American motorcycle manufacturer UM Motorcycles, which has just started delivery of its bikes to waiting customers in India, also plans to export to regional countries in the first phase and then to the US and Europe in the second phase next year.
“We plan to export our products to regional countries like Bangladesh and Nepal in the first phase and to the USA and Europe next year when BS IV emission norms kick in across India from April 1, 2017,” said UM International llC Business Development Director Juan Villegas while talking to The Pioneer.
“lohia Auto’s Kashipur facility in Uttarakhand currently produces 1,000-1,500 motorcycles a month, which can reach up to 5,000. The plant has a production capacity of up to 50,000 motorcycles annually,” he added.
UM International, llC and lohia Auto in 2014 joined hands to form UM lohia Two-Wheelers Pvt. ltd. (UMl).The two partners have so far invested Rs 100 crore for business expansion.
Talking about localisation level in its products, Villegas said : “localisation level of the motorcycles stands at around 60 percent, which could go up to 80 per cent by next year. Our R&D team of 22 engineers has also started designing and developing fresh product for India.”
The company is also looking for second plant in the South West India.”We hope to reach the capacity of 5,000 units per month by mid next year and the demand to reach around 8,000 units per month in two years. So, we are working on setting up a plant in the southern or western region of the country,” said Villegas.
When asked about the delays in deliveries of the bikes to the customers, UM India and AMEA (Asia, Middle-East, Africa) Director Rajeev Mishra, said : "We apologise for the delays and have been in touch with the customers explaining them the reason for delays. There were 40 order cancellations out of the nearly 4,200 booked bikes.”
"In March 2017, we will be launching the Classic Renegade and after that we will be launching a new model every six months,” informed Mishra on company’s future line up
Its current models Renegade Commando and Renegade Sports, both in the 300-cc segment, are priced at Rs 1.49 lakh and Rs 1.59 lakh, respectively (ex-showroom Delhi).