Ideal Motors embarks on a major expansion drive in Ratmalana
View(s):Ideal Motors Ltd, the sole automobile franchise partner of India’s Mahindra & Mahindra in Sri Lanka is embarking on a major expansion of its entire range of business, by foraying into further diversified activities including the setting up of a fully fledged modern workshop, motor mechanic training centre and after sales unit in Ratmalana area, a top official of the company said.
Nalin Welgama, Chairman of Ideal Motors told the Business Times that the company has purchased an 11 acre block of Land in Ratmalana from Piramal Glass PLC at a price of Rs. 415 million to construct a workshop for the service of Mahindra two-wheelers in Sri Lanka.
He added that the property will be used to set up the main, after sales branch of Ideal in addition to serving as a centre to train staff in the servicing of Mahindra two-wheelers.
The Ratmalana training centre is to be fully geared to train youth in motor mechanism specially including CRDE or Common Rail Diesel Engine or ‘Common Rail Direct Fuel Injection’ technology.
Many car manufacturers in India and the world are using this technology, he said adding that youth who complete successful training at this centre in motor mechanism will be able to pursue a career as motor mechanics in Sri Lanka or overseas.
The Mahindra Group will provide technical and other assistance towards this end, he added
Mr. Welgama said that Ideal Motors together with Mahindra Group will launch regional repair centres countrywide to attend to repair work of Mahindra vehicles running on local roads.
The company sells 900 to 1000 units per month with the number of Mahindra vehicles increasing rapidly, he said, adding that there is an urgent need to set up repair centres manned by specially trained motor mechanics in CRDE technology
He revealed that the company has purchased a two acre land in Ratmalana to establish a logistics hub for two wheelers and a stores complex. Mr. Welgama asserted that the main operation of Ideal Motors will be shifted to Ratmalana transforming the area to a new automobile industry zone from the current apparel industry status.
Scooters are becoming more popular in Sri Lanka making up about a third of all two-wheelers sold in the country now, he said, adding that the company is now exploring this new trend by introducing Mahindra scooters in a big way.
Sri Lankans who could not afford a car were buying up to 24,000 two-wheelers a month up to April 2011 and then it came down to between 14,000 to 12,000 units a month when the state almost doubled taxes from 50 to 100 per cent in April 2012, in a mistaken reaction to the balance of payments crisis, he said.
“And out of this 28 to 30 per cent are scooters as there has been a growth in the scooter segment within the two-wheeler market, not only in Sri Lanka but also in India and that is why we have launched Mahindra range of two wheelers in Sri Lanka”, he added.
These include two powerful scooters, the Rodeo RZ and Duro DZ and two intelligent motorcycles, the Pantero and the Centuro, marking its entry into the Sri Lankan two-wheeler segment, Mr. Welgama said.
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