Every Cat product, by applying proven technologies systematically and strategically, meets customers' expectations for productivity, fuel efficiency, reliability and service life. In generic terms, products from Caterpillar with service and support by Cat dealers like TIPL bring Indian customers absolutely cutting edge technology with higher efficiencies and productivity, says Sunil Chaturvedi, Managing Director & CEO, Tractors India. Excerpts of the interview.

To what extent the focus on better performance and more productivity with lowest lifecycle cost has impacted the design of your range of products?
Cat products are constantly undergoing improvements to suit customer needs and the design changes wherever introduced are results of deep R&D and focused market orientation. This is an on-going process.

Every change in design is, of course, aimed at better productivity and enhanced versatility of equipment to deliver superior productivity and consequent cost efficiency. But every effort at achieving lowest life cycle cost may not necessitate design modification.

Based on continuous market research and analysing voice of customer, Cat machines are built for performance withstanding the toughest of the challenges but at minimum cost. Interchangeable parts and components make maintenance easier at lowest cost per tonne.

Do you think cost is a deterrent in adapting to advanced technology equipment?
Advanced technology equipment may sometimes have high initial cost but such cost more than gets recovered over equipment lifetime. Today's customer is generally very well versed and aware about concepts like lifecycle costs. He also appreciates the positive impact of superior technology on his work and productivity that ultimately adds to his business success. But, it is not necessary that all advanced technology equipment remains premium priced.

Many of our state-of-the-art equipment compete very well on pricing as well. However, wherever our offering commands premium due to an inherent package of higher productivity and efficiency, our customers are more than happy in accepting premium pricing since they very well understand the value proposition.

The entire gamut of products cover general line to technologically superior custom built machines as per customer and application needs.

Thus there is machine for all segments and we work with our customers to understand the requirement of machine packaged with correct technology that will ensure better productivity and availability and offer total solutions to make our customer more profitable.

What are the services that you offer to the clients to achieve better productivity and fuel efficiency?
For customers with appetite for shorter / medium durations and low investment, we offer wide range of pre-owned equipment on fairly attractive terms as well as rental / wet lease options to suit their requirement. A variety of customers including multinational ones with arduous site conditions and highly demanding applications are also opting for rentals and wet leasing arrangement with highly skilled operating work-force provided by us.

We deploy latest technological solutions to service and maintain equipment used across various sectors. Many of this equipment carry fairly advanced on-board diagnostics tools helping us maintain high uptime.

With spread of digital connectivity across remote areas in India, we are moving into remote monitoring solutions for key equipment to optimise inventory costs and provide world-class services to our customers. Cat Connect is also a suite of technological solutions to offer better equipment management, safety, productivity and reliability. Among myriads of technological support systems offered, many of our customers working in road and related sectors are greatly benefitted by the Cat AccuGrade  systems which boosts grading efficiency substantially. TIPL believes in 'Making Customers More Profitable' which is not only our corporate motto but also an abiding commitment to our customers.

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