<b>Sulajja Firodia Motwani</b>, Joint Managing Director, Kinetic Engineering Ltd

“The Italiano series that we are going to bring comprises seven new scooter designs that have previously been bestsellers abroad and will now come to India for the first time. Clearly, these scooters are like a breath of fresh air in the scooter industry, where the format has not changed since 1984 when Kinetic brought in India’s first gearless scooter. While motorcycles in India have segmented from 100cc to 250cc, and in designs from commuter to cruisers to sports bikes, the scooter segment has not benefited from much innovation.”

Known for her bold business moves, Sulajja Firodia Motwani, Joint Managing Director of Kinetic Engineering Ltd, and Director of Kinetic Motor Company Ltd and Kinetic Marketing Services Ltd, has played a key role in transforming the Kinetic Group from a niche moped manufacturer to a manufacturer of a full range of two-wheelers – mopeds, scooters and motorcycles. She has played a leading role in expanding the group’s operations to new businesses.

Before joining Kinetic, Motwani worked at the renowned California-based investment analytics company, BARRA International, for four years. She also set up BARRA’s Indian operations when she returned to India.

Ever since she joined Kinetic, Motwani has been playing a major role in designing and executing the company’s aggressive marketing plans. Kinetic has recently struck an important alliance with renowned Italian company, Italjet Moto. Kinetic has also joined hands with Hyosung Motors of South Korea and has brought to India the most coveted Kinetic Aquila and Comet motorcycles.

The Kinetic Group’s plans include an aggressive growth not only in the two-wheelers segment, but also in exports, auto components and engineering design services. Motwani speaks to Malini Menon of exchange4media on how she would steer this business strategy and implement it across group companies. Excerpts:

Q. Other than cities like Pune, Chandigarh, etc, do you think that there would be more women buying scooters in India?

This is a pretty sociological question, but generally speaking, more and more women are definitely looking for their own vehicles, across the country. They are dissatisfied with public transport, which is often not entirely safe and clean. They do not want to depend on others to take them around. More and more women are working and they need their own transport. The number of women buyers has been increasingly steadily and I expect that that number will keep increasing, across the board.

We are studying our dealership network very closely and appointing new dealers in all unrepresented areas across the country. In fact, the new dealerships have already begun to open and they are showing off the new premium, retail identity. In addition to dealers, we are also expanding via sub-dealers (authorised sales and service centres). Earlier, our network was strong in the south and the west and now we are working on increasing our representation in the north and the east as well. There are plans to incorporate 40 additional dealership networks especially for the Italiano series.

We have also acquired global distribution rights for the scooters and are chalking out an aggressive export plan for these scooters, which already have worldwide acceptance in Europe, USA, Canada, Australia, Japan, etc. Italian scooters have always been considered numero uno in the world, compared to others like Japanese, Taiwanese, etc. Globally, Italy has been to scooters what Germany has been to cars. As Italian designs available at Indian manufacturing prices, this range could very well have the potential to turn the global two-wheeler market on its head.

While Millennium would be launched in six to eight weeks, Euro would be launched before Diwali. The rest of the launches will also happen in a phased manner, although some products are exclusively targeted at the foreign market.

The designs are retro to futuristic and the engine varies from 50cc to 250cc. Each of these vehicles has been personalised and targeted at different groups. The lower-powered offerings are being targeted at a price range of Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 and the mid-powered range at approximately Rs 40,000 to Rs 50,000. The Jupiter will fall between Rs 150,000 and Rs 200,000.

Each scooter will naturally get its own promotional campaigns and brand associations depending on the target group. More details will be available as they scooters are launched.

B towns like gearless scooters, too, and our range, inclusive of Nova, Zoom and Zing, sells well in B towns. We also have motorcycles and mopeds. Our motorcycles range from economy, value priced bikes like Boss, Boss 115, Velocity to premium bikes like Comet/Aquila. In mopeds, we have Luna, which has completed over 30 years as a brand. Our new utility vehicle – the King – is unique in its performance (100cc 4-stroke engine) coupled with strong load carrying ability and a great price, is very ideal for rural areas and B towns.

Kinetic Engineering Ltd would introduce two new variants of its existing models Boss and Velocity this year.

Of course. First of all, the gearless scooter market in India has been growing at a very fast pace, even faster than the motorcycles market. Gearless scooters do not compete with cars, they are an entirely different proposition in terms of cost of buying, maintaining, fuel economy, parking, etc. In urban areas, the gearless scooter presents an ideal model of transport as it offers convenience of electric start and not having to change gears constantly in congested traffic conditions. It offers utility of storage space and floorboard space to carry helmet, books, etc. It has a ‘family’ appeal in that everyone in the family can easily ride it without any hassle or safety concerns. Gearless scooters are ideal as commuter vehicles unless you have to travel very long distances on highways or the road conditions are very poor.

The Italiano series that we are going to bring comprises seven new scooter designs that have previously been bestsellers abroad and will now come to India for the first time. Clearly, these scooters are like a breath of fresh air in the scooter industry, where the scooter format has not changed since 1984 when Kinetic brought in India’s first gearless scooter. While motorcycles in India have segmented from 100cc to 250cc and in designs from commuter to cruisers to sports bikes, the scooter segment has not benefited from much innovation despite strong growth in the gearless category. But I expect that our Italiano series will create new market segments, present revolutionary designs and possibly alter the face of the Indian two-wheeler market.

In fact, some scooters – like the radical ‘Dragster’ – are like technological thunderbolts with unique trellis frame, independent steering system with a single hydropneumatic shock absorber with an adjustable spring; while the large sized 250cc ‘Jupiter’ will create its own new segment.

It is incorrect to say that these scooters are “designed like bikes.” Some of the scooters are large and aggressively styled and in that way will appeal to men more than women. Overall, it is important to keep in mind that this is not one model but a range of seven models and a diverse range at that. The designs span a spectrum from classic to futuristic, vintage retro to absolutely radical and sporty, feminine to aggressive macho designs. Each vehicle has a distinct personality and will appeal to a distinct segment. They all will have a common appeal of comfort, convenience and glamour, but beyond that each has a distinctive USP.

As such, with the range, we are targeting all two-wheeler buyers in India, though essentially urban. It’s neither a conscious effort to woo male customers nor to make scooters “hipper” in India, but simply to bring world-class designs to the scooter market.

Each scooter will naturally get its own promotional campaigns and brand associations depending on the TG. The product launches advertising would be done tactically depending on the volume expected from each model. More details will be available as the scooters are launched.

We expect Kinetic Motors to touch a revenue of around Rs 400 crore this year. With this in mind, we expect that the company would turn around this year. We are aiming at a 30 per cent growth in scooter sales this year, domestic and exports combined. We expect the Nova model to be the main growth driver at about 50,000 units, followed by Zing at about 40,000 units and the rest by the models from the Italjet range.

From a design/features/performance point of view, it was not felt that there was a requirement for tubeless tyres with these scooters. Also, no market research has thrown up a desire from the customer’s end for them or for that matter a wish to pay the extra associated cost with it.

Both of them are very different tie-ups. We have a technical collaboration with Hyosung Motors for specific motorcycles – the GF series – with four-valve engine technology. We also bring high tech bikes like the Comet and Aquila to India through this tie-up. Our alliance with Italjet was basically the acquisition of the seven designs. All rights were with them along with the production set up, and a deal with Leopoldo Tartarini, whereby he will design scooters for us. He is an amazing designer who has, in addition to his own range, designed for Gilera, Yamaha, Ducati, etc, so it’s very exciting to be associated with him.

Very competitively priced. In fact, our products represent very good value for money.