Indian automotive company ties up with Utikar for bus production

Indian automotive company ASHOK LEYLAND has joined forces with Turkish company UTIKAR for production of a new range of inter-city and intra-city buses for the Middle East, North Africa and CIS markets.

Mr. P.G. Nillson, Executive Director, International Operations, of the company which showcased at Busworld Turkey 2012 commented that he was delighted with the company’s global expansion drive.

Mr. Nillson also said “We are entering Turkey for the long term and are happy to take initial steps to enter the European market. We have 11 partners all over the world making local bodies on our chassis and are proud to work with an excellent partner here, Utikar. We welcome more partners in Turkey both for bus body-building and building special structures on our truck chassis”.

Turkey which has had an outstanding development in automotive industry over the last decade is now a main spot of attraction for world giants both in terms of local sales and as a bas efor exportation to all global markets. To achieve this perfomance Turkey has managed to improve production quality to superior level. Ashok Leyland has taken its place among companies thus attracted to Turkey.

According to the statement made by officials“Ashok Leyland will strongly leverage technology, manufacturing capabilities and skilled labor of its local partners and offer customers well-designed, best-in-class transportation solutions.

Due its geostrategic importance, Turkey will become the company’s distribution base to reach markets like Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt and the Middle East. These operations will complement bus supplies from the company’s manufacturing facility at Ras Al Khaimah.

In addition, AVIA Ashok Leyland Motors very well represents the company in Europe by making and marketing the popular D-Line series of trucks”.

Within this framework, the buses which were presented at the Turkey show are built on the 816 chassis which is eight metre long, fitted with a 160 hp engine. The engine is Euro 4 compatible and will soon be available in Euro 5 and Euro 6 versions.

Going forward, the company has plans to produce 6-metre, 7.8-metre and 11-metre bus chassis both for inter-city and intra-city applications and will also develop rear engine buses in partnership with Utikar.

Apart from bus chassis, Ashok Leyland will also export truck 9 tonne, 16 tonne and 25 tonne chassis locally built in Turkey. The trucks will cater to the growing demand for municipal application vehicles. Ashok Leyland also plans to set up a branch office in Turkey to streamline operations there.

22.05.2012
compiled byEditor, BTT
SOURCE: MEDIA