01/04 TVS Motors Tour

Set up like an American manufacturing plant, the TVS Motors plant impressed our group. The Indian company makes several different kinds of scooters and motorcycles. Check out their website because they show an aerial view of the plant we toured.

After three lengthy presentations, we toured their spacious one level warehouse which was divided into several departments-product testing, painting, welding, and different parts assembly. Unlike Automotive Axel's, more workers were wearing their safety gear and the entire facility spotless.

During the tour one of the students asked why they hadn't attempted to penetrate the U.S. market and my internal response was why would they. With a population of over 1 billion, it makes perfect sense to concentrate on investments in the Indian, South American, and other geographically (and infrastructurally) similar places. Generally, in the US there are wide spacious highways (except of course major cities like New York City or South Beach, Miami) whereas in Mysore, the roads are extremely narrow and congested. Plus in the US moto industry is saturated and dominated by companies like Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki which would be the direct competitors to TVS...