Shanghai: Earth moving equipment major, BEML, is planning to foray into Indonesian and Australian markets, while it expects rail and metro business to be its next engine of growth, propelled by massive spending by Indian Railways.

"In addition to Brazil, Malaysia and Shanghai, we have plans to look at Indonesia," Bangalore-based BEML Chairman and Managing Director, V R S Natarajan, who was here for the opening of the company s full fledged office in China's economic hub last week, said in an interview.

Natarajan said BEML was mulling opening a marketing office and repair shop in Indonesia which "if everything goes well, could become an assembly shop" and added Indonesia was an excellent market for development in Australia also.

As for Australia, he said the company had sent a 100 tonne dumper to a customer on a trial basis and if it succeeds, "We will roll out equipment there also. Once the equipment population goes beyond 10,20 50...then naturally, we have to have our own set up to address the service needs as well as supply spare parts".

Asked how BEML planned to seize the opportunity offered by the cash-rich Indian Railways which plans massive spending in the coming years, he said, "We are bullish about rail and metro business".

During the 11th five year plan and beyond, the Railways is going in for diversification and modernisation of its existing fleet. In modernisation, the railways is planning additional seat capacity and that is an opportunity we are trying to seize. BEML already has orders worth Rs 100 crore in this regard for the current year.

Upgradation of Electric Multiple Units used intra-city and large size EMUs to inter-connect cities with higher speed of 120 to 130 km an hour also offered opportunities, he said.

The Railways has also decided to replace with stainless steel cars the existing fleet of EMU cars running in Chennai and Mumbai, where high corrosion rate spoils them with cities being in sea shore.

"We are going to get the first fleet of pilot order for 36 coaches which will be used in Mumbai. Once that happens, that will be the beginning of a big order for replacement of over 2,000 plus trains," Natarajan said.

He also said, with Railways pushing for high-speed corridor, BEML had tied up with National Aluminum Company (NALCO) to develop, for the first time in India, 100 tonne aluminum wagons with four axles of 25 tonne each.

"We are very optimistic that in the next three to five years, we would get at least a minimum of five blocks which means this is 30 years business for BEML. It is growth for JV, growth for India and growth for BEML," he said.

The mine blocs are in coal deposit areas such as Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Orissa.

"We are already operating there with our regional office, district office," he added.

Natarajan said BEML was also expanding its product range in defence, including those relating to tanks, entire bridge family, heavy duty equipment support for launchers and wagons related to transportation of tanks and ammunition.

Source : PTI