Latest news with #Mamillapalle
Time of India
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
For Renault India, the time has come to walk the talk
New Delhi: As Managing Director of Renault India , Venkatram Mamillapalle believes the time has come for the French carmaker to walk the talk after a few years of being in the wilderness. Asked if the brand aura has taken a hit in the process, he is candid with his response. 'I will not hesitate in saying that there has been an impact because we were at about 2.8 per cent market share in 2019-20 and less than 1 per cent , marginally at 0.98 percent to be precise,' he told ET Auto. There were many reasons for this setback beginning with the COVID outbreak in 2020 followed by the semiconductor shortage crisis, the Russian-Ukraine war and so on. There were also no investments happening in India because of adverse conditions back home in Europe which had to be addressed as top priority to set things in order. We have to prove ourselves as well. It is not as if everything is readily available and a pipeline is placed from where you get all the investmentsVenkatram Mamillapalle Things are a lot different now and investments finally began coming in from 2023 leading to the launch of the all-new Triber on July 23. 'This is the first vehicle and we have lined up three more in the next two years. We have to prove ourselves as well. It is not as if everything is readily available and a pipeline is placed from where you get all the investments,' cautioned Mamillapalle . In the driver's seat A whole lot of changes have come in too with Renault acquiring Nissan's 51 per cent stake in the manufacturing plant near Chennai which means it is now the solo driver. The company also recently inaugurated its design studio as well as threw open its premium 'R Store' retail outlets in Chennai and Mumbai with more to follow. With investments assured for the new products, Mamillapalle said the parent company has done its bit for the India operations to begin firing on all cylinders. 'They have contributed to their side of the story and it now time for in India to prove that we will deliver. India is a growing market and we should show that we can perform,' he added. We have packed it with a host of features, including safety, and priced it perfectly well. Now it is up to us to reach out to the customer with the right message where we have a good marketing plan in placeVenkatram Mamillapalle The Triber launch marks the beginning of this turnaround story and the next step is to 'see how things go about and how we can manage'. The Renault India MD also made it clear that localisation and utilisation of capacity go side by side. They are not two different line items but come together. Exports, in turn, will depend on the pace of localisation. 'If you do not localise, there is nothing called exports since it is a subset of your localisation. Plant efficiency, similarly, is part of your localisation efforts. So everything kicks off from the point of what you are doing in India and how competitive you are both on the auto components side as well as your manufacturing costs,' explained Mamillapalle. India is the acid test The bottomline, therefore, is this reality: if you are competitive in India, you are competitive across the world and wherever you are, you will make money if you can (make money) in India. 'That is the simple rule of thumb,' he added. These focus areas came into play during the development of the Triber which led to its competitive pricing. 'We have packed it with a host of features, including safety, and priced it perfectly well. Now it is up to us to reach out to the customer with the right message where we have a good marketing plan in place,' said Mamillapalle. The tailwinds in Renault's favour which could give the Triber a boost are the spate of festive occasions beginning with Ganesh Chaturthi, Onam, Dussehra and then Diwali. 'They are all sequenced this year and the Triber will be aligned with them. Remember, we have the wedding season as well which is great news,' he added. Manufacturing engineering will play a key role at the backend where Renault will now be the pivot with the focus being on cost optimisation. As Mamillapalle explained, manufacturing is more related to manpower cost and there are two different aspects here: equipment uptime and manpower utilisation. 'The combination of these two gives you the efficiency and there are a lot of changes happening in the organisation that should help us. We will see the results of this optimisation of processes in the next two to three months,' he said. Yes, you will struggle and face difficult times. But you will also learn in the process and constantly investigate in finding other options. Life follows the same cycles tooVenkatram Mamillapalle New template This is particularly important in the context of Renault taking over from Nissan — which will be officially finalised in a few weeks from now — and putting a different process in place. 'We have to see how efficiently we go forward and check out where we stand after the acquisition exercise is finally completed,' he added. For instance, where the assembly line is intact, there is no point changing it. Likewise, where the press line is a five station, 'you do not change it to four stations' even though it may be expensive. Some automakers have four station presses for the body while others could have five to six, depending upon the complexity of their designed bodies. Eventually, it boils down to the DNA of each company. Where it was the DNA of Nissan that dominated the script till recently, Renault has now stepped into the picture and there will be some kind of optimisation happening. 'I would say the players or the actors have not entered the scene yet. The acquisition process has to finish. Then you will see the actors demonstrating what needs to be done,' said Mamillapalle. Until that happens, there will be no real performers on the stage. Once they come in (and this is a solo actor, Renault, as the custodian of the Chennai plant), they do their analysis and game theory as part of the systemic engineering exercise. Once the suggestions are 'implemented at hyperspeed', optimisation of capacity 'on an overall basis' follows in due course. Also Read: Govt waits for global OEMs to make electric cars in India Clean fuel options As for the choice of fuels in the future, it is now getting quite clear that India will let its automakers adopt a host of clean options beyond electric alone. This would typically mean hybrids, CNG, hydrogen, ethanol, LPG and so on. 'Well, someone can operate a hydrogen train but you cannot say that I want hydrogen on trains, trucks, cars and bicycles. So we need to take a decision for which the policymakers, OEMs etc have to come aligned and then execute the plan,' said Mamillapalle. As for the present crisis in India's EV arena involving rare earth magnets, it is no secret that one country, China, holds the maximum resources in electric and their 'reluctance to supply' should ideally push other countries to create their own resources. Also Read: Renault plans to boost India production with more SUVs, exports Reluctant to redundant According to the Renault India MD, this will then see dependency vanish over a period of time. 'So the country which is holding the resources and is reluctant to share them will become redundant over over a period of time. They will then be ready to sell those same products in the market at half the price,' he continued. In his view, this 'reluctance in supplies' would be a good thing since dependent countries would learn to become self-reliant eventually. Sure, there will be huge challenges to be overcome in the interim period when production will be badly hit and revenue suffers too. This scene is actually playing out in India where some top two-wheeler companied have stated that their production will come to a grinding halt in the coming weeks. 'Yes, you will struggle and face difficult times. But you will also learn in the process and constantly investigate in finding other options. Life follows the same cycles too,' reasoned Mamillapalle.
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Hindustan Times
Renault waits for India's EV ecosystem to mature before entry, plans to boost SUV production
Renault is waiting for the electric vehicle supportive ecosystem to mature in India before making its entry. The French auto major is one of the few that is yet to launch any electric car in the country's passenger vehicle market despite the growing demand and competition in this space. Speaking about that, Renault India's Managing Director Venkatram Mamillapalle has said that the auto OEM is waiting for the right time to enter the Indian EV market.. Renault is aiming to boost its SUV game in the Indian market, and the new Kiger will be the first of four products coming in the next two years. Renault just launched the facelifted version of its seven-seater MPV Triber in India on July 23, at a starting price of ₹6.29 lakh (ex-showroom). Post launch, Mamillapalle said that the company is currently doing an analysis. "We are looking for the whole ecosystem to mature before we put the product in place," he said, while also adding, 'Currently, what Renault India is looking for is the maturity of the market, the regulation and the ecosystem. All three together." Also check these Cars Find more Cars UPCOMING Renault Kardian 1199 cc 1199 cc Petrol Petrol ₹ 11 Lakhs Alert Me When Launched Renault Kiger 999 cc 999 cc Multiple Multiple ₹ 6.15 Lakhs Compare View Offers UPCOMING Renault Duster 2025 1499 cc 1499 cc Petrol Petrol ₹ 10 Lakhs Alert Me When Launched UPCOMING Renault Kiger 2025 999 cc 999 cc Petrol Petrol ₹ 6 - 10 Lakhs Alert Me When Launched UPCOMING Renault Kwid EV ₹ 5 Lakhs Alert Me When Launched Renault Kwid 999 cc 999 cc Multiple Multiple ₹ 4.70 Lakhs Compare View Offers The Renault India official said that the company is going to be there in multi-powertrain options, including electric. "We will take an appropriate time to announce the launches, and one at a time. CNG and gasoline are already there. So we are talking about other energies. The endeavour to come to that level is very quick," PTI quoted him saying, while further adding, 'We have everything at arm's length, whether it's hybrid ethanol or EVs, everything is available with us, so we don't need to seek technology. It's in my kitchen. It's as and when the maturity happens, the market picks up because it's very important that there is a proper ecosystem for the adaptability of a customer." Renault aims to boost SUV production in India Renault currently sells three products in India, which include the Kiger SUV, Triber MPV and its entry-level hatchback Kwid. The automaker aims to emphasise more on the SUV segment, which has become the key revenue churner for the Indian passenger vehicle market over the last few years. Speaking about that, Mamillapalle revealed that Renault doesn't want to stay behind in the race. In the next two years, Renault India plans to launch four products in the country. The beginning of that product onslaught is going to start with the new Kiger, which is currently under development. "But that is not just the end of the story again. It's a continuation of our lineup, which will happen," he said. In an interaction with Reuters, Mamillapalle said that Renault would launch compact and mid-sized SUVs in India. "We are going to go offensive on the product launches moving forward," he said. India currently accounts for less than two per cent of Renault's global sales, but it is one of five cost-competitive international hubs the carmaker is counting on to boost sales outside of its home market of Europe. Check out Upcoming Cars in India 2025, Best SUVs in India. First Published Date:
Time of India
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
Renault plans to double India parts sourcing, says MD Venkatram Mamillapalle
Renault plans to more than double component sourcing from India to ₹400 million (about ₹4,055 crore) over the next five years, a senior executive said, as the automaker sharpens focus on making the country a key part of its global supply chain . The company currently buys ₹170 million worth of auto parts from India annually. Renault's move to accelerate component sourcing from India tracks the French automaker issuing a profit warning last week amid weaker-than-expected June sales and headwinds in Europe. It also said it would accelerate cost-cutting measures to improve margins in the second half of this calendar year. "Our ambition is to make India a strong sourcing hub, not only to meet global requirements but also to drive greater value for our Indian supplier ecosystem," Venkatram Mamillapalle, MD at Renault India , told ET on Wednesday. Scaling of component exports will help strengthen the company's supplier base and improve its global competitiveness, he said. The senior Renault India executive was speaking on the sidelines of the introduction of the new Triber on Wednesday. The updated model is likely to challenge Maruti Suzuki's Ertiga and Toyota 's Rumion in the compact MPV segment besides compact SUVs. The Triber is the first of four new models Renault will be introducing over the next two years as part of its $600 million investment plan for the Indian market. The company, which has been a fringe player in the local market with less than a 1% share, is looking to reboot its Indian operations with the new model launches. Mamillapalle noted that the company is moving towards faster decision-making and tighter integration under a unified leadership structure, following a shift from the earlier multi-entity model involving Renault, Nissan, and the Alliance. Dismissing speculation about potential collaborations with Indian automakers, he said, "There is no reason I need a partner. We have our own design, engineering, manufacturing and network. Somebody else may need my assistance - we don't need anybody's." Bloomberg reported on July 4 that Renault is in early discussions with the JSW Group for a potential joint venture. "We are fully committed to the Indian market, and we believe the next phase of growth will be driven by scale, efficiency, and a sharper product focus," he said.
The Hindu
6 days ago
- Automotive
- The Hindu
We are here to stay, says Renault India MD
French carmaker Renault India on Wednesday introduced the All-New Renault Triber, a 7-seater car priced starting ₹6,29,995 (ex-Showroom). The top most model is priced at ₹9.16 lakh. This new generation family car has debuted with a completely redesigned front fascia and is equipped with 35 new features. This is the first ever product under the company's renault. rethink. brand transformation strategy. Three more new products would be introduced in two years to broad base product offering. Venkatram Mamillapalle, Managing Director, Renault India, said, 'India remains a cornerstone of Renault's global strategy, driven by a strong product pipeline, expanding export operations, and a renewed focus on customer satisfaction.' 'The all-New Triber is also the first in India to feature Renault's new brand logo, symbolising the company's bold, modern direction and deep alignment with Indian aspirations,' he said. 'As a fully integrated operation with a manufacturing plant, R&D centre, and design studio based in India, Renault continues to develop and produce vehicles tailored specifically for Indian customers — truly by India, for India,' he said adding that the new Triber is over 90% localised, underscoring the company's long-term commitment to the Indian market. The made in India Triber already has 1.84 lakh customers in the country and is exported to over a dozen countries around the world. He said the introduction of the All-New Triber marked an important milestone in Renault's product renewal strategy, aimed at claiming its due position in the competitive Indian automobile market In an interview with The Hindu, Mr. Mamillapalle said after deciding to take over 100% of the manufacturing plant in Chennai, the company now had design studio, engineering centre, manufacturing plant and commercial organisation together as Renault group in India. 'We are in the process of combining everything. It will take some more time but whenever we finish, at that time it will be one single organisation which will be in India, the large organisation which will be very similar to any of the Indian OEMs,' he said. Recently the company launched the R stores which is the new showroom to provide new experience to customers. 'We have three more products to come within next two years. We will continue to work in India on a long-term basis. The most important thing for us is the capacity utilization of the plant. And with the partner Nissan, we are sure that we will be reaching to that level once the total industry volume goes up from current 4.3 to 6 million in future or 8 million in 2032,' he said. On the rare earth issue worrying the automobile industry he said, 'As far as Renault India is concerned, absolutely no problem. We are not worried about rare earth at this part of time because we are secured. Globally, we are so wide and deep that our purchasing team has a lot of efficiency. I don't think we see a problem. Until the rare earth producer changes some policy, we don't see a threat.' The Renault Group which has fixed problems in many of its global markets has now focused its attention on India where it currently holds about 1% of the market share. 'Now the focus is in India. The ₹5,400 crore of investment which we announced is part of the plan. The design studio in India, is second largest after France. We acquired the 100% of the plant [in Chennai], which shows that we have a plan. We have confidence in this market,' he added. 'We are here to stay. We are giving confidence. We have invested massively over a period of time, both money as well as time and resources. Now we are establishing ourselves as one single organization with tech center, design studio, manufacturing and commercial together,' he emphasised. 'And all these three put together will give us the right products at right time and at a right cost, which will definitely give us success. And we will work in this direction,' he stated.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
Renault plans to boost India production with more SUVs, exports
Renault will add more SUV's to small cars in its model lineup in India, as the French carmaker looks to boost utilization levels at its factory and rebuild its share in the world's third-largest car market, a senior executive said. With a planned investment of $600 million, Renault aims to grow domestic sales and exports from India after taking over alliance partner Nissan Motor's share in the jointly-owned plant, Venkatram Mamillapalle, Renault India's managing director, said. "We are going to go offensive on the product launches moving forward," Mamillapalle told Reuters in an interview. He said Renault would launch compact and mid-sized SUVs in India where it now sells three models - a small car Kwid, a small SUV Kiger, and a small seven-seater Triber, its top selling Indian model. While India accounts for less than 2per cent of Renault's global sales, it is one of five cost-competitive international hubs the carmaker is counting on to boost sales outside of its home market of Europe. Lack of new model launches and a lineup skewed towards small cars, a segment that is rapidly shrinking, has pushed Renault's share of the Indian car market to less than 1per cent from over 3per cent five years ago, industry data showed. On Wednesday, it launched Triber's refreshed version - its first launch in over four years, and the first of four new models it plans to bring to the market over the next two years. SUVs and three-row family cars made up about 65per cent of India's annual car sales of 4.3 million units last fiscal year. Small cars accounted for the rest, with their share shrinking from over 60per cent five years ago. The factory in southern India, now fully owned by Renault, runs at about 50per cent of its annual capacity of around 500,000 units and Mamillapalle said the carmaker counted on Indian market growth and new export markets beyond Southeast Asia and South Africa to help bring its utilisation rate to 80per cent-100per cent.
