“We see opportunity in consolidating complete tractor-trailer solutions for customers” - BPW Trailer Systems India

In this exclusive interview with Nagaraj Ubale, Director (Technical), BPW Trailer Systems India Private Limited, Rajesh Rajgor finds out how the company resumed operations post the lockdown, about their new 12 T and 14 T air-suspensions for the new 54 T and 55 T GVW tractor-trailers and consolidation efforts to provide complete trailer solutions including axles, suspensions, landing gear, mudguard, lighting systems and spare parts to customers

- Rajesh Rajgor

Could you give us an update on the current status of BPW India’s operations, especially after you reopened post the lockdown?

We did our last dispatch on March 22, 2020 before we went into the lockdown phase. Post the lockdown, we began with 33 per cent workforce and it was a bit difficult to operate with less manpower. Most of the executives were operating from their homes and even now a few of them are at their native place and functioning from there. So, we have made peace with the new normal and that is how it is now. From the service perspective, with the truck movements starting in the phase of Unlock 2.0 we could serve our customers in Rajasthan and the NCR region. Nearly 60 to 70 per cent of our premium products are deployed in these two regions. Our team in East India reached most of the customers.

They even conducted medical camps for drivers’ health and undertook medical awareness projects related to the impact of the corona virus. It was indeed tough since nothing much was moving during the lockdown. Yet, most of us managed somehow or the other. We are really thankful to all our customers; you know that there was some concern regarding registration of BS IV vehicles just before the lockdown and all those vehicles were stacked up during that particular period. There was chaos to clear up the inventories. We had confirmed orders during that time and were therefore able to pick up pace after the easing of the lockdown when we started commissioning orders. With the support of the local manpower that worked over weekends to complete the orders, we were able to fulfil the requirements.