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Overview
The Mahindra Group’s Automotive Sector is in the business of manufacturing
and marketing utility vehicles and light commercial vehicles, including three
wheelers.
It is the market leader in utility vehicles in India since inception, and currently
accounts for about half of India’s market for utility vehicles.
Although created in 1994 following an organisational restructuring, the
Automotive Sector can trace its antecedents back to 1954. The iconic jeep that
led American GIs to victory in World War II is the very same vehicle that drove
the Mahindra Group to success in the Automotive Sector. Mahindra & Mahindra
Limited, the flagship company of the Group, was set up as a franchise for
assembling general purpose utility vehicles from Willys, USA.
Over the years, the Group has developed a large product portfolio catering to a
diverse customer base spanning rural and semiurban customers, defence
requirements and luxurious urban utility vehicles. In 2002, it launched the
indigenously engineered world class sports utility vehicle – Scorpio, which
bridges the gap between style and adventure, luxury and ruggedness, and
performance and economy. The Group exports its products to several countries
in Europe, Africa, South America, South Asia and the Middle East.
Domestic Operations
The Automotive Sector is the market leader in utility vehicles in India since
inception and currently accounts for about half of India’s market for utility vehicles
with a product portfolio that ranges from rugged, mass transport utility vehicles to
personal segment sports utility vehicles like the Scorpio.
While the world class Scorpio (declared to be the ‘Car of the Year’ by CNBC
Autocar, BBC Wheels and Business Standard Motoring) is the Automotive
Sector’s current flagship, it has many more products that have made it popular
with individuals and institutions in India and the world. The Automotive Sector of
the Mahindra Group is currently present in the multiutility vehicle, light
commercial vehicle and 3 wheeler segments. Now, with its joint ventures, it will
have a presence in the passenger car and the medium and heavy commercial
vehicle segments too.
International Operations
The Mahindra Group has a very strong international presence. It entered the
world market in 1969, with the export of 1200 utility vehicles together with spare
parts to Yugoslavia. Ceylon, Singapore, Philippines and Indonesia welcomed
Mahindra products to their countries a year later, and thereafter, the Group
started making inroads into other parts of the world. With every major product
improvement and every new model, exports picked up in Africa, Asia, Europe
and Latin America. The growing demand and the need for local presence to
better address the markets led to the establishment of Mahindra South Africa
operating out of Pretoria, and Mahindra Europe in Italy.
The Group has an assembly of small truck pickups in Uruguay for the Latin
American market known by the brand name of Cimarron. In addition, distributors
have been appointed in various other international markets too.
Mahindra Renault*
In February 2005 Mahindra & Mahindra and Renault decided to join forces to
produce and commercialize Logan in India. The joint venture is a 51:49
partnership between M&M and Renault. An investment of 125 million euros (Rs.
700 crore) was announced to set up a production capacity of 50,000 cars per
year. The Logan would be produced at M&M’s state of the art factory located in
Nashik, which offers a stamping shop, a paint shop with a top quality
pretreatment and an assembly line specific for the Logan.
The JV went on stream on September 1, 2006 with the trial production of Logan.
The assessment of all suppliers has been done by Renault’s quality team.
Upgradations at the level of suppliers for the new product are being implemented
by the Mahindra Renault team. All specific equipment required for production has
been installed in the body shop, the paint shop and the TCF line.The trial
vehicles have been put through thorough durability testing on Indian roads,
besides accelerated tests on the Renault test tracks. The first phase of road trials
was done in MayAugust 2005. Some vehicles completed more than 50,000 km
on Indian roads and passed the rigors of India’s climactic changes. The second
phase of validations was completed at Renault test tracks.
In November 22, Mahindra & Mahindra and Renault decided to extend their
strategic alliance and signed another memorandum of understanding to set up a
greenfield facility with a capacity of 500,000 units per year within 5 years. In this
alliance, M&M and the Renault Nissan alliance would each hold 50 percent
stake. The driving force behind this announcement was to consolidate the
Mahindra Renault joint venture formed exclusively for the Logan. A range of
Mahindra as well as Mahindra Renault products suited to the requirements of
Indian customers will be manufactured at the new ‘greenfield’ production site
under the direction of Renault and Mahindra. The production site will include a
vehicle assembly plant, shared between the two partners. Renault also has plans
to set up a powertrain factory. Production is expected to begin mid2009,
with an initial installed production capacity of 400,000 vehicles per year. The
manufacturing site is yet to be finalised. The product range will be marketed by
Mahindra Renault and sold through the extensive and well established
Mahindra channel network throughout India.
*Legal Entity Mahindra
Renault Private Limited
Mahindra International
Mahindra & Mahindra Limited and International Truck and Engine Corporation
entered into a 51:49 joint venture in 2005 to create Mahindra International
Limited. Mahindra International Limited has three businesses:
o To manufacture trucks and buses in India for sale in India and export
markets
o To provide engineering services for the design and development of truck
and bus products for International Truck and Engine Corporation globally
and the joint venture
o To enable International Truck and Engine Corporation to use India as a
significant supply base for sourcing components and materials.
Mahindra International will produce a new range of commercial trucks and buses
starting in 2007 at one of the Group’s automotive plants. The factory will have the
capacity to produce a wide range of commercial vehicles, and will include cab
assembly, vehicle assembly, and a paint shop. The vehicles will have 90% local
content from the start due to the easy availability of quality parts and materials
from Indian suppliers.
In addition, Mahindra & Mahindra Limited has contributed its existing light
commercial vehicle business to Mahindra International Limited. This will leverage
the Automotive Sector’s extensive distribution network to rapidly launch a full
range of medium and heavy commercial vehicles based, in part, on International
Truck and Engine Corporation’s existing product line and adapted for the Indian
market. Mahindra International is also expected to export vehicles through its
own distribution channel, as well as International Truck and Engine Corporation’s
and Mahindra & Mahindra’s overseas networks.
First Choice
First Choice is a part of the Mahindra Group. The other promoters include HDFC,
one of the most respected financial institutions in the country, and Sah & Sanghi,
a Mumbai based company that's admired for its skills in retail operations.
First choice is India’s largest multibrand used car company. The Company’s
mission is to create India’s largest automobile and automobile related products
distribution network by providing dealers and customers with the largest choice of
unique worldclass products and services.
First Choice achieves its objectives by providing consumers with a wide choice of
good quality used cars and by bringing about trust and transparency in each of
its dealings.
First Choice’s certified used cars are now being sold in 80 showrooms spread
across 45 cities in India. The Company will have more than 200 stores over a
period of 2 to 3 years.