Gulf Oil India, a leading player in the
lubricant industry and a subsidiary of the
Hinduja Group, has set its sights on robust
growth in its battery business. The company has
outlined an ambitious plan to achieve a 20%
annual expansion, propelling its revenue to Rs
200 crore over the next 4-5 years, a significant
increase from its current revenue of
approximately Rs 88 crore. To realise this
vision, Gulf Oil India is actively engaged in
localising battery production and transitioning
away from toll manufacturing.
Having entered the motorcycle battery market
approximately 7-8 years ago, Gulf Oil India has
successfully diversified its portfolio, signalling
its strategic agility and adaptability. Presently,
the company boasts an impressive annual sales
volume of around 13.5 lakh batteries, positioning
itself as a key player with a notable 2–3% share
in the replacement market. Notably, Gulf Oil India
is among the top five players in the replacement
two-wheeler segment, offering technologically
advanced valve-regulated lead acid (VRLA)
batteries distributed through a vast network of
over 12,000 touchpoints across the country.
Ravi Chawla, the Managing Director and CEO of Gulf
Oil Lubricants India Ltd., emphasised the
company's commitment to localization, stating, "We
found that dependence on imports is always there,
but we want to localise this." Currently, Gulf Oil
India imports batteries from China and Vietnam.
Chawla further revealed that the localization
process is currently under testing and will be
implemented in a phased manner.
Highlighting the growth potential, Chawla
expressed the company's aspirations to achieve at
least a 20% annual growth rate once they have a
localised option in conjunction with imports. He
stated, "We are just waiting to see how we can
look at the market expansion in the next stage.
Once we localise it, we will be in a better
position to do that more aggressively."
As Gulf Oil India strategically positions itself
for growth in the battery business, industry
observers eagerly anticipate the company's
localization efforts and the subsequent impact on
its market presence and competitiveness.
Courtesy: Auto Car Pro, ET Auto
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