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Business Standard
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Business Standard
Ashok Leyland secures order for 200 trucks from Instant Transport
Ashok Leyland, the Indian flagship of the Hinduja Group and the country's leading commercial vehicle manufacturer, on Friday announced that it has bagged an order to deliver 200 state-of-the-art trucks to Instant Transport Solution Pvt Ltd, a key express logistics player in India. This milestone marks a significant step in strengthening the partnership between the two companies and reinforces Ashok Leyland's position as a trusted mobility provider. To mark the commencement of deliveries, Sanjeev Kumar, President – MHCV, Ashok Leyland, handed over the keys to the first batch of 100 trucks to Rajbir Singh Chaudhary, Chairman, Instant Transport Solution, in the presence of senior executives from both organisations. Kumar said, 'We are delighted to deliver the first batch of 1916 single-axle and 2820 multi-axle haulage trucks to Instant Transport Solution Pvt Ltd. This order underscores the confidence customers place in our robust, innovative and reliable vehicles. As we continue to push the boundaries of technology and customer experience, collaborations like these will help shape a more efficient, future-ready logistics sector.' 'We have complete trust in the quality and performance of Ashok Leyland trucks. Their outstanding after-sales support ensures seamless operations for us, while their growing service network further enhances our capabilities. This delivery represents more than just new trucks — it signifies a deepening partnership aimed at advancing logistics efficiency. With Ashok Leyland's dedication to innovation and our forward-thinking approach to transportation, we look forward to continued success on the road,' Singh said. Instant and XP India, a leading express logistics player in e-commerce, is one of the fastest-growing integrated logistics businesses in India, with an owned and hired fleet of approximately 2,100 trucks. It has placed a substantial order of 200 units of Ashok Leyland trucks, reaffirming its trust in the brand's cutting-edge technology, reliability and superior service support. The first batch of 100 units of 1916 single-axle and 2820 multi-axle haulage trucks has been delivered, marking the beginning of this extensive fleet expansion. This milestone reinforces Ashok Leyland's leadership in the commercial vehicle sector, underscoring its dedication to innovation, customer satisfaction and industry excellence, the company said.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
Ashok Leyland secures 200 trucks order from instant transport solution
Ashok Leyland , the Indian flagship of the Hinduja Group and a leading commercial vehicle manufacturer , has announced a significant order of 200 advanced haulage trucks from Instant Transport Solution . To mark the commencement of the partnership, Sanjeev Kumar, President – MHCV, Ashok Leyland, formally handed over the first batch of 100 trucks to Rajbir Singh Chaudhary, Executive Chairman of Instant Transport Solution, in the presence of senior executives from both organisations. 'We are delighted to deliver the first batch of 1916 single-axle and 2820 multi-axle haulage trucks,' said Kumar. 'This order underscores the trust customers place in our durable, innovative vehicles and robust service network. Partnerships like these will shape a more efficient and future-ready logistics ecosystem .' Aligned with a broader roadmap Instant Transport Solution, along with XP India, operates across e-commerce, FCL, LCL, and 3PL logistics, with a fleet of around 2,100 trucks. The new addition of Ashok Leyland vehicles is part of a strategic expansion plan aimed at boosting capacity and efficiency. In a joint statement, Rajbir Singh, Executive Chairman, and Jasveer Singh, MD & CEO of Instant Transport Solution, said, ' Ashok Leyland trucks offer unmatched reliability and exceptional after-sales support, ensuring smooth operations for us. This delivery marks not just fleet expansion but a deepening partnership built on shared values of innovation and service excellence.'
Hans India
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Hans India
Expect M&HCV industry to grow in single digit
New Delhi: The medium and heavy commercial vehicles segment in India is expected to grow in the single digit this fiscal, recovering from a decline of 3 per cent in FY25, a top official of Ashok Leyland said on Tuesday. The Chennai-based firm is planning to grow ahead of the industry this year and is focusing on expanding its presence in North India, the largest market for commercial vehicles (CVs), Sanjeev Kumar, President - M&HCV at Ashok Leyland Ltd, told reporters here. "When you look at last year, the industry volume came down by 3 per cent. Our understanding is that this is the fourth year running. "If you look at the CV industry, generally it stays good for three years, and then it…goes through a downtrend. So we expect the industry to grow, at least in single digit," he said when asked about the industry outlook. The industry growth is expected to be driven by the government investment in infrastructure and tailwinds such as the good performance of core industries, Kumar said. On the company's growth prospects, he said every original equipment manufacturer (OEM) tries to outpace the total industry growth, and "same is the case for Ashok Leyland and we want to increase our market share".
Time of India
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
Ashok Leyland eyes northern push, projects single-digit M&HCV industry growth
New Delhi: Commercial vehicle manufacturer Ashok Leyland aims to deepen its market penetration in North India, followed by the East over the next 2–3 years, while continuing to defend its hold in the South and West. Currently, about 30–32 per cent of total industry volumes (TIV) comes from the North, where Ashok Leyland holds a 25 per cent market share. 'We are aiming to raise the North's contribution to 30 per cent by improving expansion in the region. When I talk about the North, I am referring to all the states up to Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan,' Sanjeev Kumar, President of M&HCV, Ashok Leyland, said. The Chennai-based company's plan is to add over 50 touchpoints in the North this year, expanding beyond its current 291 channel outlets across the region. While South and West India contribute around 21–22 per cent each to the overall CV industry, the East stands at about 15 per cent and central India at 8–9 per cent. The automaker has ramped up capacity with a newly inaugurated bus body plant in Vijayawada and a chassis and bus facility in Lucknow, which is set to become operational by October. The company also operates two existing northern plants-- one in Alwar for buses and trucks, and an integrated facility in Pantnagar. In the south, it runs a foundry and two plants in Ennore for buses, trucks, and exports; a gear train facility in Bhandara; a bus body unit at GTVS-Trichy; and three Hosur plants (I, II, III) catering to a wide product range. Industry growth in FY26 Kumar noted that the CV industry typically follows a three-year growth cycle before entering a slowdown. This being the fourth consecutive year of growth, it should expand, albeit at a single-digit rate. According to him, core sectors such as e-commerce, government capex, and agriculture are performing well, giving confidence in sustaining "at least a single-digit" growth. Last year, the industry recorded a decline of 3 per cent. On the bus front, demand remains strong, led by robust order inflows from State Transport Undertakings (STUs) across India. Additionally, the school and staff transportation segments continue to show steady demand. However, he pointed out that while the sector is navigating several structural challenges. The government's efforts to enhance logistics efficiency such as dedicated freight corridors between key regions, are boosting rail transport, leading to a short-term shift from road to rail cargo. Plans to expand inland waterway usage are also underway to cut costs and transit times. Simultaneously, demand is shifting toward higher-tonnage trucks, as fleet operators aim to move more goods with fewer vehicles which is also impacting overall sales volume. According to him, a key positive for the CV sector is the stability in diesel prices over the past 2–3 years. This consistency has enabled fleet operators to plan finances more effectively, providing cost predictability amid shifting industry dynamics and ongoing logistical reforms. Ashok Leyland currently has an order book of nearly 4,000 buses from STUs awaiting execution.
Mint
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Mint
Buying a vehicle soon? Prices may rise as new rules kick in
New Delhi: Buyers planning to buy an automobile–from a two-wheeler to even a truck–may have to brace for higher prices soon. New government regulations, including mandatory AC cabins for trucks and a likely anti-lock braking system (ABS) for all two-wheelers, are set to drive up manufacturing costs that may be passed on to consumers, according to industry captains and analysts. Further, a rise in input prices of key raw materials such as aluminium, and a global squeeze on rare earth magnets is adding to the pressure, leaving industry leaders and analysts to predict a potential wave of price hikes across autos, especially two wheelers and commercial vehicles (CVs) like trucks. To be sure, prices of cars, which have already been increased in recent months, are not expected to rise further. The trend comes on the back of a lukewarm auto market last year. In FY25, heavy- and medium-duty truck sales declined 4% to 307,491; passenger car sales grew 2% to 4.3 million units; and two-wheeler sales grew 9.1% to 19.6 million units, according to data from the Society of Indian Vehicle Manufacturers (Siam). Trucks are mandated to be manufactured with AC cabins from 8 June, leading Sanjeev Kumar, president for medium and heavy commercial vehicles (CVs) at Ashok Leyland to say that this might lead to an estimated price hike of 1-1.5% depending on the model. Also read | Automakers urge Indian govt for diplomatic outreach to China for rare earths On the other hand, Tata Motors' expects the price hikes to be lower for its trucks. 'Cost increase in percentage terms will be lower or minimal for heavy commercial vehicles because the base cost is more there," the company's executive director Gireesh Wagh told analysts during an earnings call on 13 May. 'So, the cost impact on the biggest vehicle could be somewhere around 0.5-0.6%. The cost impact for a, say, intermediate light commercial vehicle will be slightly higher, could be in the range of 1% to 1.2%." Analysts, though, are more concerned about two-wheelers than trucks, which can manage the cost by adjusting freight rates. A report fromThe Economic Times noted that the Union road ministry may make it mandatory for all new two-wheelers to have ABS (anti-lock braking system) technology from January 2026. ABS is a safety technology that gives drives more control of the vehicle while braking, especially on slippery roads. Currently, only vehicles above 125cc engine level have ABS, which constitute about 16% of the country's two-wheeler market. So, the remaining 84% of the two-wheeler market could see a ₹3,000-5,000 price hike for single-channel ABS. According to a 20 June report by analysts at Kotak Institutional Equities, this could result in 'further pressurizing entry-level motorcycle segment demand and halting the scooter segment's momentum". Read this | Auto part makers look beyond cars to dodge global headwinds To be sure, according to Siam data, even while sales of motorcycles overall grew 5.1%, data compiled by Kotak Institutional Equities showed bikes in the economy segment witnessed a decline of 8% in sales as compared to FY24. Further, of the 9.1% growth that the overall two-wheeler market registered in FY25, scooters contributed 17%, while motorcycles contributed just 5.1%, bringing down the overall industry growth. Other pressures Meanwhile, headwinds on the raw material front are adding to the pressure, especially rare earths and aluminium. China has restricted exports of rare earth magnets, of which it has a globally dominant share. Even if the auto firms manage to get their hands on the component, prices of rare earth magnets, particularly neodymium and praseodymium, have increased over 13-17% over the past six months, as per Axis Securities. Also read | India's top rare-earths producer IREL is headless amid mounting supply risks from China Aluminium prices, too, are a concern. 'Aluminium LME prices are up from ~$2,100/tonne in early 2024 to ~$2,500/tonne in June 2025, leading to ~12–15% higher input costs for domestic auto-grade aluminium," Shridhar Kallani, research analyst for auto at Axis Securities noted. 'A sustained inflation in key raw materials, combined with the weak INR, may result in gross margin pressure of 30-70 bps, depending on product mix. While long-term supply contracts and hedging offer some insulation, full pass-through to customers will be a delicate balancing act in the current demand environment," he added. One bps is one-hundredth of a percentage point. The contrarian view However, some experts and even automakers, especially of passenger vehicles, are not overly concerned. 'While aluminium prices have increased, it is still lower than what it was pre March. Unless there is another 10% increase, it is unlikely to be of major concern," Subhabrata Sengupta, partner at Avalon Consulting said. 'For rare earths, the impact will be model specific and driven by availability issues; rare earths account for hardly 5-6% of the cost, so cost impact is unlikely to be substantial." As for car makers, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd, Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd, Tata Motors Ltd and Hyundai Motor India Ltd have already implemented price hikes in 2025 so far in the range of 1-4% across their models. And with the car market expected to grow by just 1-2% in FY26, observers indicate that another round of price increases is unlikely. Addressing reporters on 24 June, Tata Motors Group CFO P.B. Balaji said the country's automakers have learned to manage their supply chains better after dealing with disruptions in recent years. And read | Tata Motors, JLR flag EV supply chain as a separate business risk. They don't name China, but its imprint is all over. 'In a scenario where demand is under stress, sustained inflation is unlikely…I am not in the camp of saying there is going to be structural inflation," Balaji said on the question of whether there is likely to pressure on costs of automakers due to global instability from multiple developments like Trump tariffs, West Asia crisis and the rare earth magnet crisis. Requests for comments from other automakers remained unanswered till press time.
