Tata Motors eyes more market share in South India in commercial vehicle segment

The company has opened around 20 touch-points which include 8 full-fledged dealerships across the southern states

Auto major Tata Motors is working to "substantially" increase its market share in the commercial vehicle segment in South India, a stronghold of its rival Ashok Leyland, for which it is ramping up sales network in the region.

The company has crossed the milestone of having 600 touch-points in the region, which currently contributes to around 27 per cent of the total commercial vehicle sales in the country.

Over the last six months, the company has opened around 20 touch-points which include eight full-fledged dealerships across Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Telangana among others.

"We are looking to expand our sales network all across the country in order to be near our customers. We are focusing on the South region in equal measure and have just crossed the important landmark of 600 outlets," Tata Motors Vice-President Sales and Marketing Commercial Vehicles R T Wasan told PTI.

 

The company, which currently has a market share of around 36 per cent in the South India, expects to "substantially increase it further across segments", he added but did not share any specific market share target for the region.

As part of its sales network expansion in the region the company has recently opened 10 sales, service and spare parts (3S) besides 10 sales outlets (1S) in Chennai, Salem, Warangal, Trichy, Madurai, Cochin, Tumkur among others.

"These new outlets have already started to contribute around 6 per cent of our overall volumes in the region," Wasan said.

In terms of new product launch in the South market, he said Tata Motors is gearing up to launch its new-generation range of SIGNA medium & heavy commercial vehicles during the next calendar year.

The company is also expected to further its presence in the intermediate and light commercial vehicle space with the ULTRA brand along with a series of introductions planned in the pick-up and small passenger and cargo vehicle space.

The company sells a range of commercial vehicles from 0.5 tonne vehicles like Ace to 49 tonne tractors in the cargo space and from Iris to buses and coaches.

It has the largest network of sales network in the country with over 1,800 touch-points.