The climb back

When the likes of Maruti, M&M, Tata Motors are having a rough ride, one would have assumed that the “Ambassador” car maker, Hindustan Motors would be down in the dumps. But it is the exact opposite. In Feb, the company clocked a 166% jump in sales at 826 units. The company has got itself a new lease of life. It now makes the iconic Ambassador at its plant at Uttarpara in Weest Bengal and at Pithampur in Madhya Pradesh. It has a technical collaboration with Mitsubishi Corporation of Japan to make passenger cars like the Pajero, Motero, Outlander at Tiruvallur plant. Its brand, “Winner” has indeed turned out to be a winner for the company.

This pull back from the brink has happened gradually and is a conscious effort of the management. It has now added 20 new dealers in Tier II towns of Bihar, Orissa and the North-east, increasing the total count of dealers to 70. It is also tying up with banks for easy loans. All this for a company which was on the doorstep of bankruptcy is a huge thing.

Looking ahead, there is talk of a Mitsubishi like tie-up with Japan's Isuzu Motors to make pick-up trucks. It is also planning on launching a hatchback Ambassador aimed at the young, upwardly-mobile buyer, expected to hit the streets in FY14. Well, some companies need to hit the bottom to rise back and looks like hitting the bottom was a good thing for Hind Motors!