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Automobile Industry

The Indian automobile industry is the tenth largest in the world with an annual production of approximately 2 million units. Indian auto industry, promises to become the major automotive industry in the upcoming years and the industry experts are hopeful that it will touch 10 million units mark.
Indian automobile industry is involved in design, development, manufacture, marketing, and sale of motor vehicles. There are a number of global automotive giants that are upbeat about the expansion plans and collaboration with domestic companies to produce automobiles in India.
The major car manufacturers in India are Maruti Udyog, Hyundai Motors India Ltd., General Motors India Pvt. Ltd., Honda Siel Cars India Ltd., Toyota Kirloskar Motor Ltd., Hindustan Motors etc.
The two-wheeler manufacturers in India are Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (Pvt.) Ltd., TVS, Hero Honda, Yamaha, Bajaj, etc. The heavy motors including buses, trucks, auto rickshaws and multi-utility vehicles are manufactured by Tata-Telco, Eicher Motors, Bajaj, Mahindra and Mahindra, etc.
Quick Facts:
First Indian to own a car in India was Jamshedji Tata.
First woman to drive a car in India was Mrs. Suzanne RD Tata.
The passenger car and motorcycle segment in the Indian auto industry is growing by 8-9 percent.
Commercial vehicle will grow by 5.2 per cent.
The first automobile in India was rolled in 1897 in Bombay.
India is a potential emerging auto market.
Motorcycles contribute 80% of the two-wheeler industry.
Unlike the USA, the Indian passenger vehicle market is dominated by cars (79%).
India is the largest two-wheeler manufacturer in the world.
India's motorcycle segment will grow by 8-9 percent in the coming years. 11. India is the fifth largest commercial vehicle manufacturer in the world. 12. India has the number one global motorcycle manufacturer. 13. In Asia, India is the fourth largest car market.
Used car Market
The new chapter in the automobile industry is that of used cars. The massive demand of used cars indicates that cars are becoming increasingly popular. Those who can't afford the luxury cars and their high prices are opting for used cars. In today's time, customers are conscious and diligently investing on car dealership. Car buyers are investing heavily a lot of time for both to sell a car and buy car. There's also a number of car websites that have offering detailed information on new car prices, used cars, car reviews, Chevrolet cars, jaguar cars and luxury cars.
Market Share
At present major Indian, European, Korean, Japanese automobile companies are holding significant market shares. In commercial vehicle, Tata Motors dominates over 60% of the Indian commercial vehicle market. Tata Motors is the largest medium and heavy commercial vehicle manufacturer.
Among the two-wheeler segment, including scooters and mopeds- motorcycles have- major share in the market. Hero Honda contributes 50% motorcycles to the market in which Honda holds 46% share in scooter and TVS makes 82% of the mopeds in the country. In the three wheeler industry in India, Piaggio holds 40% of the market share. Bajaj is the leader by making 68% of the three-wheelers.
Car manufacturers in India dominate the passenger vehicle market by 79%. Maruti Suzuki is the largest car producer in India and has 52% share in passenger cars and is a complete monopoly in multi purpose vehicles. In utility vehicles Mahindra holds 42% share. Hyundai and Tata Motors is the second and third car producer in India.

The Latest Car Models Awaited

The saying 'best is yet to come' fits best for the Indian automobile industry, in the recent years the industry has seen a huge influx of cars in to the country, and still newer models are in the pipe line. This section previews some of the models which are going to hit the Indian roads in the years to come.The new Zen- Maruti Udyog one of the largest car manufacturers in the country is all set to gift India a new car during the Diwali. However the fact of the matter is that the new car is actually the old war horse Zen, which will be repackaged and re-launched in the country. The new Zen is essentially the Suzuki M R Wagon (not to be confused with the Wagon R). The car made its debut as a concept in 1999.The car would be built on the same platform as the Alto and the Wagon R and will easily fit in to the production capabilities of Maruti. The company wants the beat the competition by introducing 5 new models in the next five years including a diesel car.
Renault Logan- This entry level sedan model built with basic technology is expected to hit the country soon. Its' Diesel version is supposed to be well equipped to handle the rough and tough Indian roads.
General Motors
General Motors is planning to launch few new models including the aveo UVA to take on the Hyundai Getz and Suzuki Swift. It is also supposed to launch Sports back Optra SRV. General motors have decided to sell all their cars in India under the Chevrolet brand by phasing out the Opel Corsa which used to be sold under the brand name Opel.
Fiat India wants to make a come back into the Indian market with the launch of new models including the hatchback Panda and Idea. It also plans to launch a sedan albea and wants to strengthen its dealership and service network.
Hyundai Motors of South Korea might come up with a 1200 cc diesel car which could be built on the same platform as that of Getz.
Similarly Tata Motors is also planning to build a common man's Car Priced around one lakh with in a couple of years. In the heavy vehicle segment Force motors wants to introduce a whole range of vehicles under the brand name MAN.
Two Wheelers Models Awaited
In the two-wheeler category hero Honda is all set to launch a new motorcycle in the premium segment, the teasers of which are already being shown on television. Not to be left behind Bajaj Auto will launch a 250cc Pulsar by the year end to take biking to a different level altogether. Even TVS Motors is expected to launch new models by the year end to stay in competition.
All these models will ensure that the Indian consumer will be driving all the way.

A Natural and Economic Solution for Safer Roads

Life doesn't stop when dangerous winter road conditions arise. Emergency vehicles respond to citizen needs, and school buses must take children to school. So when wintery weather causes traffic problems, drivers are left to rely on local road professionals to use the best technologies available to keep them safe.

More and more North American counties and municipalities are using treated salt, a high performance de-icer available from major salt manufacturing companies like North American Salt Company (NASC).

Snow and ice removal crews find that treated salt is an economical de-icing solution that increases road safety during severe winter weather and is effective even in extreme temperatures. For example, NASC's Thawrox clears ice in temperatures as low as 0 degrees Fahrenheit, extending the window for safe road management.

Drivers also may appreciate seeing clearer roads while sharing the road with fewer snow-removal vehicles. "For road crews, a product like Thawrox that works well at extreme temperatures means fewer trips out to cover the roads - saving the municipality and its residents money.

Treated salt can reduce application rates by as much as 25 to 40 percent. By decreasing the amount of product applied, trucks need fewer trips to clear the same amount of territory. This saves taxpayer dollars by reducing product cost, fuel usage and labor costs for local snow removal professionals.

Many road crews have adopted a liquid de-icing program, which sounds counterintuitive but actually is very effective. The liquid de-icer, when sprayed on salt during the spreading process, reduces bounce and scatter from the highway as it is applied. Treated salts contain a sticky ingredient similar to molasses that comes pre-treated on the salt and keeps the salt on the road so it doesn't blow away in high winds or bounce into the ditch. Using a treated salt instead of a de-icing liquid means that companies or governments spreading salt don't need to buy liquid application or storage equipment. They can keep using their current salt spreading equipment.

The distinctive orange, and in some locations brown, coloring of treated salt makes it easier for applicators to know how much and where the product is applied. This translates to significant savings for everyone -- especially taxpayers.

Thawrox treated salt is all natural, combining two proven de-icing compounds: sodium chloride and magnesium chloride. Both are made using solar energy and evaporation. These powerful ingredients, all naturally derived, make it tough on ice and snow, yet more gentle to the environment than harsh chemical additives used in other treated salts.
Because treated salt works in colder temperatures, it reduces, and in some cases eliminates, the need for sand applications, which can be hard on vehicles and equipment. Traditional salt treatments may require road crews to apply sand to aid with traction in slippery areas during extreme low temperatures. Sand can plug drains, cause road damage, and be costly to clean up in the spring. Eliminating this process can keep the roads in better condition and keep costs down for clean up treatments.