Shriram Automall India Ltd has sewn up plans for rapid expansion of its network of malls in the country taking it up from 43 now to 60 before March 2015. It is pilot testing to offer its sale/auction platform for two-wheelers.
Sameer Malhotra, Chief Executive Officer of Shriram Automall India, said, “The company, which has traditionally been into sale and auction of commercial vehicles, tractors and construction equipment, has entered into passenger cars. And recently, we have begun pilot testing sale and auction of two-wheelers and are keen to expand that business.”
"Though two-wheelers may not provide big margins, we see as a big opportunity expanding the passenger car business. SAML, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Shriram Transport Finance, is eyeing business of over Rs 2,000 crore this financial year, up from Rs 1,500 crore it had registered during 2013-14,'' he said.
The company has opened a new automall at Warangal in Telangana, its 43rd in the country, and expects to take this number to 60 by March 2015. It has three fully-owned automalls, and the rest of them are taken on lease from others and operated by the company.
Shriram Automall conducts auctions of commercial vehicles, tractors, construction equipment, cars and has begun to pilot test two-wheelers. It holds about 300 electronic auctions and 200 physical auctions on an average per month across the country.
Apart from entering into tie ups with Tata Motors, General Motors India, and Toyota for cars, it has also entered into similar arrangements with tractor makers like John Deere, New Holland and Escorts.
“Into third year of business, we have become the largest network for sale and auction of vehicles covering commercial vehicles, tractors and construction equipment. The automall business adds to the finance business of the parent,” he said.