India’s commercial vehicle (CV) industry is rapidly aligning with global standards, thanks to policy reforms, evolving customer expectations and a robust domestic ecosystem. Automakers and suppliers are making significant strides in cost competitiveness, safety innovations and integrating alternative energy solutions. As the sector continues to evolve, the need for collaboration and strategic discussions has never been more critical.

Recognising this imperative, Motoring Trends, a leading automotive magazine, hosted its inaugural Commercial Vehicles Conference on 21st November 2024, in Pune, India. Themed ‘Moving India Forward’, the event served as a platform for industry leaders, including OEMs, suppliers, technocrats, fleet operators and industry partners, to address challenges and identify opportunities shaping the future of the Indian CV landscape.

By bringing together stakeholders from across the value chain, the conference underscored the importance of collective action in driving innovation, enhancing safety standards, and adopting sustainable practices. As the CV industry transforms to meet global benchmarks, such forums are vital to ensuring India’s leadership in the sector while addressing its unique market dynamics and needs.

Mahindra Truck & Bus, Ashok Leyland and Apollo Tyres supported the event as sponsors, while Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) was the Associate partner, while Asian Trucker and Tyre Trends were the Media partners. The delegates at the event attended from a range of companies such as Tata Motors, MAN Trucks, Continental India, Tyresoles India, and Volvo Trucks among others.

The event kicked off with Dr Seshu Bhagavathula, Director, CityQ and an automotive industry veteran delivering the Keynote address, where he highlighted how urban cities around the world are working to decongest and decarbonise their streets. “This (decongestion and decarbonisation) requires a serious relook and focus on improving urban mobility as well as the role of alternative energy to support the transition,” Dr Bhagavathula.

Rashmi Urdhwareshe, Former Director, Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) shared her perspective on how the automotive industry has been focussing on not just introducing the latest technologies, but also co-developing solutions to meet the India-specific needs. She emphasised  the close cooperation between testing agencies, suppliers and OEMs that is accelerating the transition to the latest technologies.

Making commercial vehicles safer

The commercial vehicle population on Indian roads accounts for a small parc of the total vehicles, but ranks 3^rd when it comes to the vehicles involved in road accidents. In 2022, more than 460,000 accidents took place in India, which resulted in over 168,491 people losing their lives and over 443,366 people being injured.

The first panel discussion of the day focussed on one of the most important aspects pertaining to the CV industry – Safety. The panellists for the session included – Dr Venkat Srinivas, Head Of Business, Mahindra Truck & Bus; Rahul S. Mahajan, Deputy Director, The Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI); Sudeepth Puthumana, Head of Segment – ADAS, Autonomous Mobility, Continental Automotive India and Prashant Kakade, Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH).

The session, moderated by Bhushan Mhapralkar, Editor, Motoring Trends, touched upon various factors ranging from ADAS technology, and road designing to driver training and sensitisation.

SKP Amarnath, Group Head - R&D, Apollo Tyres gave a presentation on ‘Commercial Vehicle (Truck) Evolution In India And Impact On Tyres’. He dwelled into the key developments that have taken place in the CV industry and how tyres can play a key role in influencing vehicle safety and efficiency.

Vijay Shrinivas, Member, TREA - Tyre Retreading Education Association and CEO, Indag, gave a presentation on ‘Driving Sustainability and Circularity in Commercial Vehicle Industry’. He presented his thoughts on how treading not only helps save costs on tyre replacement but also enables higher circularity and thus helps reduce carbon emissions too.

Alternative energy & future of commercial vehicles

The role of alternative energy has been a key topic of discussion globally across vehicle segments. While there has been a focus on electrification in certain vehicle classes, the commercial vehicle segment will need to adopt a mixed approach depending on the application and use case.

The second panel discussion was on the topic of Alternative Energy and the Future of Commercial Vehicle. The panellists – Dr Bhagavathula ; Mahesh Babu, CEO, Switch Mobility; Anil Baliga, President, EKA Mobility; Boddapati Dinakar, Executive Vice-President, Sales & Marketing, Volvo Trucks, VECV; Shailesh Zinge, Director - Marketing, Growth Initiatives and Program Management, Engine Business, Cummins India and A Ramasubramanian, CTO, Blue Energy Motors presented their perspective on the alternative fuel segment.

The session was moderated by Nilesh Wadhwa, Assistant Editor, Motoring Trends.

The discussion focussed on how industry stakeholders were exploring various energy mix ranging from electric, LNG to future fuels such as hydrogen and fuel cells. The panellists agreed that globally too at present there was no single fuel that could completely overhaul the commercial vehicles segment. There was a need to not only focus on the vehicles but the necessary charging/refuelling ecosystem.

Transport ecosystem

The health of the CV industry is one of the key barometers to understand a country’s economic prosperity. While one can discuss the trends, policies and technologies, it is imperative that the views of the key stakeholder – fleet operators – are taken into account.

The third panel discussion of the day was on the topic of ‘Transport Ecosystem’. The panellists for the session were - Bal Malkit Singh, Chairman - the Core Committee, Former President, All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) Prasanna Patwardhan, President, Bus & Car Operators Confederation Of India (BOCI) and Sanjay Sasane, Principal, Institute of Driving Training and Research (IDTR).

The session, moderated by Sharad Matade, Executive Editor, Motoring Trends, had an indepth discussion on how fleet operators continued to face headwinds ranging from increases in operational expenses, driver shortages and road infrastructure among others. At the same time, the revenues had not kept up at the same pace. The panellists also presented their perspectives on the adoption of newer technologies and alternative fuels.

Atul Patil, Vice-President – Marketing, Pin 365 delivered the Vote of Thanks. 

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CAMSO Construction has appointed Krzysztof Polesiak as Lead Sales for Europe. Polesiak brings 26 years of industry experience, having worked previously with Solideal, CAMSO and Michelin. His background combines technical knowledge, commercial insight and a deep understanding of regional markets. The company believes his expertise and broad perspective will be instrumental in reinforcing its footprint and partnerships across Europe. CAMSO Construction looks forward to the positive impact Polesiak will make in his new role. His return to the organisation marks a strategic move to strengthen the company’s sales leadership and regional presence.

The company statement read: “With 26 years of experience across Solideal, CAMSO and Michelin, he brings a strong mix of technical expertise, commercial understanding and in-depth regional knowledge to the team. His experience and perspective will play an important role in strengthening our presence and partnerships across the region. We’re excited to have him on board and look forward to the impact he will make. Welcome to CAMSO Construction, Krzysztof!”

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CAMSO Construction has announced the appointment of Jean Paul Molteni as Lead Sales for Southern Europe. In this new role, he will leverage his substantial background in marketing and sales from the industrial tyre industry. His deep familiarity with local market conditions, combined with a multicultural perspective, is expected to enhance client relationships and drive further expansion across the region. The company expressed confidence that Molteni’s broad expertise will deliver significant value to the team. His addition marks a strategic step in reinforcing CAMSO Construction’s presence and growth throughout Southern Europe.

The company statement read: “We’re excited to have him join the team and look forward to the value he will bring in this role. Welcome to CAMSO Construction, Jean Paul!”

“I’m truly honoured to join CAMSO Construction and be part of such a dynamic team. Excited for the opportunities ahead and looking forward to contributing to the company’s growth across Southern Europe. Thank you for the warm welcome!” said Molteni on his appointment.

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Tructyre has announced a significant leadership change, revealing that Elizabeth Nagel will assume the position of Managing Director effective 1 July 2026. She joins the company directly from her current role as Manufacturing Transformation Officer at Michelin’s headquarters in Clermont-Ferrand, France, bringing with her a background steeped in high-level industrial strategy and operational overhaul.

Prior to her tenure at Michelin, which began in 2023, Nagel spent over a decade at Corning, the United States-based materials science corporation. During her time there, she took on multiple influential leadership roles spanning manufacturing, innovation and business development. Her career at Corning saw her leading extensive growth initiatives, managing global teams and steering complex industrial transformations, thereby building a robust foundation in large-scale project execution and organisational change. This combination of experience from two global industrial powerhouses positions her to drive Tructyre’s next phase of development.

Commenting on her appointment, Nagel said, “Tructyre is a business with strong momentum and significant potential, and I’m excited to get started. This also marks my first opportunity to work in the UK, and I’m looking forward to collaborating closely with the team to build on that strong foundation, strengthen performance across the business and accelerate the next phase of growth. We will continue to prioritise our people, safety, quality and operational excellence while bringing a strong focus on agility, continuous improvement and customer value. I believe there is a real opportunity to build on Tructyre’s strengths and position the business for long-term success by delivering even greater value for our customers.”

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MAXAM Tire has named Chris Rhoades as its new Zone Sales Director for the Northern region, a move that underscores the company’s dedication to expanding its footprint and enhancing customer service within the speciality tyre aftermarket. The appointment reflects a broader strategy to strengthen leadership and competitive positioning in the sector.

Rhoades brings over 25 years of international industry experience and a well-established reputation as a leading voice in the tyre business. His leadership credentials include being elected to two separate terms on the Tire Industry Association Board of Directors. Most recently at BKT Tires, he managed strategic growth in complex and highly technical off the road markets, where he aligned regional execution with global strategy, led cross functional teams and consistently delivered measurable revenue increases.

In his new capacity, Rhoades will direct all sales operations across the Northern region, collaborating closely with customers and partners to ensure performance, service and support remain synonymous with the MAXAM Tire brand. His appointment signals a focused effort to drive results through experienced leadership and deep market knowledge.

Jimmy McDonnell, Vice President – Sales and Marketing, MAXAM Tire, said, “We are excited to welcome Chris to the MAXAM team. Chris brings deep industry knowledge, proven leadership and a strong customer-first mindset that will create immediate value for our partners. His experience and vision will play an important role as we continue to grow our presence, strengthen relationships and expend the MAXAM brand across the market.”

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