Gobind Body Builders: Where Aesthetics Meet Value

In a tête-à-tête with Mr. Sukhmander Gill, Managing Director, Gobind Body Builders, who proudly states: “We are Indians and we rely only on Indian technology”.

- Shivam Gautam

Gobind Body Builders hardly needs an introduction today. While we all are familiar with the sleek, contemporary designs that the brand has now become synonymous with, very few are aware of the humble beginning that Gobind’s origins can be traced to.

“It literally was a very humble beginning, about 40 years ago. We were originally an operator, with a fleet of buses. Back in the day, Punjab wasn’t home to as many bus bodybuilders as it is now. So once, when one of our buses needed an overhaul, my father, now the acting Chairman of the company, Sardar Darshan Singh rolled up his sleeves and took the entire project repairing the bus body on himself; that’s how it all started,” reminisces Mr. Gill.

Unknown to them, the project soon proved to the harbinger of a new beginning. The finished product was received with immense approbation and soon, requests from neighboring started pouring in. As the body repairing reputation started to spread, Sardar Darshan Singh, realizing the prospect, formally set up Gobind Body Builders in 1989 along with his brother S. Joginder Singh.

Technical Prowess

Today, the company’s manufacturing plant in Bhadaur, Barnala sprawls across an area of 3 acres and is manned by a workforce of more than 350 human resources. About 300 manual workers work under the supervision of the various departments like R&D, Design and QA to shell out one vehicle per day from the plant.

“We work on about 70-73 buses at a go and the aim is to deliver one order every single day. For non-AC seaters, we take about 45 days to complete and for AC seaters, the turnaround time is about 60 days. Sleeper buses take a little longer – about 70-75 days because it demands an immense detailing and attention to details,” Mr. Gill avers.