PH carmakers’ deliveries dip 2.4% in August

By Brian M. Afuang September 12,2019

FEWER vehicles were sold in August, compared to the same month in 2018, by some of the biggest auto companies operating in the country.

A joint report issued on Thursday by the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI) and the Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA) showed the groups’ member companies sold 29,599 vehicles in August, 2.4% less than the 30,313 units delivered during the same month last year.

While sales of passenger cars for the month increased 1.2%, from 8,678 in August last year to 8,781 units this year, these were not enough to offset the 3.8% drop in deliveries of commercial vehicles. In August last year 21,635 commercial vehicles were sold. Last month the total was down to 20,818 units.

CAMPI president, and also a first vice president at Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP), Rommel Gutierrez attributed the decline to constraints in vehicle supply — majority of the vehicles sold in the Philippines are imported — and to the “run-out” of outgoing models, or vehicles that are about to be replaced by new-generation ones. The official said these factors “hampered the industry’s rate of recovery in August.”

“Together with [these], the reality of the seasonal trends in the industry continue to hold true despite the boosted sales and marketing campaigns during the off-peak month of August,” Gutierrez said.

He added: “Traditionally, August has been a challenging month for the industry. However, we expect a positive turnaround this September until the last quarter of the year as the industry introduces new car models, along with more innovative and value-laden offers for car buyers.”

Combined CAMPI/TMA members’ sales from January to August saw a 2.4% increase, or from 229,941 units during the same eight-month stretch in 2018 to 235,544 vehicles this year. Deliveries of passenger cars dipped 1.4%, or from 71,637 to 70,596, while those of commercial vehicles grew 4.2%, or from 158,304 to 164,948 units.

Among the companies, TMP continued to dominate the market with sales of 100,657 units from January to August this year (up 4.1%) — the only brand to breach the 100,000-unit mark.

Following TMP are Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. with 41,034 units (a 7.3% drop); Nissan Philippines, Inc. with 28,212 (37%); Suzuki Philippines, Inc. with 15,268 (18.2%); and Ford Motor Co. Philippines with 14,748 units (-10%).

Another domestic auto industry group, the Association of Vehicle Importers and Distributors, report its members’ sales separately.

Gutierrez said the CAMPI/TMA target of 410,000 units sold for the year “remains to be a highly achievable goal.”

“We expect the road to recovery to continue until the end of the year,” he said.

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