Farm tools maker to foray into scooters

Barnala-based Standard Combines (P) Ltd, one of the leading manufacturers of combines (harvesters), will foray into making scooters and diesel three-wheelers. For this, the company has invested around Rs 20 crore in Baddi. The production of diesel three-wheelers will start in January, and scooter production will start in June.

The company has recently acquired Gujarat-based Narmada Auto Ltd for producing scooters.

Talking to Business Standard, Managing Director Sardar Nachhtar Singh said, "The machinery will come from Gujarat. The company is also one of leading manufacturers of combines, and in tractors it has a market share of 10 per cent and is hoping to achieve 10 per cent growth this financial year."

"For tractors, enquiries have come from Sri Lanka, Zambia, Kenya, and Namibia. Apart from these foreign destinations, we also plan to explore the domestic market," he added.

As the size of farm land holdings is decreasing, the company has launched small tractors of 16 HP and 20 HP, a month ago, which have received good response in Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra. The firms is expecting to sell 600 tractors in this financial year.

In April-September, the turnover of the company was Rs 140 crore, with the launch of scooters and three-wheelers. The company is targeting Rs 200 crore by the end of this fiscal.

Singh attributed the success of his product to technology imported from China, Poland, and the Czech Republic.