Tata Hitachi Focuses on Skill, Scale & Solutions for India’s Manufacturing Growth

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Key Highlights:

• Tata Hitachi stresses Skill, Scale, and Solutions for manufacturing growth.

• Plans to triple exports to 1,500 - 2,000 units by 2028–29.

• Investing in battery-powered and tethered excavators for India.

• 23% market share in India’s excavator market, 30% from mining.

• Focus on local demand, cost competitiveness, and innovation.

Tata Hitachi Construction Machinery Company has called for a strong focus on Skill, Scale, and Solutions to help India emerge as a true global manufacturing hub. Speaking at Autocar Professional’s Construction Equipment Inner Circle (FutureStarters of Mobility), BKR Prasad, AVP, Product Development & External Affairs at Tata Hitachi, highlighted the urgent need to build local demand, develop component manufacturing capabilities, and move beyond products to integrated solutions.

Building Skill at Every Level

Prasad emphasized that skill development is essential across the value chain, from operators and customers to OEMs, vendors, and channel partners. Drawing comparisons with China, he noted that its manufacturing growth was driven by domestic consumption, which created scale and attracted talent. India must replicate this model by building strong local demand to bridge the skill gap.

Creating Scale for Cost Competitiveness

The second challenge, according to Prasad, is achieving scale in components. India’s ecosystem for high-value hydraulics and precision components is still limited, leading to heavy reliance on Japanese, Korean, and European suppliers. This dependency affects cost competitiveness. Large-scale domestic consumption can help build an ecosystem that supports both scale and cost efficiency.

Moving from Products to Solutions

The third priority is a shift from just products to complete solutions. Modern customers demand connected machines, autonomous operations, and technology-driven solutions. These offerings come with additional costs, and only economies of scale can ensure affordability while delivering value.

Focus on Exports and Indigenisation

Tata Hitachi, a four-decade-old joint venture between Tata Motors and Hitachi Construction Machinery of Japan, is steadily expanding its export focus. Prasad revealed that exports currently contribute around 5% of the company’s top line, with plans to increase annual export volumes from 500 units to 1,500–2,000 units by 2028–29.

He also highlighted the company’s early commitment to indigenisation and local ecosystem development, long before the government’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative gained prominence.

Electrification and Innovation in Machinery

Electrification is another key area of investment for Tata Hitachi. The company has already developed tethered excavators and battery-powered mini-excavators in India and is preparing to showcase more such machines at the upcoming Excon.

Globally, Hitachi Construction Machinery is also preparing to commercialise battery-operated dump trucks. “We have explored multiple alternatives to ICE engines, from biodiesel to CNG to battery-electric, and continue to invest in future-ready solutions,” Prasad said.

All of Tata Hitachi’s development initiatives are guided by Hitachi’s CIF (Customer Interest First) philosophy, with a strong focus on quality, reliability, durability, and compliance with emission norms.

Market Position

Tata Hitachi currently holds a 23% share of India’s excavator market, with mining applications contributing more than 30% of that share. Electrification and innovation remain central to its growth strategy as the company prepares to meet future demand, both domestically and globally.

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CMV360 Says

Tata Hitachi’s focus on developing skills, achieving scale in component manufacturing, and delivering advanced solutions strengthens India’s path to becoming a global manufacturing hub. With electrification, indigenisation, and export growth on the agenda, the company is set to play a key role in shaping India’s construction equipment industry.