The Indian Construction Equipment (CE) industry experienced a modest one percent year-on-year growth in sales during the second quarter of FY2024-25, touching a total of 30,686 units. Domestic sales accounted for 27,382 units whereas exports accounted for 3,304 units. 
The Earthmoving Equipment segment witnessed a six percent increase in sales during the same period. While the road construction and material processing equipment segments remained relatively unchanged, the material handling and concrete equipment segments experienced degrowth of 17 percent and 10 percent, respectively. 
Overall, the CE industry experienced a three percent year-on-year increase in sales during the first six months of the current fiscal year FY2024-25 (April – September 2024) as compared to the same period in FY2023-24 (April – September 2023). 
“The industry has seen a moderate growth YoY which is on expected lines due to general elections as well as seasonality”, averred V Vivekanand, President, ICEMA and Managing Director, Caterpillar India Pvt. Ltd.
“This has been possible due to the ongoing construction activities in the country that have helped maintain demand for construction equipment from a historically the best previous year”, he added.
As compared to Q1 FY2024-25, the CE industry witnessed a six percent increase in overall sales, expanding from 28,902 units in the first quarter to 30,686 units in the second quarter of the current fiscal year. This growth was primarily attributable to a 10% increase in sales of earthmoving equipment, which constitutes approximately 70 percent of the total CE sales. 
The Q2 sales of earthmoving equipment stood at 21,931 units – an increase of 10 percent from Q1 FY2024-25. Material processing equipment, with sales of 661 units registered a five percent growth. 
Sales for the remaining three segments declined in Q2 as compared to Q1 – material handling equipment by one percent at 3,713 units, concrete equipment by 5 percent at 3,042 units and road construction equipment by eight percent at 1,339units. 
The construction equipment sales registered 34 percent month-on-month and five percent year-on-year in September 2024. 
The industry’s performance has been good in September 2024, with sales touching 12,639 units as compared to 9,427 units sold in August 2024, exhibiting an impressive 34 percent month-on-month growth. 
Domestic sales accounted for 11,318 units, while exports totaled 1,321 units. Furthermore, as compared to September 2023, these sales figures represent a five percent year-on-year growth in September 2024. 
Of the five primary equipment segments within the Indian CE industry, only material processing equipment experienced a modest two percent decline in sales on a month-over-month basis in September 2024. The remaining four segments demonstrated robust growth – earthmoving equipment recorded a 32 percent increase, reaching 9,089 units; material handling equipment grew by 47 percent, totaling 1,491 units; road construction equipment experienced a 55 percent increase, reaching 598 units whereas the concrete equipment saw a 33 percent growth, with sales of 1,232 units. 
“The overall sales recovery in the second quarter after relatively slow growth in the first quarter is encouraging for the industry. The sales recorded in September have largely been responsible for this growth,” said Jaideep Shekhar, Convener, ICEMA Industry Analysis and Insights Panel, and VP and Managing Director, APAC & EMEAR, Terex India Private Limited. 
“With ongoing and some new infrastructure projects being announced in recent months, the industry is expecting the market for construction equipment to expand further this year, helping us to close on a positive growth in FY25,” he added.
 

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Ashok Leyland, a leading commercial vehicle manufacturer, has inaugurated its 22nd Light Commercial Vehicles (LCV) dealership in Uttar Pradesh. The new 3S facility located in Chunar, Mirzapur will further strengthen the company’s presence in North India.

The company’s LCV portfolio includes Saathi, Dost, Bada Dost, Partner and MiTR targeted for a wide range of customers and applications.

Viplav Shah, Head – LCV Business, Ashok Leyland, said, “Recognising immense potential of Uttar Pradesh as a key market for us, we are thrilled to strengthen our presence in the region. Our new dealership in Chunar (Mirzapur) would go a long way in reinforcing our presence in the state. The phenomenal success of our ‘Dost’, ‘Bada Dost,’ and the new ‘Saathi’ range underscores the robustness of our products - thanks to their best-in-class mileage, superior performance, and higher payloads. We take immense pride in our exceptional service retention levels, with nearly 70% of our customers returning to our dealer workshops even beyond the warranty period. This new dealership marks yet another milestone in our journey to provide the best possible experience to our valued customers.”

Ashok Leyland, one of the country’s leading commercial vehicle manufacturers, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Nagaland Rural Bank for a strategic vehicle financing partnership. The partnership will see Ashok Leyland get access to customised financial solutions from Nagaland Rural Bank.

The MoU was signed by C Neelakantan, Head -Treasury and Direct Taxation, Ashok Leyland and Velayutham Sadhasivam, Chairman, Nagaland Rural Bank.

Balaji K M, CFO, Ashok Leyland, said, “At Ashok Leyland, we are dedicated to continuously enhancing customer experience and delivering greater value in our products and services. Nagaland Rural Bank is a regional rural bank with a strong presence in the state. With this partnership in place, our customers in the region will have access to comprehensive financing solutions with specially curated easy repayment plans”.

Sanjeev Kumar, President – MHCV, Ashok Leyland, said, “Ashok Leyland is looking forward to collaborating with Nagaland Rural Bank to offer our customers highly attractive financing solutions. This strategic partnership not only strengthens our market presence but also reinforces our commitment to innovation and customer success. With cutting-edge technology and industry-leading total cost of ownership, our products are designed to drive profitability and value for our customers. We remain steadfast in our commitment to deliver exceptional customer experience and build long lasting relationships.”

Velayutham Sadhasivam added, “Nagaland Rural Bank is delighted to collaborate with Ashok Leyland to provide seamless vehicle financing solutions. This partnership underscores our commitment to meeting the diverse financial needs of commercial vehicle customers across the state. We are confident that this alliance will help us expand our reach and offer customized financing options, fostering the growth of businesses in the commercial vehicle sector.”

Eicher Trucks & Buses, a business unit of VE Commercial Vehicles, has announced that it successfully hosted the second Woman Transporters Delegation at its Bhopal plant.

The event saw women leaders in the transport industry exchange ideas, share insights and explore new business opportunities. The discussion revolved around a wide range of topics such as digitisation, alternative fuels and intelligent mobility solutions that provide challenges and opportunities.

The women leaders were given an exclusive tour of Eicher’s Bhopal plant, an interactive session with VECV Executive Management and test drive experience.

Vinod Aggarwal, MD & CEO, VECV, said, “At Eicher Trucks and Buses, we firmly believe that inclusivity and diversity strengthen businesses and drives growth. Technology and digital solutions are transforming the industry, making businesses smarter and more efficient. While we are taking steps to improve diversity and inclusion internally through initiatives like an all-woman assembly line in Bhopal, we thank you for working with us to foster innovative approaches in the commercial vehicle industry."

Bhagwan K Bindiganavile, EVP, Strategic Planning, Brand & Communications, VECV, added, “The Indian CV industry is transforming rapidly, guided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Seven Cs for mobility solutions: Common, Connected, Convenient, Congestion-free, Charged, Clean and Cutting-edge. We appreciated the women leaders focus on balancing the new technologies making logistics more efficient with a people-first approach.”

SS Gill, Chief Commercial Officer, VECV; B Srinivas, COO, Eicher Trucks and Buses; Ramesh Rajagopalan, EVP, Customer Service, Retail Excellence and Network Development and Vimal Mulchandani, EVP- Manufacturing Operation, Eicher Trucks & Buses & Volvo Buses also engaged with the women transporters delegation.

Construction and off-road equipment major SANY has launched what it claims is India's first hybrid off-highway 100-tonne mining dump truck – the SKT130S – with localised manufacturing at its Pune factory.

The truck operates with a 925 kW engine, which generates 3200 Nm of torque, 100-tonne payload capacity and a 61 CuM heaped body capacity, designed for mining applications.

Deepak Garg, Vice-Chairman and MD, SANY India and South Asia, said, “The introduction of the SKT130S is a remarkable achievement in our journey towards driving innovation and self-reliance in India’s mining sector. As India’s first 100-tonne diesel-electric hybrid mining truck, the SKT130S demonstrates SANY India’s commitment to delivering high-performance, efficient and safe solutions to meet the evolving demands of the industry. Our focus on localisation not only supports India’s manufacturing vision but also ensures that we bring cutting-edge technology to enhance productivity in mining operations.”

The SKT130S is expected to achieve fuel savings of 20-25 percent compared to conventional mining trucks. A regenerative braking system enables the high-voltage battery to charge during downhill operation.

The truck includes an intelligent control module for operation management and a 10-inch central control screen for navigation and safety. The cabin meets FOPS/ROPS certification standards, aligning with global safety regulations.