The market leader in the two-wheeler category, Hero MotoCorp, has hoisted a plan under the name of Vision 2020. Under this plan, it aims to achieve a positive and aggressive growth in the Indian as well as the global market. Also, it is looking to move out of the domain of mass commuter bike manufacturer. The brand has a goal towards making itself strong in the Research and Development sector. It has been supported by a number of foreign names like Italian Magneti Marelli (for technological advancements) and Engines Engineering (language of design), the United States based EBR (high performing engines) and Austrian AVL.
The brand is targeting to cross the 100 million mark on the basis of number of cumulative units produced by 20202. Also, it wants to hit the 12 million unit’s yearly mark. It is looking forward to have business in nearly 50 nations across the globe. This will have to be backed by a production unit and that is where the brand is focussing at the moment.
An all-new R&D centre is being set-up at Kukas close to Jaipur. Its foundation stone has been laid in September 2013 by the vice-chairman Pawan Munjal. He was accompanied by Hero’s global technology partners Alberto Strazzari of Engines Engineering, Erik Buell of EBR and Markus Feichtner, who was once associated with AVL. Introducing brand-new products over different segments is also in the pipeline for the brand in the near future. Hero MotoCorp showed a first hint of its tech-driven approach for the future productions at the Auto Expo, which was held in February this year.
Hero had unveiled the liquid-cooled, parallel-twin, 620cc and capable of churning out 79bhp, naked street concept bike, Hastur. Apart from that, the liquid-cooled, single-cylinder, 249cc quarter-litre sportsbike, HX250R was also showcased. It is yet not known when the Hastur will hit the market. The HX 250R, which is a quarter-litre bike, is all set to be launched during this festive season. It will be pitted against Kawasaki’s Ninja 300,Honda CBR250R and KTM 200 Duke as well. The determining factor to look out would be the price tag, which is expected to be aggressive, keeping in mind Hero’s intent to start a trend in this segment.
After breaking its partnership with Honda, Hero has fast reached out towards foreign countries. Currently, its two-wheelers are exported to nearly 19 nations, which includes the likes of Ecuador and Peru in South America; Honduras, Guatemala,Nicaragua and El Salvador in Central America; Mozambique, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda in East Africa; Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Angola and Congo in West Africa and Turkey, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Nepal and Bangladesh in Asia. It has also come up with assembly units at Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya and is scheduled to come up with two more in Bangladesh and Colombia. It is strongly focussing to make itself a universal name riding high on the international markets.
