00:01Takeshwar Rao came to Germany on a skilled worker visa.
00:05For years, he worked on Audi projects in India.
00:08Now, Band Kastlerkus, a picturesque town in Western Germany, is his new home.
00:13Definitely when you come to a new country, you also have to adapt a little bit
00:17and understand the culture, which definitely I had to go through.
00:22But I feel home.
00:24Professionally, Rao has also found his place.
00:26He is now the CEO of Orton, which was acquired by the Indian company Tentra Mobility.
00:33Established in 1925, Orton builds truck bodies and transport solutions,
00:38and now has around 120 employees.
00:42The family-run company has long been known for innovation,
00:45converting small commercial vehicles from diesel to electric powertrains.
00:49The Mumbai-based Trentar Group acquired Orton in 2025.
00:54Online, the company presents itself as a technology-driven business
00:58with interests ranging from drone manufacturing to energy and aerospace.
01:04Now Orton is part of that portfolio.
01:06Robert Orton led the family business for nearly five decades.
01:10Today, he is putting his trust in Takeshwar Rao and the new Indian owners.
01:15He still advises the company and knows every detail of the products.
01:21For years, there was no clear successor, but at 72, he believes they've found the right one.
01:32India is still growing and has some technological ground to make up.
01:37That's why I see it as an excellent partner for future development.
01:46Orton is best known for practical truck body systems, especially for the beverage industry.
01:52A shortage of drivers is sparking a technological revolution.
01:55Keeping staff means simplifying workflows and making the job physically easier.
02:00That's where Orton comes in.
02:01Its loading systems are designed to speed up deliveries and reduce strain on drivers.
02:07On some routes, drivers operate tailgates dozens of times a day
02:10and older systems can take a real toll on the body.
02:16A tailgate used to be much heavier, with cable systems that made it much harder to operate.
02:21There were also locks in the middle. The new systems don't need those anymore.
02:29Orton operates in highly specialized niche markets like the beverage industry.
02:34Building truck bodies might sound straightforward,
02:36but every system has to meet strict certification and safety standards.
02:45Much of that expertise comes with the workforce itself.
02:48Many employees have been with the company for decades.
02:54Rao says that experience is essential,
02:56and wants to bring the staff with him into the next phase of the business.
03:01His goal, combining traditional German engineering with Indian digital expertise.
03:09Orton has a strong traditional engineering base of knowledge.
03:15And now, with our Indian experience, we want to bring our knowledge on digitalization
03:21and transform the Orton company to the next 100 years.
03:26We want to set up a foundation for the next 100 years,
03:28with completely digitalizing current processes, building digital twins, building connected bodies.
03:36Retrofitting diesel vehicles with electric drivetrains used to be a strong business.
03:41But the market is changing fast.
03:43Major manufacturers are now offering more factory-built electric trucks.
03:50That's why Orton is looking toward cooperation with Trentaar in India.
03:54A planned EU-India trade agreement could make that easier.
04:01For now, though, the focus remains on growing the company's core business in Germany.
04:06And on electrifying existing diesel buses.
04:10India, for the moment, will have to wait.
04:13But what I see a bigger opportunity is to, with new FTA coming in, I think I see a big
04:19opportunity to sell our high-quality products as a kit to Indian market, at least from next year.
04:27Then he's off again.
04:29Right now, Rao's priority is winning new customers, building networks, and increasing sales.
04:35And so far, the strategy appears to be working.
04:38The company says sales rose by 14% in the last financial year.
04:45It's silly and easy inлег.
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04:58One ton of opportunities are the most available cost dreams and the number of new iros ik��.
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