Rohit Punjabi
Vice President & Business Head - Excavators, LiuGong India
How do you view the bauma CONEXPO INDIA exhibition and its vibe this year?
The bauma exhibition is a well-organized and professional event. While we would
have liked to see more visitors, it remains significant as it caters to a specific group of customers. Its location in Northern India adds to its importance, being one of the only large-scale exhibitions in the region. The organization and setup of the event have been excellent, as always, making it a great platform for showcasing new developments in the industry.
What is special about your green products?
Green represents peace and sustainability. It signifies a move away from fossil fuel burning. Over the last two-and-a-half years, we have focused on developing our green range. Starting with the 856 electric wheel loader launched last February, we have now sold more than 100 units, including excavators, wheel loaders, forklifts, and the 922 ready-to-run 22 Ton class battery-operated excavator. We are proud to be the first in India to produce and sell such machines.
How was the year 2024 in terms of market demand and the company’s performance?
The year 2024 was a landmark year for us. We set and surpassed new benchmarks, doubling our excavator sales compared to the previous year. Our wheel loaders, motor graders, and compactors saw phenomenal growth. The EV segment also provided a significant push as customers grew more open to trying electric technology, overcoming their initial apprehensions about costs and charging infrastructure.
What are your expectations and plans for the year 2025?
We anticipate strong positive growth in construction equipment in 2025. With no major elections or disruptions and a stable government, project movements will accelerate. We foresee rapid growth across all segments, including excavators, loaders, motor graders, and compactors. To meet the increasing demand, we have started work on a new manufacturing facility in Pitampur, which is expected to be operational by the third quarter of 2025.
Our current manufacturing capacity is 3,200 machines, which will increase to 7,000 machines, once the new facility is operational. The primary focus will be on excavators as they represent the largest market in India. Additionally, the facility will manufacture material handling equipment and mining
trucks to support the growing demand in the mining sector.
Mining is expanding rapidly with new projects and participants entering the field. Equipment like dump trucks, large-class excavators, and dozers are seeing increased demand. This year, we achieved record sales of our wide-body dump trucks, including the 70-tonne payload dump truck. The sector’s outlook is extremely positive.
When it comes to the latest emission standards, we are fully prepared and have geared up our facilities to manufacture CEV 5-compliant machines. The transition has been smooth, and we are already in the process of delivering these machines.
We are optimistic about the bright future of the industry and are committed to being a part of this growth. Our focus is on providing efficient and reliable machines while contributing to India’s infrastructure development. We invite everyone to join us in this journey toward a sustainable and prosperous future.
