Daimler to invest Rs 425 cr to set up bus manufacturing unit

German commercial vehicle maker Daimler will set up a bus manufacturing facility at Oragadam near here at an investment Rs 425 crore to tap the potential offered by the Indian market, second only to China.
"The biggest bus market in the world is China. India is half that size and ranks No 2. And that offers huge potential for us," Daimler AG, Board Member, responsible for Daimler Trucks and Buses, Dr Wolfgang Bernhard said.
He was speaking to reporters after unveiling the foundation stone for setting up the bus plant.
The company has a truck manufacturing facility spread over 400s acre at Oragadam, about 45 kms from here, set up at an investment of Rs 4,400 crore. It produces Bharat Benz range of trucks for domestic market and 'FUSO' brand for exports.

The proposed bus plant would come up in the existing plant campus itself on a 27.91 acre site and would manufacture front engine -- school and staff buses-- under Bharat Benz brand and rear-engine intercity luxury segment buses under Mercedes Benz.
"We believe in India. We believe the growth story of India is intact with all those (sluggish market) hiccups we have now. On the long-term India can grow at 6 per cent," he said.

From the new facility, buses would be rolled out from the second quarter of 2015 and Bharat Benz buses would be made from chassis of Bharat Benz trucks while parts for the Mercedes Benz buses would be sourced from Brazil initially and manufactured in the plant.

Daimler India Commercial Vehicles has partnered with global bus body manufacturer Wrightbus who will set up a bus body building facility inside the plant at Oragadam.
"We are investing Euro 50 million (Rs 425 crore). Our new buses will benefit from the synergies of Bharat Benz which is the local suppliers, distribution partners.." Bernhard said.