It appears that ACDelco’s decision to increase its customer base in India is paying dividends, the global automotive component supplier’s aftermarket operation having posted a 40% increase in growth year on year. And at a time when talk remains of global economic downturn, with many economies predicting little or insignificant growth over the next two years*, ACDelco is confident that it will buck the trend by attaining the same level of growth in 2012.
As Rajesh Nangia, Director, ACDelco India comments, “Our performance this year speaks for itself. At the start of 2011 we took the decision to increase the distribution of product via an expanded customer network and this has paid dividends. What’s more, we see no reason why such high levels of growth aren’t sustainable moving forwards as projection indicate.”
Some twelve months ago, ACDelco saw its largely automotive parts programme supported by a customer base of 333 outlets; today this figure stands at 600 plus and is set to rise even further over the coming year, something an enthusiastic Rajesh is quick to point out. “It isn’t purely about adding numbers. We have invested a great deal of time and energy in recruiting and appointing specialist dealers who not only have strong product knowledge but a proven track record in customer relations in their respective areas of expertise.
“In 2012 we aim to continue with this customer product segmented approach to our ongoing business expansion programme in India, the aim being to help continue to strengthen ACDelco’s presence in four key sectors: lubricants, batteries, air conditioning and general automotive,” Nangia added.
Not surprisingly, by increasing its customer base by the magnitude it has, ACDelco has been successful in penetrating new and so far unexplored rural markets. Today, ACDelco products can be found across the length and breadth of India. In the north, ACDelco now has customer locations in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, whereas in the west of the country they can be found in West in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. In India’s southern part it is similar picture, ACDelco having appointed dealers in Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
In support of servicing what is a significantly expanding customer base, Rajesh Nangia and his team at ACDelco India have also successfully focused on putting in place an enhanced warehousing infrastructure that now sees ACDelco’s products being distributed from key regional hubs in cities, such as Ahmedabad, Chennai, Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh) and Kolkata.
As Nangia concludes, “It is our intention to start 2012 by hitting the year running, and everyone within the organisation is upbeat and confident about delivering yet more positive news as the year unfolds. We have a number of exciting initiatives in the pipeline, so if one thing is for sure, 2012 looks set to be a busy and exciting time.”
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Established in India in 1997, ACDelco today supplies a diverse range of vehicle parts that takes in batteries, lubricants, half-shafts, bulbs, spark plugs, oil, fuel and air filters, brake pads, and HVAC and car care products.
ACDelco today supplies the aftermarket in India with a product range that takes in more than 2,500 part numbers. Manufactured to the highest quality, all ACDelco components are competitively priced and aligned to the requirements of the country’s vehicle parc.
*Conference Board - Global Economic Outlook 2012: Until at least the middle of the next decade, global growth is likely to slow to approximately 3 percent per year on average–a rate somewhat below the average of the last two decades.
Global growth is projected to grow at 3.2 percent in 2012, then accelerate somewhat to 3.5 percent from 2013-2016. Advanced economy growth is expected to slow down from an already meager 1.6 percent in 2011 to 1.3 percent in 2012.
In 2012 emerging economies will slow in growth by 1.3 percentage points on average, going from 6.4 percent growth in 2011 to 5.1 percent in 2012, partly as a result of slower export growth and partly because several of them have been growing above trend.