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Date :- 15-May-2012-Ashok Leyland set to launch Avia range in India

Hinduja Group's flagship company Ashok Leyland is all set to bring in their latest range of Avia vehicles into India. Ashok Leyland based in Chennai will be manufacturing this range of Avia vehicles from their Pant Nagar plant which should be ready for Indian markets by end of the financial year. The company has been manufacturing Avia range of vehicles from their plant in Prague specially for European markets and now they want to bring out this range specially suited for Indian road conditions and Indian markets. Pant Nagar plant will have an annual capacity of 30,000 units per annum and once Avia range of vehicles are road ready the company will be doing away with Ecomet range of trucks in a phased manner. Conversely, Ashok Leyland net profits are down by 10% in 2011-12. Higher finance costs, increased depreciation have combined to ensure that net profits were down even though sales have increased by 15%. The company was badly affected due to mining ban in Karnataka and uncertainties in the Andhra Pradesh markets which further impacted their hold on south Indian markets. The company is targeting sales of 146,000 units i.e. 110,00 units of medium and heavy commercial vehicles and 36,000 units of Dost, the company's light commercial vehicle. Ashok Leyland has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Tamil Nadu government wherein they will invest Rs.4,150 crores to be shared by Ashok Leyland and Ashok Leyland Nissan Motor Company, which the company has as a joint venture with Nissan Motor Company.

Date:- 10 jan 2008 - Ashok Leyland plans Avia D trucks for India (9TH AUTO EXPO 2008)
Ashok Leyland, the flagship firm of Hinduja Group, is planning to bring out Avia D series trucks to India by 2010-11, or maybe before that. Currently, the D-line series are marketed in Czech Republic, Hungary, the UK, Ireland, Slovakia and Spain from the Prague headquartered Avia Ashok Leyland Motors. The product weights between 6 and 12 tonne. While, the company has not chalked out the exact plan for the new series of trucks, Ashok Leyland MD R Seshashayee told reporters on the sidelines of the 9th Auto Expo in New Delhi that the company is planning to compete with Avia globally.

On the location for the joint venture (JV) manufacturing plant with Nissan, Seshashayee said, Initially we had identified three locations, now it has come down to two, including Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Of which, Seshashayee said, Tamil Nadu looked more feasible. The location will be finalised by January-end. The Chennai-based company has a JV with Japans Nissan for producing light commercial vehicles (LCVs). Three LCVs that would be built are 1.2 tonne, 2 tonne and 3 tonne. These will come from the Nissan platform but will be substantially re-engineered to suit the Indian conditions, he said. The company unveiled its new iBus, an electronically advanced intra-city bus on Wednesday

Date :- 01 feb 2010

Leyland to make Avia cabins locally

While Avia trucks will take two years to reach the Indian market, Ashok Leyland has decided to start locally manufacturing cabins for the Czech company in a couple of months, said K Sridharan, CFO, Ashok Leyland. By doing so, we will save around 20% of Avias cost. There will be substantial savings in labour cost, since the labour in Prague is very high in comparison to India. We have already imported press tools from the Avia plant in the Czech Republic and commissioned it at our Uttarakhand plant, Sridharan said. The company will begin panel pressing operations in Uttarakhand and then ship the product to Avia in the Czech Republic. The cabin can be used for Ashok Leylands existing range of intermediate commercial vehicles (ICV) as well. The Czech company has a truck range of 6-12 tonnes and depending upon the gross combination weight, with a drawer trailer, it can go up to 22 tonnes. Avias products can be classified as ICVs, which are typically between 7.5 tonnes and 12 tonnes. Manufacturing the cabin in Uttarakhand will not give Ashok Leyland any cost benefit over the Ecomet cabin; however, it is advantageous since it will strengthen its position in the ICV space. With two products in the ICV category, namely Ecomet 912 and 1112, Ashok Leyland has a marketshare of about 3-5%, We do not have a strong product portfolio in the ICV category, so with the use of the more sophisticated looking and comfortable Avia cabins, we will be able to launch more variants in the 9- and 11-tonne category, he added. While this would be one advantage of Avia cabins, the other, said Sridharan, is that by using Avia cabins and Ashok Leyland chassis, the company can build a cost-effective product which can be exported to West Asian and African markets. An analyst with a domestic research firm said this arrangement would work well for Ashok Leyland as these regions prefer a fully-built product. But the company will have to price it appropriately, as there will be competition from Tata Motors as well as Chinese and Korean players. Typically, the cabin cost is high (upwards of Rs 75,000) and the price-conscious buyer prefers to buy just the chassis from the company, which would cost him around Rs 6 lakh, whereas a fully-built product would cost around Rs 7 lakh. However, in India, the trend is gradually moving towards fully built ICVs, the analyst said. Sridharan said Ashok Leyland is working out on the price positioning of the product for both export and domestic markets.

Date :- 19 July 2006 -

Leyland acquires truck maker Avia

The acquisition appetite of Indian firms just got bigger. Hinduja group's flagship firm Ashok Leyland on Wednesday acquired a loss-making Czech Republic-based truck maker Avia as part of its plans to secure a foothold in the growing light commercial vehicle market in India. This is Ashok Leyland's first big acquisition in the overseas market. Financial terms of the deal, which is expected to be completed by the end of August, were not immediately available. The deal would give India's second largest truck maker access to a range of Avia trucks, particularly in the under 7tonne LCV segment. The acquisition will also give Leyland access to growing markets, a base for assembling its vehicles and the potential to save on component costs. "Avia's acquisition is part of our inorganic growth plan and is a significant step in securing a beachhead in EU and the eastern European markets," R Seshasayee, Ashok Leyland MD said. Seshasayee said it would look at scaling up production at Avia's plant and tap new markets including the Middle East, south east Asia and Russia.

Though the Ashok Leyland scrip rose after the announcement, it soon came under overall bear hammering and ended down 1.4% at Rs 30.75 on the BSE.

Date :- 15 May 2012 -

Ashok Leyland plans to introduce its Avia range in India

The new range of heavy trucks will be launched in India by the end of this fiscal.

Ashok Leyland is planning to launch its latest Avia range of vehicles in the Indian market this fiscal. The new range of heavy trucks will be manufactured at the company plant in Pant Nagar."We hope to bring them by the end of this fiscal." Mr Vinodh K Dasari, managing director, Ashok Leyland said. The heavy vehicle maker, Ashok Leyland was manufacturing the Avia range vehicles at its plant in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic for the Eurpean markets, Dasari said, they make them as country specific vehicles. "It will be India specific product when we launch it here." Dasari added. The company Prague plant will continue to manufacture Avia vehicles and the Indian version would be made locally at Pant Nagar plant, which will have a capacity to build 30,000 units per year. The Avia range of vehicles was one of the successful products in the company'sportfolio and would replace the Ecomet range of trucks in a phased manner.

Ashok Leyland-Rakia JV to roll out Avia trucks


His Highness Sheikh Saud Bin Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah has inaugurated the state-of-the-art vehicle factory of Ashok Leyland (UAE) Ltd, a joint venture between Ashok Leyland, the flagship of the Hinduja Group and the Ras Al Khaimah Investment Authority (RAKIA), at Ras Al Khaimah. The function took place in the distinguished presence of His Highness Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, UAE, Dr. Khater Massaad, Chief Executive Officer, RAKIA, Srichand P. Hinduja, Chairman, Hinduja Group, and other dignitaries from the Hinduja Family and senior management of Ashok Leyland. The facility, which is UAEs first vehicle factory, was dedicated to the people of RAK by His Highness at another event that closely followed the inauguration, where he also launched the Avia range trucks manufactured by Avia Ashok Leyland Ltd,

Czech Republic. The vehicles will soon start rolling out from this facility at RAK. For the Hinduja Group, this event is an important step in reinforcing our presence in the Middle East, said Srichand P. Hinduja. The support and co-operation that we have received from His Highness and his Cabinet for getting this factory up and running has been overwhelming and it is our goal to make this a benchmark manufacturing facility in the world, he added. R. Seshasayee, Managing Director, Ashok Leyland, said: This facility is an important building block in our quest to be a global player. Ashok Leyland has enjoyed a dominant position in the popular bus market of the Gulf region and therefore it was only natural for us to set up a manufacturing base closer to our customers. This facility will not only cater to the growing markets in GCC but also to African and in the event, European markets too. This new facility will be a great fillip to the local economy, said Dr. Khater Massaad, Chief Executive Officer, RAKIA. It will provide more employment opportunities, world-class vehicles and the Made-in-RAK tag will surely find great acceptance in the local markets which will in turn help the economy grow." Set on over 100,000 square meters of land with a built up area of 20,000 sq. meters, the vehicle factory is a world-class facility with an initial annual capacity of 2,000 buses and trucks of international quality. There are two separate weld lines that can handle multiple models; a conveyorised paint line consisting of paint booth, baking zone and cooling zone, two conveyorised trim lines, an extremely flexible vehicle assembly line suitable for current and prospective models, supported by modern facilities to test multiple product features. Capitalising on the built-in flexibility of the manufacturing facilities, the product range is being enlarged, with the production of trucks. In a significant move, the European brand of trucks, currently produced at Prague headquartered Avia Ashok Leyland Motors, are set to roll out from the Ras Al Khaimah plant. The D-Line series of Avia trucks will complement Ashok Leylands medium and heavy duty trucks, in serving the traditional markets of Africa, UAE and neighbouring regions. The launch models for the market are the D75-140, a 7.5 tonner powered by a 140 hp engine and the D120-180 (12 tonner, 180 hp engine), with wheel base options. Noted for its stylish aero dynamic contours, its clean, modern lines were designed by European Styling House I.D.E.A and Hawtal Whiting in the UK. Both the cab and chassis designs meet and exceed the most stringent of GCC legislation. The cab qualifies for crash test requirements as per ECE 29-02. Avia cabs have the unique double zinc steel sheets with full immersion cataphoretic (ED) coating, for unbeatable corrosion protection. Avia trucks would be the first in GCC to offer brake systems as per EU standards in the 7.5 tonne category. The well equipped cab is designed for high levels of driver comfort in the sophisticated European market. The menu of features includes air conditioning, electric windows, adjustable steering wheel and air suspended seat. The cab also has an air filter to purify the air entering the cab.

Date:- 15-may-2012 -Ashok Leyland net down 10 per cent in FY12

Ashok Leyland has posted a 10 per cent reduction in net profit for 2011-12, hit by higher finance cost, increased depreciation and a muted market in its southern strongholds. The Hinduja group's flagship company, however, saw overall sales go up by 15 per cent. "We were hit from many sides. The mining ban in Karnataka and uncertainties in Andhra Pradesh impacted the company as it has a major presence in the southern region. Further the intermediate commercial vehicle (ICV) range grew in which we were not strong. Further higher depreciation and finance cost affected the company's net profit," Managing Director Vinod K. Dasari said. Ashok Leyland closed 2011-12 with a turnover of Rs 12,841.99 crore and a net profit of Rs 565.98 crore, against Rs 11,177.11 crore and Rs 631.30 crore posted the previous financial year. During the period under review, the company's finance cost went up by Rs 67 crore and depreciation by Rs 85 crore as compared to previous year's figures. "This year the focus will be on reducing the working capital requirements. This will be largely facilitated by building of cabin's in-house contrary to the earlier practice of getting it done from outside," said chief financial officer K. Sridharan. According to Dasari, the company is targeting total sales of 146,000 units - 110,000 units medium and heavy commercial vehicles (M&HCV) and 36,000 units of the "Dost" light commercial vehicle (LCV). Ashok Leyland will be expanding its M&HCV capacity at a new facility near here though the actual numbers - production and investment- are yet to be fixed, said Sridharan. According to him, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed with the Tamil Nadu government Monday to invest a total of Rs 4,150 crore to be shared by Ashok Leyland as well as Ashok Leyland Nissan Motor Company Ltd - a joint venture with Nissan Motor Company. Once the project goes on stream in two years time, Ashok Leyland will unlock production capacities at its existing locations as the production of Dost LCV will move over to the new facility. According to Dasari, the company can increase its production at its Pantnagar plant in Uttarakhand by operating the third shift. He said the company would make the Avia range of trucks at its Pantnagar plant and launch the same during the course of this year. Queried about the status of the company's new engine called Neptune, Dasari said trials were held with army and civilian trucks fitted with the engine. He said the company would make around 100 trucks with Neptune engine and sell them this fiscal. Ashok Leyland will also start selling "Jan" bus - a one step bus - and a new range of trucks.

Date :- 16 December 2010-Ashok Leyland-RAKIA Joint Ventures vehicle factory inaugurated To soon roll out the European AVIA range of trucks

His Highness Sheikh Saud Bin Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah today inaugurated the state-of-the-art vehicle factory of Ashok Leyland (UAE) Ltd, a joint venture between Ashok Leyland, the flagship of the Hinduja Group and the Ras Al Khaimah Investment Authority (RAKIA), at Ras Al Khaimah. The function took place in the distinguished presence of His Highness Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, UAE, Dr. Khater Massaad, Chief Executive Officer, RAKIA, Mr. Srichand P. Hinduja, Chairman, Hinduja Group, and other dignitaries from the Hinduja Family and senior management of Ashok Leyland. The facility, which is UAEs first vehicle factory, was dedicated to the people of RAK by His Highness at another event that closely followed the inauguration, where he also launched the AVIA range trucks manufactured by AVIA ASHOK LEYLAND LTD, Czech Republic. The vehicles will soon start rolling out from this facility at RAK. For the Hinduja Group, this event is an important step in reinforcing our presence in the Middle East, said Mr. Srichand P. Hinduja. The support and co-operation that we have received from His Highness and his Cabinet for getting this factory up and running has been overwhelming and it is our goal to make this a benchmark manufacturing facility in the world, he added. Mr. R. Seshasayee, Managing Director, Ashok Leyland, said: This facility is an important building block in our quest to be a global player. Ashok Leyland has enjoyed a dominant position in the popular bus market of the Gulf region and therefore it was only natural for us to set up a manufacturing base closer to our customers. This facility will not only cater to the growing markets in GCC but also to African and in the event, European markets too. This new facility will be a great fillip to the local economy, said Dr. Khater Massaad, Chief Executive Officer, RAKIA. It will provide more employment opportunities, world-class vehicles and the Made-in-RAK tag will surely find great acceptance in the local markets which will in turn help the economy grow." Set on over 100,000 square meters of land with a built up area of 20,000 sq. meters, the vehicle factory is a world-class facility with an initial annual capacity of 2,000 buses and trucks of international quality. There are two separate weld lines that can handle multiple models; a conveyorised paint line consisting of paint booth, baking zone and cooling zone, two conveyorised trim lines, an extremely flexible vehicle assembly line suitable for current and prospective models, supported by modern facilities to test multiple product features. Capitalising on the built-in flexibility of the manufacturing facilities, the product range is being enlarged, with the production of trucks. In a significant move, the European brand of trucks, currently produced at Prague headquartered AVIA ASHOK LEYLAND MOTORS, are set to roll out from the Ras Al Khaimah plant. The D-Line series of AVIA trucks will complement Ashok Leylands medium and heavy duty trucks, in serving the traditional markets of Africa, UAE and neighbouring regions. The launch models for the market are the D75-140, a 7.5 tonner powered by a 140 hp engine and the D120-180 (12 tonner, 180 hp engine), with wheel base options. Noted for its stylish aero dynamic contours, its clean, modern lines were designed by European Styling House I.D.E.A and Hawtal Whiting in the UK. Both the cab and chassis designs meet and exceed the most stringent of GCC legislation. The cab qualifies for crash test requirements as per ECE 29-02. AVIA cabs have the unique double zinc steel sheets with full immersion cataphoretic (ED) coating, for unbeatable corrosion protection. AVIA trucks would be the first in GCC to offer brake systems as per EU standards in the 7.5 tonne category. The well equipped cab is designed for high levels of driver comfort in the sophisticated European market. The menu of features includes air conditioning, electric windows, adjustable steering wheel and air suspended seat. The cab also has an air filter to purify the air entering the cab. Website:- http://www.ashokleyland.com/press-releases-list/2010

Website site :http://www.rushlane.com/ashok-leyland-set-to-launch-avia-range-in-india-1234358.html http://www.financialexpress.com/news/ashok-leyland-plans-avia-d-trucks-for-india/259597/2

http://www.dnaindia.com/money/report_leyland-to-make-avia-cabins-locally_1342176
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2006-07-19/india-business/27811977_1_truck-maker-avia-r-seshasayee

http://www.oncars.in/Car-News-Detail/Ashok-Leyland-plans-to-introduce-its-Avia-range-in-India/2358 http://motownindia.com/motown/Gadgets/View_Details.aspx?id=124&type=National_News http://businesstoday.intoday.in/story/ashok-leyland-net-down-10-per-cent-fy12/1/184543.html

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