Q: Congratulations on assuming the charge of the President of FADA. What are your immediate priorities?

Gulati: Thank you!

The past eight to nine months have been a challenging time for the entire humanity and every business sector. It has been a difficult phase for the dealer fraternity too. We have worked in very adverse conditions with zero business and zero earnings, along with a high operational cost. Post reopening of dealerships, proper decontamination and sanitisation of the entire premises, vehicles, employees, etc., have added cost to dealers who were already seeing slow sales for over 18 months in the pre-COVID era.

We are a resilient lot, and COVID has taught us to make tough decisions to ensure that our business and community survive, while offering the best of our services to customers. During my tenure, I will rigorously take up all our dealer issues at every possible platform and offer the association the finest representation, better visibility and hearing, offering a competitive business and operational environment to our fraternity.

The automobile industry has been an important driving force in India’s economic growth. Reviving the automobile industry is vital to regain lost momentum in the economy. The Government and the sector need to work together to strengthen the industry, wherein the dealer fraternity is an important element in the system.

One of the key issues which we will be working upon is improving dealer margins. Over the years, profitability has dwindled due to high costs and low operating margins.

Auto dealerships in India are operating at an average net profit level of 0.5 percent to one percent of the total turnover, which is much lower than the global standard, as internationally, dealer margins range from seven percent to 12 percent on selling price of the vehicle.

We have already written to SIAM about this, and we will further strongly urge all our OEMs to make the dealer business more sustainable and shockproof.

While we were trying to bring auto dealers under the ambit of MSME, we will up the ante further and make sure that dealers are treated at par with other businesses who are reaping the benefits of being an MSME.

Further, as a category, 2-wheelers comprise 75 percent of the sales in India, and I am working to make an exclusive 2-wheeler vertical at FADA.

This will specifically work on the nuances of 2-wheeler dealership such as sub-dealers, brokers etc. The dynamics of 2-wheeler dealers are very different from 4-wheeler dealers and hence need special attention. As they say, fortune is at the bottom of the pyramid!

FADA will continue to take up issues concerning regulatory and legislative burdens, representing the dealer fraternity across every possible platform. We will continue to reach out to our principals and build strong relationships moving ahead.

Q: FADA has been working on increasing dealer margins for ages but ends up in a stalemate. Where is the issue? How are you going to tackle this?

Gulati: Yes, this is one issue which we have been working for many years, but efforts were not made concretely until sometimes back. It’s during the 2nd Auto Retail Conclave, when we brought up the issue to our executive committee, had a panel discussion exclusively on dealer margins. There onwards, we started building momentum with continues efforts in this direction, and a few months back we also did a study on dealer margin offered by individual OEM to their respective dealers across the product lineup. This was an eye-opener for the entire fraternity as nothing of this sort was brought out in the past; this showcased that Indian dealer’s community were working on a minimal margin which was way below the global standards.

I am happy to mention that post this study, few OEMs have reviewed their dealer margin, few are in discussion with their management and respective dealer council. However, the increased margins are still not at a level which we have been asking for, but a movement has started, which is quite encouraging for the entire community.

Dealership business has a significant daily expense which is addressed by the dealer from his marginal profit. A better profit margin will help the dealer to re-invest a subsequent amount of his earning for the development and expansion of his business, which in return will add up a new business to OEMs.

We will continue to do this kind of studies in times to come and also keep negotiating with our principals as they also understand that their first customers are not in good shape and they require higher margins to sustain their business.

Q: What according to you are the skill gaps persist in the automotive industry still and how FADA is addressing this?

Gulati: Skill gap is a subject which is never-ending as technology keep changing, and we need to make a continuous effort to upgrade our manpower. In recent time, the automobile industry has gone a long way in terms of technology upgrade.

To address this change, all the three auto Associations (Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA), Federation of Indian Automobile Dealer Associations (FADA) and Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM)) have come together in tune with National Skill Development Council and created ASDC (Automotive Skill Development Council) which looks to reduce the gap in between yesterday’s skills and today’s requirement. FADA has been making a continues effort to keep our dealership manpower at par with the newer technologies.

At FADA, we are starting up with a FADA Academy which will hold courses for Dealer Principals and their Chief Experience Officers to train them in running an efficient dealership business from all aspects.

Q: With more than 50 percent of the work in purchasing any vehicle done online, where do you see the role of dealers in the future? Do you see the new trend fuelling unemployment further?

Gulati: Getting prospective customers through the online route is a growing trend. Dealers and manufacturers have been active on online platforms for quite a long time now. The pandemic is the reason for this change in consumer behaviour. Earlier, customers had to visit dealerships several times before the final buy. e.g. all loan formalities, document verification, vehicle test drive etc. These are now offered online or at the doorstep. But for the final sale, customers have to visit the dealerships to test the vehicle and take delivery.

Today every customer is well informed. The vehicle-buying experience involves several steps, right from an online search, specific automobile website visits, going through views, reviews, product comparison, collecting information from peers, social media and users and evaluating a brand, product and its services.

Only after doing all these research consumers make their decision. It is not just a transaction for the customer, but more about in getting into a relationship of trust. That is where the dealerships come into play. Every customer wants to experience the vehicle physically before closing the deal. More importantly, they want to meet up face-to-face with the dealer and satisfy themselves before committing to this high-ticket purchase.

I don’t think there is any change in the playbook, but digital has now moved from “Nice to have” to Necessity. In this COVID era, with total lockdown, digital marketing has played a significant role in boosting sales and smooth execution. Every dealership has initiated digital training of its manpower, equipping them to conduct sales coordination through a digital platform. This initiative has further enhanced its sales and service reach. Dealerships must be the most frugal and flexible link across the automobile network.

Dealers and dealerships have always been the face of the brand and will continue to be so. I don’t see any immediate challenge or threat to the dealership business. However, with companies being more aggressive and active on online platforms, this will add on to dealership engagement with the brand and the customers, helping them further to enhance their sales and service reach and experience.

Q: What are the challenges you face with emerging technology trends like vehicle electrification?

Gulati: I don’t see vehicle electrification as a challenge for the dealer fraternity. The dealer community has been one of the most adaptable segments of the automobile ecosystem. We have always strived to keep ourselves at par with the manufacturers, and it’s business requirement, product and services utility. The dealer business is one business which significantly depends on its skilled workforce across the offerings such as sales, aftersales, engineering, etc. With every new product or technology, the dealer in association with its OEM partner makes certain that it initiates rigorous training for its employees so that it can offer the best service to its customers on behalf of the brand.

As far as vehicle electrification is concerned, India is still at a very initial level as electric PVs still have less than 0.25 percent market share. The EV segment requires immense Government support in terms of infrastructure, subsidy, allowance, recognition, etc., to get the segment to grow. I don’t want to comment on the technicalities of the segment and its products and services. Instead, on behalf of the entire dealer fraternity, I would like to assure that as a community we are committed to offering all necessary support and service to the Government for its vision about the EV industry.

Q: Episodes like FIAT & Peugeot (decades ago) and GM & MAN Trucks (in the recent past) etc., exiting the Indian market continues, leading the dealerships to lurch. What kind of safeguard mechanisms can we have to support the dealer community?

Gulati: Setting up a global brand dealership in India is a massive cost which varies from brands to segment, size of the dealership, region, location, etc. On an average setting up a premium 2-wheeler brand dealership cost somewhere around INR8-10 crore whereas setting up a premium 4-wheeler brand requires close to INR 20 - 30 crore. It is not just the setting up of a dealership which is a cost, the operation of a dealership is also a huge which involves day to day operational cost, vehicle stocking, employee salary etc. The dealer bears all this. As you know, the dealership business operates on a very minimal profit margin; any such activity by any brand ends up leading to capital loss along with loss of jobs in the sector. And now the pandemic poses another challenge for the dealer fraternity.

For example, the recent announcement by Harley-Davidson to discontinue its manufacturing and sales operations in India has left its Indian dealers stranded. This will result in the closure of 35 Harley-Davidson dealerships, with an approximate capital loss of INR 110-130 crores, besides also leading to a job loss of around 1,800-2,000 people at dealerships.

This is the fourth instance of automobile companies exiting India in the last three years (since 2017). Earlier, General Motors, MAN Truck and UM Lohia had quit their Indian operations, leaving their dealers in a similar fix. Due to FADA’s strong intervention and the Indian Government’s full-fledged support, General Motors and MAN Trucks had partially compensated their channel partners, but the UML matter remains unresolved till date.

Had there been a Franchise Protection Act in India, brands like these would not have abruptly closed their operations, leaving their channel partners and customers in the lurch.

We are already working on a draft with our legal team and have initiated communication with other retail associations to bring the Franchise law in India, which will support the dealer fraternity in the dire situation of an exit or termination.

We would also request the Government to initiate the law on priority as this law will help level the playing field for large international and domestic automakers and dealers and also help in regulating over-dealerisation.

Q: What kind of support/guidance FADA has given to its members to tide over the current situation triggered by the pandemic?

Gulati: These are unprecedented times. Everybody is making the best efforts to emerge from it in their own way. The auto dealership is one such business which was deeply impacted by COVID-19. The auto dealership is a very marginal profit business, and we do not have large funds like car and component manufacturers have, which makes it more difficult for us to emerge from this difficult time. The industry was already struggling with a 15 to 16-month slowdown, and the lockdown has pushed the entire industry further back.

FADA has provided all possible and necessary help to its dealer members. At the time of the lockdown, FADA wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to apprise him about the dealers’ issues and suggesting dealership survival and demand revival initiatives. Apart from this, FADA wrote a letter to SIAM making them aware of the situation of the dealers, requesting them to review the dealer margin and extend their support so that dealer can survive these difficult times. FADA quite actively worked to protect dealers from the loss on remaining stocks of BS-IV vehicles from the ban on the sale. The association petitioned the Supreme Court to extend the dateline for sale of these vehicles. At the same time, while securing the future of dealers, FADA demanded that car makers increase the dealer margin to five percent PBT and reduce the infrastructure cost by 25 percent.

FADA conducted online training for its dealer brothers, training them to prepare for maximum work with limited resources. (MT)

Global technology company Bosch has announced a restructuring of its corporate framework in Germany, transferring the activities of its Mobility business sector and central service units into legal entities.

Under the plan, the Mobility division alongside Bosch Digital, Global Business Services and Global Real Estate will operate as wholly-owned limited liability subsidiaries within the Bosch Group from 1 August 2027.

The transition aligns the Mobility sector with the structure already utilised across the group's Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods, and Energy and Building Technology divisions. Following the reorganisation, Robert Bosch GmbH will function primarily as corporate headquarters and central research operations, with approximately 62,500 associate employment contracts in Germany transferring to the subsidiaries.

The Mobility division remains the largest business unit within the group, generating EUR 55.8 billion in sales revenue in 2025, accounting for 60 percent of group sales.

Dr. Christian Fischer, Chairman of the Board of Management, Robert Bosch GmbH, said, "We are operating in an increasingly challenging environment across our markets. New competitors, particularly from Asia, are intensifying the competitive pressure. For us at Bosch the implication is that we need to bring innovations to market even faster, substantially simplify structures and processes, and accelerate our overall pace to keep up. The goal is to sustainably increase the profitability of the Bosch Group as a whole so that we can continue to fund technological breakthroughs from our internal resources. With the planned reorganisation of our corporate structure, we are creating the conditions that will allow each operating unit to unfold its full potential – with greater entrepreneurial freedom, short decision-making paths, and closer customer focus. It will also mean that our internal service units can contribute more significantly to the performance of our operating units, offering competitive and first-class services. One thing is clear: all legal entities will remain an integral part of the Bosch Group, irrespective of their new legal form."

Dr. Markus Heyn, Deputy Chairman of the Board of Management, Robert Bosch GmbH and Chairman of the Mobility business sector, said, "We’re starting from a position of strength. But to defend our lead in the long term, we must consistently realign with new customer requirements, markets, and the competition. Going forward, we’ll be able to take an even more customer-centric approach, act more powerfully as one team, and shape change faster in one of the world’s most demanding industries. Our ambition is to continue setting the pace for the automotive industry. That requires speed, clarity, and business resolve – and we have all three."

FORVIA and Great Wall Motor (GWM) have signed a global strategic cooperation agreement to expand their partnership beyond China into international markets.

The agreement encompasses collaboration across technological innovation, industrial operations, supply chain management, sustainability and workforce development. Under the framework, FORVIA will leverage its technology portfolio and manufacturing footprint across seating, clean mobility, electronics and lighting to support Great Wall Motor's international expansion. The partnership focuses on deploying localised production models and supply chain infrastructure across automotive markets globally.

Martin Fischer, CEO, FORVIA, said, "Chinese automakers are becoming major global players and are reshaping competitive dynamics across the industry. As they expand internationally, success will increasingly depend on the ability to combine local innovation with global execution. This is where FORVIA brings distinctive value. By combining Great Wall Motor’s growth ambitions with FORVIA’s technology leadership, industrial footprint and local-for-local execution model, we are creating a platform for long-term growth and innovation across the world's key automotive markets."

Zhao Guoqing, COO and Chief Supply Chain Officer, Great Wall Motor, said, "Globalisation is at the core of Great Wall Motor's strategy. We are continuously advancing our ecosystem-driven globalization and comprehensively strengthening our global operations and localised service capabilities. Having a partner that both understands the Chinese market and brings global industrial footprint and technology depth is essential to Great Wall Motor's global development. FORVIA has deep expertise across seating, clean mobility, electronics and lighting, and its ability to combine global footprint with local operations aligns closely with Great Wall Motor's development needs. We look forward to building on this agreement as a starting point to achieve deeper win-win cooperation in technology innovation, supply chain synergy and global market expansion."

The American Trucking Associations (ATA) has named Mark Colson as its next President and CEO, with his appointment taking effect on 1 December 2026. Colson will become the 10th leader to hold the position since the organisation was founded in 1933.

Colson brings more than two decades of experience as a trucking association leader and advocate for motor carriers and industry professionals. He is expected to draw on that background to build lasting coalitions, recognise the contributions of trucking workers and unite the industry around a cause promoting the highest standards of professionalism.

Since 2019, Colson has led the Alabama Trucking Association as President and CEO, engaging with policymakers in Montgomery and Washington to advance industry priorities and highlight trucking's economic and supply chain significance. Previously, he held several leadership roles at the Business Council of Alabama, including Interim President, Senior Vice President of Governmental Affairs, and Chief of Staff, collaborating closely with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers.

Within the ATA Federation, Colson has served on the Strategic Priorities Committee and the Truck PAC Board of Directors, as well as the American Transportation Research Institute's Research Advisory Committee. In July 2026, his state association peers elected him Vice Chairman of the Trucking Association Executives Council. He also chaired the TAEC task force that produced the seven-point Trucking Resurgence action plan, released in December 2025 to address regulatory gaps exploited by noncompliant carriers and unqualified drivers. Colson is a Huntingdon College graduate, where he was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame for football, and holds an MBA from Troy University. He serves on Huntingdon College's Board of Trustees and Executive Committee.

Colson said, "This is a unique moment for ATA to make a renewed commitment to the trucking industry and the professionals who call our industry home. It's a commitment built first on earned trust, a sense of family and purpose, and an unrelenting passion to fight for the issues that matter most to trucking. The values that trucking leaders and professionals hold dear were instilled in me at an early age in my family's second-generation tyre shop, Blow-Out Tire Company, where I grew up changing truck tyres. They have followed me throughout my career fighting for the hard-working men and women throughout our industry, and it is a privilege to continue that fight alongside the team and members of ATA.

"State trucking associations and the dedicated staffs that support them are the boots on the ground when it comes to advancing and defending the trucking industry. It's been an honour to learn from my fellow state executives, and I'm excited to continue working with them to unleash the full strength of the Federation. We are on the verge of a trucking resurgence, but we must keep fighting and advocating as our industry leaders continue to climb out of one of the deepest and longest freight recessions in history. We must meet them where they are, listen to their concerns and do everything we can to help them and their people be successful."

Greg Hodgen, ATA Chairman and CEO of Groendyke Transport, said, "For more than 90 years, ATA's mission has been to give trucking a strong voice in the decisions that shape its future. Mark will build on that foundation, bringing fresh energy and a clear vision for advancing our industry's priorities and delivering even greater value for our members."

Derek Leathers, incoming ATA Chairman and Chairman and CEO of Werner Enterprises, said, "The decisions made in Washington don't stay in Washington. They affect how we operate, how we invest and how we serve our customers every day. Our industry needs a strong, unified voice at the table to make sure policymakers understand those realities and fight for policies that enable trucking to keep America moving."

Chris Maxwell, Chairman of TAEC and President and CEO of the Rhode Island Trucking Association, said, "Few trucking companies operate within the borders of just one state, which is why the ATA Federation matters so much. When bad ideas emerge in one state, they have an impact on motor carriers across the entire country. The partnership between ATA and the state associations is one of our industry's greatest strengths, and Mark understands firsthand what makes it so powerful."

BendPak will stage an expansive dual-location exhibit at the 2026 SEMA Show, headlined by an opening-day outdoor tailgate in the Silver Lot at Booth #80043 on 3 November, beginning at 1 p.m. The centrepiece of that event is the global debut of the company’s Valor C10 custom truck, a build that merges classic C10 styling with contemporary engineering and supercharged performance. A live DJ, refreshments, giveaways and a roster of prominent automotive influencers will round out the tailgate atmosphere.

Beyond the truck reveal, BendPak is using both official SEMA locations to introduce a broad slate of lifting and garage equipment spanning its Ranger, QuickJack, Cool Boss, APEX, JackPak, MaxJax and Ergochair brands. Visitors to the Silver Lot display can examine the Valor C10 alongside the new products, while the Upper South Hall Booth #36129 inside the Las Vegas Convention Center offers hands-on demonstrations of next-generation shop solutions.

Among the outdoor highlights are the MaxJax MAX7 two-post lift, which now incorporates BendPak’s proprietary Automatic Swing Arm Restraint System and three additional inches of lifting height, along with MaxJax accessories such as a portable mounting base that eliminates the need for permanent anchors and a turf kit for lawn equipment. A preview of the forthcoming Mobi-EVS2600, the latest addition to BendPak’s EV battery pack and powertrain lift table line, will also be available.

The indoor showcase centres on the OctaFlex 12DPS, described as the only eight-arm two-post lift in the world, designed to streamline cab-off repairs, EV battery replacement and other demanding jobs and now shipping. BendPak is also presenting its APEX range of affordable, no-frills car lifts, ramps and wheel service equipment, together with Vortex bead seaters that simplify tyre bead seating even on changers lacking a built-in system.

Several products will appear at both locations. New BMW-specific AutoPucks join existing universal, Tesla and Corvette jack pad adapters engineered to engage OEM-recommended lifting points. QuickJack caster kits, the first OEM versions designed to ease movement and precise positioning of QuickJack lifts beneath vehicles, will also be displayed. SEMA-only pricing and ordering incentives on BendPak lifts and garage equipment are available throughout the week.

BendPak equipment will additionally support partner displays, custom builds and feature vehicles elsewhere on the show floor, including at Battle of the Builders and the SEMA FutureTech Studio. The SEMA Show runs 3–6 November at the Las Vegas Convention Center, with the traditionally trade-only event opening to the public on 6 November.

Jeff Kritzer, President and CEO, BendPak, said, “Everyone on our team is a car and truck enthusiast, so when it came time to debut the Valor C10, we knew we had to drop the tailgate, put on some music and hang out with the community that inspires us. SEMA is all about spotlighting the coolest builds, but it’s also about equipping the shops that bring them to life. Alongside the truck, we’re bringing a massive lineup of new gear across both booths. For us, this week is about celebrating where custom car and truck culture is right now and showing where we’re taking equipment engineering next.”