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Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Interaction – Dimitrov Krishnan, Managing Director, Volvo CE India Pvt. Ltd. January 2025

Volvo CE plays a pivotal role in supporting infrastructure development projects, providing advanced and reliable machinery tailored to the unique demands of the Indian market. The company’s compactors and excavators manufactured in its plant in India are exported to places like the Middle East, Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America. In an exclusive interview to CONSTRUCTION OPPORTUNITIES, DIMITROV KRISHNAN, MANAGING DIRECTOR, VOLVO CE INDIA PVT LTD, gives an overview on the Make in India initiative, cutting edge technologies featured in his company’s machines, future technology trends and a lot more.

The “Make in India” program has definitely hastened the growth of the Indian Construction Equipment Industry by increasing local manufacturing and lowering imports. This move has attracted not only local companies but also foreign companies to set up their plants here, which further brought in new technology and encouraged innovation. On the other hand, this infrastructure investment in roads, railways, airports, and urban development created an increased demand for construction equipment. India is concentrating on self-sufficiency and building infrastructure, which has helped the local supply chain to a great extent, and is making India a huge player in the global scenario. By 2035, it is expected that India will be the larger construction equipment market in the world.

Under the “Make in India” initiative, one of the most significant issues the construction market faces is that of skilled operator shortages, as India does not have any legal requirement for operator licensing. To counter this issue, Volvo Construction Equipment has partnered with the Infrastructure Equipment Sector Council (IESC) and various private training partners to develop certified training centers across India. These training centers train people from zero skills to junior operators, increasing employability. We also launched mobile simulators for on-site upskilling, which enable operators to enhance efficiency and safety on the job. By providing equipment and content to support training programs, Volvo is bridging the skilling gap while it promotes productivity and safety in the industry.

The “Make in India” initiative really pushes for new ideas in the construction equipment scene by boosting local manufacturing, attracting global investments, and getting advanced tech involved. Here at Volvo Construction Equipment, we totally live by the ‘Make in India and Sell Globally’ idea by making compactors and excavators right here in our plants in India to export to places like the Middle East, Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America. Our game-changing technologies also include electric construction equipment and sophisticated hydraulic systems, which help align with sustainability goals. Moreover, our competence center in India contributes to the whole world by developing embedded software for products worldwide, thereby enhancing India’s contribution to the global value chain for cutting-edge construction solutions.

Indeed, Volvo Construction Equipment has implemented Industry 4.0 in its production processes by adopting IoT, automation, and data analytics technologies to achieve more efficiency and accuracy. All these changes in the process have helped it reduce the production cycle and improve the quality control measures. It has also helped in enhancing predictive maintenance to reduce downtime and costs. Industry 4.0 has also supported our commitment to sustainability by minimizing waste and energy consumption. Moreover, these innovations have further strengthened our supplier base, especially MSMEs, by enhancing better collaboration and competence development, thus creating a more resilient and globally competitive ecosystem.

Foreign investments play an important role in the success of the “Make in India” initiative, especially in the construction equipment sector. They bring in new technologies and spark innovation, boosting our local manufacturing market and setting up production facilities in India. This not only creates jobs but also strengthens our domestic supply chain.  Collaborations with foreign investors also give a major boost to MSMEs by enhancing their capabilities and plugging them into global value chains. This means that small and medium enterprises can also compete on a global level. Plus, foreign investments help to ensure that small and medium enterprise’s products meet international standards, making it easier to export and position India as a competitive manufacturing and export hub worldwide. This blend of local and global efforts really captures the spirit of “Make in India.”

The “Make in India” initiative has really ramped up the export potential for Indian-made construction equipment by pushing for local manufacturing and ensuring products meet global standards. We are making the most of advanced tech to create top-notch equipment. For instance, soil compactors, asphalt compactors, and pneumatic tyre rollers developed right here in India are now being shipped to places like Southeast Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East. While India made great strides in manufacturing and exports, there’s still a lot of potential to tap into developed markets. By keeping our focus on innovation, quality, and aligning with global regulations, we can truly show off India’s manufacturing skills to the world.

The “Make in India” initiative has been a huge boost for job creation in the construction equipment sector. By promoting domestic manufacturing, it has created a whole ecosystem for skill development and training. In this context, Volvo Construction Equipment has partnered with the Infrastructure Equipment Sector Council and certified training partners to upskill operators and technicians, making them more employable across the industry. Volvo Construction Equipment has over 120 suppliers, many of which are MSMEs. The initiative has strengthened local supply chains and indirectly generated countless jobs. Plus, the increased manufacturing of locally designed equipment has opened up even more opportunities in production, training, and servicing. It’s a win-win for everyone involved.

Under the “Make in India” initiative, there’s been a big push to boost skill development in the construction equipment sector. Partnering with the Infrastructure Equipment Sector Council and various training partners, certified training programs, standardized content, and operator certification are various ways through which we are enhancing skill development at Volvo.  To truly meet global standards, the industry needs more OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) participation, mandatory operator licensing, and increased government support for subsidized training programs. This will attract new talent and develop the competencies needed for the future. It’s all about preparing the workforce for the evolving landscape.

The “Make in India” initiative is all about helping the construction equipment sector move towards more sustainable technologies to solve environmental issues, pushing local manufacturing and getting every one of them on board by advanced low-emission gear upholding stringent government rules such as BS IV and soon-to-arrive CEV-5 norms.  In this context Volvo CE is at the forefront of change and is getting electric and energy-efficient goods that cut down emissions besides fuel consumption. We have rolled out electric construction gear to help contractors go green to achieve those sustainability and cost-cutting targets and we are also investing in innovation, making equipment locally and training people, which contributes to cleaner and sustainable infrastructure for India’s vision to become net-zero by 2070.

Under the ‘Make in India’ initiative, the CE sector in India holds immense promise. As the demand for high-quality machinery manufactured locally increases, manufacturers are now working to develop products that are engineered in India with high local content. The growth in infrastructure projects, government support for skill development, and an increased focus on sustainable, energy-efficient equipment is boosting the prospects of the sector and fueling growth and innovation in the Indian market. Local manufacturers are now investing in advanced technologies to create equipment that is not only efficient and durable but also capable of handling diverse and challenging operational conditions.

Under ‘Make in India’, the strong emphasis on sustainability has also led to an increased production of eco-friendly products and equipment such as electric and hybrid models, which meet emission norms while maintaining high productivity. This push for sustainable solutions positions India’s CE sector as a leader in the global shift towards greener construction practices. Overall, the ‘Make in India’ initiative is fostering a thriving CE industry by combining local innovation, global competitiveness, and sustainable practices, ensuring the sector is well-prepared to meet future demands.

Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) has enjoyed a strong performance this year, driven by its focus on innovation, sustainability, and customer-centric solutions. In India, Volvo CE continues to play a pivotal role in supporting infrastructure development projects, providing advanced and reliable machinery tailored to the unique demands of the Indian market. Our focus on automation and digitalization coupled with eco-friendly solutions has allowed us to remain competitive while resonating with the vision of sustainable growth in the country. Our investments in after-sales services, operator training, and customer support infrastructure have further strengthened our market presence and relationships with customers.

Looking ahead, Volvo CE is committed to pushing sustainability and innovation in the CE sector. We will continue to build our portfolio of energy-efficient and electric machines to support the transition of India towards a low-carbon economy. Our focus will also be on strengthening digital technologies such as telematics and AI-driven analytics for smarter and more efficient operations on behalf of our customers. As a trusted partner in the industry, Volvo CE is well-positioned to meet these demands while contributing to the country’s long-term development goals.

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