Market has been a market

Factories and dams, said Jawaharlal Nehru, were leader for the last 26
the temples of modern India, but the country's years. With a 41%
enduring icon remains the farmer ploughing his share of the Indian
field only now he just might be using a tractor market, Mahindra &
to do so. The Indian farming community is Mahindra is close to
increasingly opting for mechanisation to the global number one
eliminate drudgery, increase yield and ensure (Source: company
swifter tilling and ploughing operations. data). As per a brand
The tractor market is primarily divided into equity study
three segments. The low horsepower segment conducted by
comprises tractors in the 20HP and 30HP ACNielsen in 2008,
range, the medium features the 30HP to 40HP Mahindra Tractors
tractors while tractors above 40HP form the registered a brand
high horsepower segment. With the increasing equity score of 5.3
reduction in the size of farm holdings 93 a remarkable
million farmers out of 116 million have plots, achievement
five acres or less in size there is an considering that only
opportunity to create an appropriate product 1% of global
range for this segment. In the last six years, the automobile brands
tractors segment has grown at a compounded have received a score
annual growth rate of 9.60% (Source: internal of 5 or more. The company has the highest country. The International Tractor Company of
data). During the financial year 2008/09, the customer satisfaction index (CSI) of 88 in India Ltd (ITCI), established in 1963 was a joint
domestic market stood at about 304,000 the industry. venture between Mahindra & Mahindra and
tractors compared to 160,000 in 2003. Despite Not without reason then, Mahindra Tractors International Harvester (IH), UK a subsidiary of
IH, USA one of the largest
companies in the world at that
time. Quickly the new company
established its hegemony in
the market.
Mahindra & Mahindra acquired
the vast numbers, less than 10% of all farmers became the only tractor company to have won this business in 1977 and Mahindra Tractors
own tractors, suggesting a huge latent demand the Deming Application Prize and the Japan came into being. In 1999 by now in an
and the opportunities that exist to increase Quality Medal, two of the highest global quality expansion mode Mahindra & Mahindra took
market penetration. The industry is expected to accolades. It was also awarded the prestigious majority stake in Gujarat Tractor Corporation
grow at about 5% with Mahindra Tractors Golden Peacock Award 2008 in the Innovative Limited to form Mahindra Gujarat Tractor
growing at between 6% and 8% (Source: Product/Services category for its in-house Limited and in 2008, through an open offer
Financial Express, April 2009). development of a load car, the first of its kind in made in the previous year,
the Indian tractor industry. it acquired Punjab
Achievements Mahindra Tractor's Project Bhoomi its Tractors Limited.
26 years of sustained market leadership is the mobile soil testing laboratory initiative one of Today, the Mahindra
stuff that corporate the company's rural projects was awarded the group's Farm
dreams are made of Order of Merit by the Promotion Marketing Equipment
and Mahindra Awards of Asia 2008 in the Best Cause Sector has a
Tractors category. significant
Two of its advertising campaigns for presence
Bhoomiputra 235 DI and Arjun Ultra -1 have across six
been awarded the Gold rating at the Second continents. It is among the top tractor brands in
Rural Marketing Awards, sponsored by the Rural the world, with its own state-of-the-art plants in
Marketing Association of India (RMAI) in 2008. India and four assembly units in the US, China
Mahindra Tractors also bagged five awards, the and Australia. Collectively, the plants have a
most by a single brand, at the First WoW capacity to manufacture and assemble 150,000
Awards (2008) organised by EventFaqs tractors per year. The company sells through a
to celebrate excellence in Events and network of 800 dealers worldwide and to date
Experiential Marketing. has notched up consolidated sales of over 1.40
million tractors.
History
Mahindra & Mahindra owes its Product
genesis to the foresight of two Mahindra & Mahindra seeks the active
brothers, K C Mahindra and J C involvement of the farmer in its quest for
Mahindra who founded Mahindra & developing better products. All its tractor brands
Mahindra in the early 1940s to sell Bhoomiputra, Sarpanch, Arjun, Shaan and
Willy's Jeeps in India. At that time Yuvraj ranging from 15HP engine to 75HP
the roads infrastructure was so have been almost completely driven by the on-
modest that the founders believed ground realities of the farming community and
that the jeep was the most suitable their wish-list.
vehicle for use outside urban centres. When it transpired that a section of farmers
Two decades later they began was looking for enhanced power and greater
manufacturing this iconic brand in the speed from their machines, Mahindra came up

132 SUPERBRANDS
with the country's first turbo-charged tractor and highly competitive market. Recently,
which delivered on both counts. Mahindra USA joined Macdonald Motorsports
Its regular models, too, are feature-rich and to help their NASCAR team notch up their
serve specific farming needs. The new Sarpanch first victory.
DLX tractor, for example, comes with a side-
shift gear, ergonomically designed workspace, Promotion
multi-disc oil-immersed brakes (OIB) for The very fact that promotions for tractors are
powerful braking and Hy-TEC hydraulics with undertaken in rural markets imbues it with its
quick-lift and a coupler for high-precision own set of challenges. Not least of all is the fact
farming. of a fragmented audience, poor reach, language
The Bhoomiputra range which has come in barriers, limited access to rural communities and
for special praise from farmers across the literacy concerns. To neutralise these, Mahindra
country offers exceptional fuel efficiency. Tractors expends up to 40% of its
Arjun Ultra-1, the flagship brand, stands for budget on what it terms as personalised
style and technology and demonstrates its specific communications. This includes
superlative performance in agricultural and thematic vans and two-wheelers carrying
construction equipment (CE) product-specific, brand-specific and
operations. application-specific messages.
It's most recent In addition it
launch has been supplements this
the Mahindra effort with several
Shaan. India's first below-the-line
25HP multi- initiatives each
utility tractor designed to
with built-in strengthen its brand
trolley, Shaan saliency and build
was launched in bonds with the
2007 and has farming community.
proved very Amongst the critical area that Mahindra Tractors discharges
effective in the company's outreach an important function.
brick kiln programmes are Over the years, Mahindra Tractors has proven
segment. the Mahindra Tractor itself to be a dependable partner in the
Over the years, Mahotsav, where progress of the farmer who has appreciated its
Mahindra Tractors has the brand aesthetically attractive, technically modern and
won several accolades for quality, showcases its complete range of user-friendly product features. Hence, it is easy
workmanship and after-sales service. But products and services; Mahindra to understand why Mahindra Tractors is such a
the most enduring has been the very special Jashn Josh Ka, a public felicitation trusted brand even in the furthest corners of
sobriquet for its outstanding fuel efficiency: ceremony of loyal customers and Mahindra the country.
Mileage Ka Master. Khiladi No. 1, which promotes local sports talent.
Mahindra also melds its customer centricity www.mahindratractorworld.com
Recent Developments with social concerns through initiatives like www.mahindrakisanmitra.com
The chequered performance of the world's Swasth Tractor Swasth Chalak (healthy tractor,
industry impacted by the global meltdown has healthy operator) wherein Mahindra medical
left Mahindra Tractors pretty much unscathed. camps across the nation address the health
The brand continued to expand its presence concerns of farmers. In 2009, the company
across world markets and is now selling in all six conducted 2797 camps across the country
continents. Africa emerged as one of its largest benefiting over 85,000 people who availed of
export destinations. free medical check up facilities. In addition, the
Despite a stagnant farming sector Mahindra company operates mobile medical camps under
China Tractor Company, the brand's first joint the Mahindra Lifeline Express programme. This
venture in China registered a growth of 21% in project won the Auto Monitor's Corporate
the 2009 financial year (Source: company data). Social Responsibility award in 2008.
This was made possible Another initiative, Vijayee
on the back of the Vidarbha, helps train siblings
launch of the Mahindra of debt-ridden farmers of
branded red tractors and the Vidarbha region of
the extension of its Maharashtra in maintaining Things you didnt know about
product range to include and repairing tractors. In this
tractors up to 40HP. way they are empowered Mahindra Tractors
In the same year, and can hope to live a life of One out of every three tractors in India is a
Mahindra Tractors sought dignity. To date 140 children Mahindra tractor
to strengthen its have benefited.
presence in China by Mahindra Samriddhi is an In 2007, Mahindra Tractors became the only
inking another joint initiative to help increase tractor company in the world to have won the
venture. Mahindra Yueda agricultural productivity Japan Quality Medal universally acclaimed as
(Yancheng) Tractor through the use of innovative the highest order in Total Quality Management
Company, a new entity in farming technologies. (TQM) practices
collaboration with the Mahindra Samriddhi centres
Jiangsu Yueda Group. It disseminate knowledge on Mahindra Tractors' plant in Kandivli, Mumbai is
will market its product modern agri practices along the only tractor manufacturing facility in India to
under the Jinma brand. with testing local soil, have a fully air-conditioned robotic plant
Jinma's product portfolio analysing climate conditions Mahindra Shaan was felicitated with the
includes tractors ranging and suggesting cropping American Society for Agricultural & Biological
from 16HP to 125HP. patterns, agri clinics and Engineers award for being one of 50
In the US, Mahindra demo farms. Outstanding Innovations of the Year.The brand
USA has won was chosen from more than 1500 entries
exceptional praise. In a Brand Values received from across the world
survey conducted by Agriculture is the backbone
North American of the Indian economy. While Mahindra Tractors are sold in all six continents
Equipment Dealers it contributes less than 15% Mahindra Shikshak Divas, an initiative to bond
Association it was rated to the country's gross with the rural next generation, reaches out to
highest in overall domestic product it provides 550,000 students and more than 11,000
satisfaction among employment to nearly 70% teachers across fifteen states
dealers in this complex of rural India. It is in this

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