Team Doosan believes not only will the existing market sentiments in the Indian construction sector to undergo a course correction in 2020 but its Indian manufacturing facilities will soon have an even major role to play in its global markets.

What new products are you showcasing at Excon?
(Manjunath S, General Manager Sales Head, Compact Division):
In India, Doosan Bobcat caters to two different verticals i.e. portable power and the compact division. Compact products include Skid Steer Loaders, mini excavators and backhoe loaders. At Excon, we are showcasing the B900 Backhoe Loader as well as T650 Compact Track Loader which is remotely operated using a smartphone (iphone) application. This allows the user to utilise the loader like you see a driverless car. We foresee potential in hazardous areas where minimal human interaction is preferred. Our B900 Backhoe loader was made available to the market since October 2019, but we felt Excon was the right platform to unveil it to a larger and relevant audience. We are showcasing some new products in our Portable Power product range which comprises of compressors and light towers.

What are the new products in Portable Power Range and what kind of technology you have used in this product?
(BS Srinivas, Director Portable Power):
Doosan is the first manufacturing company to have delivered electronic engine driven Portable Compressors. Two of our new air compressor models have been fitted with Volvo Penta engines. A 13-litre, 536hp Volvo Penta D13 diesel engine is providing power to Doosan Bobcat India’s new PA536 air compressor, and an 8-litre, 320hp Volvo Penta D8 diesel engine has been installed in its SHP750 air compressor. Besides this we also launched the SHP500 with Ashok Leyland engine. The other new product that we have launched is the EP300 electrical compressor. Given the fact that India is becoming self sufficient in terms of electrical power is concerned, these electrical compressors will find good use in the coming years.

How do these products fare in terms of cost and efficiency?
(BS Srinivas, Director Portable Power): In the present scenario, where air quality is a matter of grave concern, we take pride in adding that these emission engines are in line with government’s line of a cleaner and greener India. In terms of economy to the customer, the consumer is bound to save on fuel, consumables, unlike the mechanical engines which require frequent servicing from time-to-time. Apart from that, the products also offer a longer shelf life. A one time investment in this product ensures carefree operation for a longer time without having to worry about a replacement.

What makes Doosan Bobcat optimistic in the current market scenario?
(BS Srinivas, Director Portable Power): India is a developing nation so the demand is always there. There is a slowdown in the current scenario but we believe it will be a temporary phenomenon and market will pick up in 2020. The market indicators point out that by the end of February 2020 the markets will gain momentum. The government is also doing its part by releasing the necessary funds to ensure the market sentiment remains positive.

How much does your product vary from region to region and your policy on customisation?
(Manjunath S, General Manager Sales Head, Compact Division): In our case, it is a global product made for the Indian market. Before launching our Backhoe Loader, we studied the requirements of the Indian market. We generated the required market requirement data by offering a lot of warranty to our customers. This also involved a meeting with fleet owners, individual customers and customers across different segments. This helped us in designing a product which found a unanimous acceptance all across India.

Any technological upgradation?
(Manjunath S, General Manager Sales Head, Compact Division): The Backhoe loader has been evolving over the last 40 years. However we have imparted it with improved fuel efficiency. You will find this quality in our mini excavators and skid steer loader too. In a way this helps us to reduce the overall TCO of the equipment concerned. You will be glad to know that our equipment has the lowest TCO possible and it makes our brand unique among our competitors. The initial cost of our product may tend to be higher but down the line the cost gets recovered. The longevity and fuel efficiency makes all the difference and in the long run our products become a lot cheaper.

(Hyunsoo Kim, Director Commerical and General Management): My colleagues have already covered everything but one thing I would like to assert that our first priority is to satisfy our Indian customers and add value to the company’s market. The company plans to make its Gummudipoondi manufacturing facility in Chennai a global manufacturing hub for export and a regional centre of excellence. It will allow us to meet the demands of the emerging markets. There is no dearth of talent in India in terms of the expertise required to come up with a competitive supply chain which can address global demands. Some players are already doing it for their businesses and we too are keen to do it.

Tell us something about your existing facilities in India?
(Hyunsoo Kim, Director Commercial and General Management): We are already manufacturing Compressors and light towers in our Bengaluru facility and the Backhoe Loader is being manufactured in our Chennai facility. In our Bangalore facility, we reproduce and redevelop our export model but we are keen to localise it in the future. Our Indian engineering team collaborates closely with the global engineering team and we have some new product launches lined up in the coming year. Based on the volume of units desired, we will continue to manage our existing production facilities. Keeping in tune with the market sentiments, we may also opt for capacity expansion, not to mention the additional pool of talent which will be required.

Was it a conscious effort to make focus on fuel consumption?
(Hyunsoo Kim, Director Commercial and General Management): Reducing fuel consumption has always been a highlight of our products, it accounts for a good deal of savings on the part of the customer. Having said that, we don’t want to compromise on the other aspects. Some of our players who highlight lesser fuel consumption have compromised on the efficiency; we don’t want to do that. The fuel consumption of Doosan’s products will be less but not at the cost of the efficiency to maintain the same power and performance. I want to commit this to our valued Indian customers and it will always be our priority.

We are already manufacturing Compressors and light towers in our Bengaluru facility and the Backhoe Loader is being manufactured in our Chennai facility.
Hyunsoo Kim, Director Commerical and General Management,Doosan Bobcat India

Our B900 Backhoe loader was made available to the market since October 2019, but we felt Excon was the right platform to unveil it to a larger and relevant audience
Manjunath S, General Manager Sales Head, Compact Division, Doosan Bobcat India

In the present scenario, where air quality is a matter of grave concern, we take pride in adding that these emission engines are in line with government’s line of a cleaner and greener India.
BS Srinivas,Director Portable Power,Doosan Bobcat India