TVS Motor starts export of BMW bikes

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SME Times News Bureau | 22 Mar, 2017
Two and three wheeler major TVS Motor Company Ltd's agreement to make high powered motorcycles for Germany's BMW has come to fruition with the Indian company starting to ship out BMW branded 310cc bikes, said a senior company official.

He also said TVS Motor Company would invest around Rs 350 crore next fiscal towards expansion of capacity, launch one new model each of scooter and motorcycle are some of the targets for 2017-18.

In 2013, TVS Motor and BMW signed an agreement to jointly develop motorcycles in the 250-500cc range to be sold through their respective distribution network.

The 310cc motorcycle and its engine were developed jointly with the German automobile giant BMW on a common platform/architecture.

Not revealing any numbers about the number of units made or shipped out for BMW President and CEO K.N. Radhakrishnan said it is up to the German auto major to talk about the numbers.

Speaking to a group of journalists who visited the company's Hosur plant on Tuesday, Radhakrishnan said TVS Motor is yet to decide on the distribution model-separate network or sold through existing dealership - for its own 310cc bike Akula that would be launched next fiscal.

Radhakrishnan said the company has budgeted a capital expenditure of around Rs 350 crore next fiscal towards capacity expansion and other aspects.

"The investment will be funded out of internal accrual," he said.

According to him, the company has started rolling out BS-IV emission norms compliant vehicles.

Radhakrishnan said the company will close the fiscal 2016-17 with a market share of around 14 percent as the sales scooters and motorcycles picking up.

He said the company's current market share in scooters is around 17 percent (Q3 2016-17), motorcycles eight percent (Q3 2016-17).

He said the company's revenue from spare parts sales is around 10 percent.

Queried about the three wheeler market, Radhakrishnan said sales has dipped owing to various market factors, saying nearly 65 percent of the three wheeler produced are exported where the market has gone down.

On the company's Indonesian venture, Radhakrishnan said the business is expected to breakeven next fiscal with losses halved this year to $3 million from around $6 million.