Hero Cycles Limited is based in Ludhiana, Punjab, India. It manufactures bicycles and bicycle related products. This was founded by an Indian businessman, Om Prakash Munjal alongwith his four brothers. He started a bicycle spare parts business with his brothers in Amritsar initially. Due to the partition, he finally moved the business to Ludhiana in Punjab where he set up his first bicycle manufacturing unit. It is said that this unit produced 639 bicycles in the first year itself.
The vision of the founders is immensely inspiring. They believed that something as humble as a bicycle could change everyday life. It could help people travel further, work harder, explore more and experience a new sense of independence. This did not remain as manufacturers but as a brand which supported millions of journeys.
Some Key events
The key events tell us the journey of the company from its simple and humble beginnings to what it is today.
1956 – assembly and manufacturing of bicycle parts
1986 – enters Guinness Book of World Records producing 18500 cycles in a single day
2012 – crosses 130 million cycles manufacture marking a new scale of production
2014 – Binta plant in Bihar begins operations – expansion of manufacturing capabilities
2015 – enters premium cycling segment with the acquisition of Firefox Bikes
2016 – international acquisitions – UK and Sri Lanka
2017 – launch of Hero Sprint Store introducing a new cycling retail experience
2018 – enters the electric mobility segment with Hero Lectro
2020 – more than 150 million cycles produced from the Ludhiana plant
2021 – delivered first batch of ‘Made in India’ HNF E-bikes from E-Valley to Europe.
2022 – JV with Yamaha Motor Co. Ltd. and the launch of Hero Sprint Gemtec Series
2024 – Launch of ‘Cycle Hero Hai’ Campaign
2025 – Achieved Guinness Book of World Records for Largest Online Video Album
From 6 year olds to 60 year olds, both in the city and villagem it has become a part of every household.
In the 60s, it was a functional cycle for everyday use for both villagers and in the cities. In both the places, it was used a a means of livelihood and it became a source of independence.
During the 70s and 80s, it became necessary to have cycles for carrying loads. This was when industrialisation began. It was also a means for going out and having fun with friends.
In the semi-urban areas, this was and is frequently used for cycling to school. This was specifically mentioned in an article by BBC called ‘India’s schoolgirls are leading a silent cycling revolution’.
In the urban areas, cycle is anyway a part of the growing up years. For the older people, it gives a sense of independence.
Hero cycles have been a part of this entire process throughout India. Each region has specific preferences, for example, some prefer heavy duty bikes, some prefer the cycle for girls and some preferring the premium models.
If we analyse the initial years of Hero cycles, the first 30 years was spent in establishing the brand, building capacity and producing the numbers required for satisfying the Indian market. When in 1986, it entered the Guinness book of world records for producing the largest number of cycles in a day, the world probably sat up and took notice.
It is interesting to note that this company has not restricted to just a bicycle. In 2015, when it entered the premium segment, both the company and the people were ready for it. In 2018, when it entered the electric vehicle market, it made a statement about being sensitive to the environment and at the same time sensitive to people’s needs for speed.
Cycling has immense health benefits and this is what the company emphasises on. Sustainable mobility being their by-word, it is pushing towards it in a big way.
India does not respect the cyclists on the road. However, the brand has tied up with states to include cycling tracks in smart cities. They have also tied up with Niti Aayog for conducting cyclathons. This plays right into the next gen health conscious Indian.
The brand has been campaigning about the five villains of urban lifestyle namely, traffic, smartphones, distance, stress and junk food. The campaign said ‘Aapke life mein paanch villain hai. But cycle hero hai’.
The ‘hero’ archetype is common to most cultures and exemplifies dependability, strength and selflessness. Psychologists have said that all of us have an inner hero, which we channel from time to time and, thus, the ‘hero’ figure resonates with us across all geographies and demographics.
Hero stood for qualities such as ‘Respect for the family’; ‘The Spirit of India’ and ‘Spirituality’. It was also perceived as an organization that sought to ensure happiness for all stakeholders.
By the early 1980s, the Munjal brothers, through their learnings and experiences, understood the truth behind the old marketing epigram, ‘the manufacturer makes a product, the consumer buys a brand’. The Hero bicycle was a workhorse, with a reputation for consistency of quality, low maintenance and durability among consumers and dealers alike.
The promotional jingle aired before every film in cinema halls ‘ Chala Hawa ki Chaal’ was a huge hit. In 1982 when colour television was introduced in India, Hero started advertising on a national scale. During breaks in serials, Hero ads ensured the brand building. This ensured that the brand was registered in people’s minds across India and the demand ‘went through the roof’.
70 years of Hero cycles has seen India transform from the post independence era to the India of today. Truth to tell – they have not been left behind at all. Hero cycles has been as much a part of India then as it is today -part of the growth story. It continues to evolve and grow. Cycle is still the main focus though they have diversified into other businesses.
Riding the cycle is synonymous to joy in childhood, having fun with others in the teen years to healthful exercise in the youth and middle age. If India’s roads are made conducive to cycling, I am sure that people at all ages will shift to this mode of transport to a great extent. This will ensure sustainability of the environment as well as the health of the general public.
Source:
- Edited excerpt from the book ‘The making of Hero’ published by Harper Collins and released by CNBC TV 18
- www.herocycles.com
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