CASE Construction Equipment, a subsidiary of CNH Industrial Group, is positioning India as a critical hub for both domestic sales and the global scale. The company, which manufactures excavators, loaders, compaction rollers, and other machinery, is using its Pithampur facility not just to serve local customers but to supply machines globally.
A senior official underlined the growing role of exports in CASE’s strategy at Autocar Professional’s Construction Equipment Inner Circle (FutureStarters of Mobility, a CXO Roundtable hosted by ZF Group).
Puneet Kumar Vidyarthi, Head of Brand Marketing, APAC and India said, “There are months where the number of machines exported are more than what we have sold in the domestic markets. What it brings to the table is scale and the confidence of our global customers, which starts from our internal teams as well,” he said.
Currently, CASE exports to 115–120 countries, a footprint that has expanded gradually over the years. Some product lines are manufactured exclusively in India for global markets, including skid-steer loaders supplied to the US, Europe, Australia, and other emission-compliant and non-emission-compliant countries.
Over the past five to six years, the company has invested more than Rs 1,000 crore in its Indian operations, with a significant portion directed toward expanding its Pithampur facility.
“The same assembly line is delivering products for both local and overseas buyers,” Vidyarthi added, citing a recent instance when customers from Chennai and Tunisia toured the Pithampur plant simultaneously. “Local customers also get the confidence that what they are getting is local price and global quality.”
Exports Power Scale and Flexibility
India contributes over 3,000 units annually to CASE’s global sales of 40,000 units, while exports from India accounted for about 5,000 machines in 2024. The country now represents 10% of CNH’s total APAC (Asia-Pacific) sales.
Exports, Vidyarthi said, not only provide scale and cost advantages but also open opportunities to manufacture across brands within CNH’s umbrella. “We are making for Case Construction and for New Holland Construction brands. That has helped us expand the manufacturing line-up with larger specifications and different types of machines.”
The global product portfolio also creates flexibility for India. For example, emission-compliant excavators built for Europe can be supplied domestically if needed. “That gives us elbow room to play with specifications, even if the product is not a regular one for the domestic market,” Vidyarthi explained.
Beyond cost and scale, exports are also helping the company attract talent. “Construction equipment is not a flashy industry that young engineering graduates aspire to join unless they are hardcore mechanical fans,” Vidyarthi said. “But if the brand’s persona reflects global opportunities, someone can see a global career with this brand, and you can attract better people.”
Focus on Sustainability
CASE is also aligning with CNH’s global sustainability goals, which target a significant reduction in carbon dioxide emissions per machine. This involves reworking subsystems such as engines, powertrains, hydraulics, and even integrating AI to offset operator skill gaps.
According to Vidyarthi, these steps may raise upfront costs but will lower lifetime ownership expenses. “The cost of ownership may go up initially, but over the life cycle of the machine, the benefits actually go to the customer,” he said.
Earlier this year, CASE rolled out its first BS (CEV) Stage V-compliant machine from the Pithampur plant for the Indian market, signaling its readiness for upcoming emission norms and reinforcing India’s role as both a domestic and global manufacturing base.