CAMPI upbeat on hitting sales target

MANILA, Philippines - The Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (CAMPI) is upbeat total vehicle sales of the industry will hit a record of 210,000 units this year as sales of local vehicle assemblers in the January to November period have already exceeded their full-year 2012 sales.

“We are confident that we will meet the target of 210,000,” CAMPI president Rommel Gutierrez said in a text message yesterday.

In a statement, the CAMPI said its combined sales with the Truck Manufacturers Association, Inc. (TMA) have reached 164,098 units as of end-November, five percent higher than the two groups’ full-year 2012 sales of 156,649 units.

Compared to the 141,280 units sold in the January to November period last year, the latest result grew by 16 percent.

Passenger car (PC) sales grew 27.6 percent to 54,966 units as of end-November from the 43,071 units sold in the comparable period last year.

Sales of commercial vehicles (CV) reached 109,132 units in the 11-eleven month period, climbing 11.1 percent from the 98,209 units sold in the same period in 2012.

For the month of November alone, CAMPI and TMA sold a combined 15,917 units, up 8.9 percent from the 14,617 units sold in the same month last year.

PC sales in November rose 9.9 percent to 5,479 units compared to the 4,984 units sold in the same month in the previous year.

CV sales also grew 8.4 percent to 10,438 units in November from the 9,633 units sold in the same month in 2012.

But while total CAMPI and TMA sales went up year-on-year in November, the groups’ combined sales declined 5.3 percent compared to the 16,800 units sold in October.

This, as buyers opted to delay purchases to contribute to the relief and rehabilitation efforts for areas hit by Super Typhoon Yolanda.

Gutierrez said sales are seen to improve in December, the time of the year when many purchases are usually made.

“December is still the best time for the industry. Influx of returning Balikbayans, bonuses and year-end savings are real market enhancers,” he said.