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 stunned {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 wonderful to me once I look again,” says Sarkar of his time with the automotive large. “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 shall 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 automobile 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 longer term.
“Nevertheless, ‘wide selection’ has taken on an entire 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 corresponding to self-propelled grape harvesters,” he says. “That stated, at Ford we had been targeted on delivering a full ecosystem of options that would improve our prospects’ productiveness and enhance their backside strains – which is precisely what right now’s farmers are searching for. And naturally that included introducing cutting-edge merchandise, linked digital providers, electrified autos and constructing a pathway to autonomy. Once more, precisely what my group and I are dedicated to delivering.”
Model ardour
One of many primary sights of CNH for Sarkar was getting the possibility to work with its storied manufacturers, that are family names, identical to Ford, in their very own proper. Manufacturers corresponding to 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 in regards to the manufacturers,” says the person now main CNH’s world product and portfolio administration, advertising and model actions for the section. “There may be great ardour shared throughout our prospects, sellers, companions, and workers. That’s exceptionally motivating but additionally an incredible accountability. To date I’m having fun with the chance to go to with prospects, sellers, and our groups in several elements 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 longer term and rising the enterprise throughout segments and markets by concentrating on buyer wants on the subject of 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 prospects to farm extra productively, extra profitability and extra sustainably.”
“By automating extremely repetitive processes we will enhance mix throughput by as much as 25%”
Change and shift
The agricultural enterprise is continually evolving and focussing on harnessing the ability of cutting-edge innovation, similar to the auto trade, in some areas taking issues a step additional, based on Sarkar. One core tech focus for CNH is growing using 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 enhance mix throughput, for instance, by as much as 25%,” he says. “By doing so, we release 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 tip 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 different fuels which not solely assist farmers turn out to be extra sustainable however can even considerably cut back gasoline prices.
“And if we zoom out to the macro stage, the necessity to feed an growing world inhabitants
on constrained land, farm consolidation in some elements 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 best mix is a good instance. We’re marrying that with nice tech by unleashing the total potential of our tech stack. We’ve got 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 ingredient – to that finish CNH just lately introduced a collaboration with Intelsat, the satellite tv for pc providers supplier.
EVs and H2
Different 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 absolutely electrical utility tractor with autonomous options. EVs in ag are perfect for excessive worth crops corresponding to grapes and greens, the place energy calls for are decrease, that require precision controls and the place contamination should be saved to a minimal. For larger energy functions, hybrid tractors corresponding to our Steyr Hybrid CVT Idea are prone to be extra appropriate.”
With extra energy in a lighter package deal, these machines ship better autonomy, use much less gasoline, are quieter and in addition ship enhanced performance corresponding to higher manoeuvrability, enhanced braking efficiency and quieter operation.
CNH additionally pioneered hydrogen propulsion in 2009 with an idea tractor. At this time it’s partnering with the Vienna College of Expertise’s analysis mission specializing in gasoline cell expertise. “The first limiting issue with hydrogen is infrastructure – particularly in rural and distant areas, and this can 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 could come as a shock, however the ag trade is already aggressively progressing connectivity and superior options that improve productiveness and output,” he says. “Nevertheless, extra may be gleaned from the tech sector in order that we proceed to develop cutting-edge merchandise. Secondly, the trade usually must pay attention attentively to prospects and prioritize understanding their prospects’ 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
