industry in Kerala.”
Mr. Revankar observed: “Shriram Automall is the country’s preferred platform for used vehicle & equipment and is proudly India’s only organized multi-brand player, with over 18 Automalls and over 100 yards across India. With our new Automall in Kochi, we wish to further explore the untapped potential of the market available in Kerala. The advent of Automall would bring relief to fleet owners and small businessmen who haven’t yet explored the benefits of pre-owned vehicle market”.
Mr. Sameer Malhotra said: “The company aims to create a platform for transporters, where transparency is of utmost importance. The Automall facility will house hundreds of pre-owned vehicles both in as-is-where-is and refurbished condition and customers will be able to trade in a transparent manner. We envisage having a robust pan-India network of such Automalls strategically located on important highways of the country. Moving forward, we are planning to expand this number exponentially in the coming years.”
The Automall also houses two new initiatives – Shriram One Stop and Shriram New Look. While One Stop is a computerised touch screen kiosk which is a virtual truck bazaar providing real time information about used commercial vehicles available for sale, New Look offers refurbished pre-owned commercial vehicles that are put on display for purchase along with in-built financing options.