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Japanese truck maker Hino Motors, part of the Toyota group, is launching its premium range of trucks in the country, joining a growing
list of firms, including Volvo,
Tata Motors and MAN, who have recently launched their truck range in the fast growing Indian market.

Hino will initially import the truck chassis and cabin from its units in Thailand and set up manufacturing facilities once volumes pick up, a senior company official told ET. Hino had recently ended its technology tie-up with Ashok Leyland.

Globally, Toyota’s marketing and sales network helps in the distribution of Hino’s products. Hino Motors will, however, market the trucks in India through Japanese trading giant Marubeni, as Hino wants to have an independent set up in India.

The Japanese truck major is upbeat on the medium and higher end commercial vehicle, where sales have fallen in recent months with only the light commercial vehicle range, showing positive growth. “There is demand for higher technology, premiumly-positioned trucks, and we see the market picking up,” said the Hino official.


Ashok Leyland to launch new truck range 'Unitruck' by 2010

Mumbai, 28 July 2008: Ashok Leyland Ltd, India's No.2 bus and truck maker, said today that it is developing a new range of trucks for global markets, as it takes on greater competition from local and foreign rivals.

Leyland, which has ventures with Nissan Motor Co for light trucks, engines and components, will begin the rollout of a new range of "Unitruck" 16-49 ton trucks from 2010, it said.

These trucks will meet the demand for various applications in local and global markets, it said, and also feature a new family of 6-cylinder engines.

"The Unitruck range reflects our global ambitions," said Mr.R. Seshasayee, Managing Director, Ashok Leyland Ltd, in a statement.

"The trucks will spearhead our entry into developed markets, with competitive advantages in costs. It will also answer the evolving needs of the domestic market", he said.

Separately, the Leyland-Nissan ventures will have an initial capacity of 1,00,000 vehicles, with production scheduled to start in 2010-11.

Ashok Leyland, which is spending 30 billion rupees ($705 million) over three years to more than double its capacity, trails leader Tata Motors Ltd in a market where medium and heavy truck sales have been hit by high fuel prices and firm interest rates.

There is also growing competition from foreign firms that have firmed up local ventures, including Volvo with Eicher Motors, MAN with Force Motors and Daimler with the Hero Group.