Raj Sarkar is CNH Industrial’s new chief business officer. As former head of product technique with Ford’s truck and van enterprise he plans to parlay his skillset into a wholly new trade, and tells iVT how energised he’s by the problem forward
One shouldn’t be shocked {that a} man who holds bachelor’s and grasp’s levels in electrical engineering from MIT, and an MBA from Harvard Enterprise College, seems laid-back on the prospect of tackling a brand new trade. By no means-the-less, for somebody who solely this March entered the world of agriculture, Raj Sarkar appears the correct amount of relaxed – albeit with a steely focus. His earlier life included 26-years at Ford.
“It appears superb to me after I look again,” says Sarkar of his time with the automotive big. “And like all one that has had an extended profession with an organization, I undertook all kinds of roles, spanning product improvement, product and model advertising, portfolio planning and company technique. My expertise in all of those areas can be important to my new function because the chief business officer for CNH’s famend agriculture manufacturers.”
Earlier than becoming a member of CNH, Sarkar was head of product advertising and technique for Ford Professional, the corporate’s business car division. Ford’s Truck and Van enterprise leads the trade by being extraordinarily customer-focused with a large providing in a aggressive market that’s quickly evolving for the long run.
“Nonetheless, ‘wide selection’ has taken on a complete new that means for me right here at CNH, as I get launched to our full array of product choices – tractors, combines, sprayers, balers, forage harvesters … the checklist goes on in addition to some fascinating area of interest merchandise reminiscent of self-propelled grape harvesters,” he says. “That mentioned, at Ford we have been targeted on delivering a full ecosystem of options that would improve our clients’ productiveness and enhance their backside traces – which is strictly what at the moment’s farmers are on the lookout for. And naturally that included introducing cutting-edge merchandise, related digital providers, electrified automobiles and constructing a pathway to autonomy. Once more, precisely what my staff and I are dedicated to delivering.”
Model ardour
One of many major points of interest of CNH for Sarkar was getting the prospect to work with its storied manufacturers, that are family names, similar to Ford, in their very own proper. Manufacturers reminiscent of Case IH and New Holland which have written the historical past of farming. He considers it “a privilege” to work for the corporate that produced the primary mass-produced tractor, revolutionised baling and commercialised the very first methane tractor.
“However this isn’t simply concerning the manufacturers,” says the person now main CNH’s international product and portfolio administration, advertising and model actions for the phase. “There may be great ardour shared throughout our clients, sellers, companions, and staff. That’s exceptionally motivating but additionally an amazing accountability. To date I’m having fun with the chance to go to with clients, sellers, and our groups in numerous components of the world to find out about these nice manufacturers and the enterprise general.
“Our ag enterprise is targeted on strengthening our manufacturers for the long run and rising the enterprise throughout segments and markets by concentrating on buyer wants relating to how we ship merchandise, modern options, and providers to make sure we don’t simply have repeat enterprise, however lifetime clientele. And in doing so, we will maintain enabling these clients to farm extra productively, extra profitability and extra sustainably.”
“By automating extremely repetitive processes we will improve mix throughput by as much as 25%”
Change and shift
The agricultural enterprise is consistently evolving and focussing on harnessing the facility of cutting-edge innovation, similar to the auto trade, in some areas taking issues a step additional, in keeping with Sarkar. One core tech focus for CNH is growing the usage of automation and autonomy.
“Farming by its very nature is usually a extremely repetitive enterprise, and operates in a difficult labour market, and by automating extremely repetitive processes we will improve mix throughput, for instance, by as much as 25%,” he says. “By doing so, we unencumber expert operators to carry out different duties as this automation could make a mean or less-skilled operator nice.”
One other space of accelerating focus is sustainability. Whether or not that’s pushed by the top shopper demanding produce with clear sustainable traceability of their native grocery store, or whether or not it’s linked to broader ESG targets. A key space of focus for Sarkar will unsurprisingly be various fuels which not solely assist farmers grow to be extra sustainable however may considerably cut back gas prices.
“And if we zoom out to the macro degree, the necessity to feed an growing international inhabitants
on constrained land, farm consolidation in some components of the world along with rural labour shortages as I discussed earlier than, along with the expansion of non-traditional farming strategies will all influence the way forward for our trade.”
Firm priorities
“Briefly, we’re targeted on delivering nice iron and nice tech,” he says, not lacking a beat. “We’re persevering with to ship world-class merchandise – our new CR11 mix harvester – the world’s most efficient mix is a superb instance. We’re marrying that with nice tech by unleashing the total potential of our tech stack. We have now made appreciable investments right here.”
The corporate’ $2.1bn greenback acquisition of Raven in 2021, adopted by these of Hemisphere and Augmenta to enhance each GNSS and sense and act capabilities are three such examples. Its dedication to enhancing rural connectivity is one other key aspect – to that finish CNH just lately introduced a collaboration with Intelsat, the satellite tv for pc providers supplier.
EVs and H2
Various propulsion – methane, electrical and H2 – has a key function to play in the way forward for agriculture, and CNH is a pioneer on this space.
“EVs are prone to be very application-specific – and we unveiled the world’s solely totally electrical utility tractor with autonomous options. EVs in ag are perfect for excessive worth crops reminiscent of grapes and greens, the place energy calls for are decrease, that require precision controls and the place contamination have to be saved to a minimal. For greater energy purposes, hybrid tractors reminiscent of our Steyr Hybrid CVT Idea are prone to be extra appropriate.”
With extra energy in a lighter bundle, these machines ship higher autonomy, use much less gas, are quieter and likewise ship enhanced performance reminiscent of higher manoeuvrability, enhanced braking efficiency and quieter operation.
CNH additionally pioneered hydrogen propulsion in 2009 with an idea tractor. Right now it’s partnering with the Vienna College of Know-how’s analysis mission specializing in gas cell expertise. “The first limiting issue with hydrogen is infrastructure – particularly in rural and distant areas, and it will have to be resolved earlier than widespread adoption is feasible,” says Sarkar.
“The first limiting issue with hydrogen is infrastructure – particularly in rural and distant areas”
What ag can study
As a newcomer to the trade, and in a solution that will curiosity CNH’s compeititon, Sarkar believes there are three areas that agriculture can study from different industries.
“Firstly it might come as a shock, however the ag trade is already aggressively progressing connectivity and superior options that improve productiveness and output,” he says. “Nonetheless, extra could be gleaned from the tech sector in order that we proceed to develop cutting-edge merchandise. Secondly, the trade typically must hear attentively to clients and prioritize understanding their clients’ challenges. This customer-centricity is one thing I’ve been actually impressed by right here at CNH. And final however not least, there are some thrilling alternatives to simplify the consumer expertise, taking cues from different expertise areas, to make a number of the superior options coming to market much more intuitive and straightforward to make use of. I’m excited for the problem forward.”
This text additionally seems within the June/July 2024 version of iVT Worldwide
