Farai Mabeza, Senior Staff Writer 
INDIAN truck manufacturer Ashok Leyland has sealed a new distribution deal with Tsapo Group.
Ashok Leyland is the flagship company of the Hinduja Group and a top commercial vehicle manufacturer in India.
Under the deal, Tsapo Group has been appointed as the sole authorised distributor of Ashok Leyland trucks and buses.
“Ashok Leyland is a 74 year old company. It has grown in India and expanded across the globe operating in multiple markets. We expect to bring our world class technology (to Zimbabwe), …our products which can perform in any type of climatic conditions or terrain.
Ashok Leyland, is the second largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles in India, the fourth largest manufacturer of buses in the world, and the 19th largest manufacturer of trucks.
“We are collaborating with Tsapo Group, one of the largest automotive groups in Zimbabwe, to bring our products to the customers in Zimbabwe. Tsapo Group are very well established in the market with so many outlets in the country to provide timely after sale support to customers,” Balachandran Ramachandran Ashok Leyland regional manager East and South Africa told The Financial Gazette this week.
Tsapo chief executive Patrick Masocha said that besides being suited to the strengths of the two companies involved, the deal also reflects strong ties between Zimbabwe and India.
“This is a significant milestone for both companies and both countries. It is a symbol of the strong ties between our two nations which is now cascading down to benefit various sectors.
“This partnership is a testament to a shared vision of growth and innovation. Ashok Leyland is a leading commercial vehicle manufacturer.., with a strong presence in the global market.
“In turn, Tsapo Group is positioned to be a Zimbabwean conglomerate. It’s diverse business interests, including automotive, mining, and agriculture all of which have one thing in common: the need for automotive power to enhance productivity and development,” Masocha said.
“The partnership between Ashok Leyland and Tsapo Group is a win-win situation for both companies. It has enabled Ashok Leyland to expand its global footprint and tap into the potential of the African market.
“For Tsapo Group, it is an opportunity to partner with a leading player in the automotive industry and leverage its expertise and experience.
“This partnership has and will continue to create job opportunities for the people of Zimbabwe,” he added.
Ashok Leyland, is the second largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles in India, the fourth largest manufacturer of buses in the world, and the 19th largest manufacturer of trucks.
It is a US$4,5 billion company that has a footprint that extends across 50 countries and is one of the most fully integrated manufacturing companies in Asia.
In 1950 the then Ashok Motors was granted import, assembly, and manufacturing rights for (the British) Leyland trucks, and then in 1955, the company name changed to Ashok Leyland.
Headquartered in Chennai with nine manufacturing plants, Ashok Leyland’s products range from 2,5-ton to 55-ton in terms of size and from 13 seats to 79 seats in terms of capacity, giving the brand a 31 percent market share in the Indian Commercial Vehicle Market.
Ashok Leyland has a well-diversified portfolio across the automobile industry and is the first truck and bus manufacturer outside of Japan to win the Deming Prize for Quality for its Pantnagar plant in 2016 and the Hosur Unit II in 2017.
