Hero revs up for an uphill climb amid tougher norms, rising input costs

The two-wheeler maker has stepped up its premium drive to boost sales and fend off competition in its stronghold, but the efforts may be short on results

Faced with a number of challenges from rural distress to tougher emission norms and rising input costs, Hero MotoCorp is battling on multiple fronts.

Its dealerships are saddled with unsold stock; its profit in the January-March period has fallen by a quarter to Rs 730.32 crore, against Rs 967.4 crore in the same period last year; and a pick-up in sales is unlikely over the next few months as dispatches to dealers would be curtailed to reduce the inventory.

If the industry-wide slowdown in auto sales, higher ownership costs due to a switch to stricter fuel emission norms and a change in