Strong & Steady

Ashok Leyland has emerged stronger from a challenging 2017.

- Sumant Banerji

THE BEGINNING of fiscal 2018 was ominous for the domestic commercial vehicle industry. Still reeling under the effects of demonetisation, the industry was jolted by a Supreme Court ruling that only those vehicles that complied with the stricter Bharat Stage IV emission norms could be registered and sold in the country from April 1, 2017.

Till that time the industry believed the new norms applied only on manufacturing and not sale of vehicles. It now had to find a way to quickly liquidate the inventory that was in the supply chain as part of normal business. That the SC ruling came barely 24 hours before it had to be implemented, made it even more difficult for the industry. As the second largest commercial vehicle manufacturer in the country, Ashok Leyland was very much in the line of fire.