Mahindra plans to offer customised goods carrier

Tractor and utility vehicle maker Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) is eyeing a larger share of the three-wheeler market by introducing application-specific variants in the goods carrier segment.

"Mahindra has a presence in the 0.75 tonne goods carrier segment where it holds 31 per cent of the market and is now developing need-specific customised vehicles for poultries, bakeries, diaries etc to improve our market share," said Rajesh Jejurikar, executive vice president, marketing and sales automotive sector of Mahindra and Mahindra.

Customisation will include minor changes in the existing vehicle prototype to better suit the needs of different sectors.

Mahindra, which entered the market a year and a half ago is still a small player in the fast growing market but has been growing at an impressive rate.

The company sold 6,969 goods carriers in the April to October 2003 period as against 3,285 in the corresponding period of the previous year.

Mahindra also has a presence in the passenger carrier segment where it has been selling very small numbers (2,634 in April-October) but its focus stays trained on the rapidly growing goods carrier segment.

Sales in the passenger carrier segment declined 5 per cent during April to October. In comparison, the goods carrier segment (including both 0.50 tonne and 0.75 tonne vehicles) grew 55 per cent in the same period.

M&M is also looking at applying need-specific customisation formula to its pick-up vehicles to close in on arch rival Tata Motors.

Mahindra, which ruled the pick-up segment with an 84 per cent market share, was pushed back by the gaining popularity Tata Motors's 207 DI.

Mahindra then launched the Maxx Pick up which helped it reinforce its position slightly and take its market share from 56 per cent in August to 60 per cent currently.