Business story

Growth is inevitable with the right partner

2021-01-11

Jharkhand, before earning individual statehood in 2000, was a part of the state of Bihar. Rich in minerals accounting for more than 40% of India’s mineral resources was where in the year 1983 a young enterprising man Late Shri Rajesh Khanderia, started Jalaram Transports.

They moved to Bilaspur, the region was homeland to Coal India subsidiary South Eastern Coalfields and Mahanadi Coalfield and Shri Rajesh Khanderia identified a business opportunity of transportation of coal. He began as a sub-contractor to transport coal from the mines to the railway racks and stock yards.

He had built up a substantial business and in 2006 the responsibility of the company was passed on to his brother Mr Bharat Khanderia, his wife Mrs Rashmi Khanderia and his son Mr Varun Khanderia.

Volvo Trucks relationship with Jalaram Transport began in 2017. In a short span of three years, it has shaped up beautifully with both the parties learning, growing and supporting each other.

Going forward, I have decided to give first priority to Volvo products for all my coal projects. And slowly overtime I would like to phase out the other non-performing vehicles

MR. BHARAT KHANDERIA

DIRECTOR, JALARAM TRANSPORTS

In conversation with Mr. Bharat Khanderia, Partner and Mr. Varun Khanderia, Partner, Jalaram Transports.

Continuing a legacy with passion Jalaram Transport came under a new leadership and also had to keep pace with the changing times. Jalaram Transport started operating as a Joint Venture with many large projects from composite coal transportation, loading and extraction to transport overburden and coal. While Bharat Khanderia took over the reins of the entire business, guiding and mentoring the ship, Varun Khanderia shoulders the responsibility of Operations and Finance.

In the early years of business, Jalaram Transports used the fleets that were 10-wheeler and 12-Wheeler extensively. It was in the end of 2017, that Jalaram Transports got a large project for removal of overburden at Talcher, the Kaniha Project. They were looking for a partner that not just provided them with solutions, but also helped them optimize their fleet and support the requirements efficiently. It was then they were introduced to Volvo Tippers and placed their trust on us.

“Since our initial interaction with Volvo Trucks, the one common thing that we see with them is that they aren’t here to just sell products & services. They first try to understand the actual customer needs and values first and then offer solutions that meet these needs!” Bharat Khanderia

A perfect partnership and a successful journey

The decision to move ahead with Volvo Trucks, was done after a lot of study with the existing ones in the market. With the Volvo fleet, our customers are able to gain the lowest cost per ton in a coal transport, when operated in pit to surface. The investment in a fleet of Volvo Tippers along with the Volvo Service Agreements made it a highly beneficial investment. This involved availability of parts and technicians on site, leading to higher uptime, leading the customer to focus in expanding his business.

They won a new project at Ananta Coal Mines and this successful partnership led to Jalaram Transports adding another 14 Tipper in 2019. The current projects in hand are for a period of 3 years, which are renewable. The target is to transport 30,000 tons of coal every day, which the robust Volvo Tippers have been doing with ease all the while. Today they have a fleet of about 35+ Volvo Tippers operating across different projects for Coal Transportation.

Dynafleet - A real-time solution

The fleet has been linked to Dynafleet and Varun Khanderia is very happy with the performance. “It gives me a lot of information and feedback on the performance of the vehicles. It helps me understand my business better. Volvo has also been encouraging and help us understand the importance of Dynafleet”.

“Maintenance is one of the key areas that needs a continuous watch and this is where Volvo Trucks stand head above others. Volvo has set up a container workshop in our site. With ready availability of parts & technicians, we have been able operate in full swing”. Bharat Khanderia also said, “Going forward, I have decided to give Volvo Trucks the first priority for all new purchases. And slowly overtime I would like to face out the other Tippers that are a part of our fleet”.

In these challenging times, sustainable partnerships are key for the success of any business. Volvo has always been a customer’s best business partner.

Having worked as a sales executive with Volvo Trucks, I can confidently say that “Our customers are looking for very specialized advice and expect a high level of professionalism from us. The business challenges are high hence as their trusted advisor, it’s crucial to build trust with them if we want to be consulted when they renew their fleets. The advisory role of the salesperson is key, both at the technical level in order to recommend the right vehicle for the task and in terms of ensuring service, maintenance, extension of warranties and financing. Through consistency and transparency, we aim to provide the highest level of long-term satisfaction. Nothing can ever be taken for granted

– Sachin Shivani, Sales, Volvo Trucks India