Isuzu targets 30 percent market share in Laos
Isuzu targets 30 percent market share in Laos
Isuzu is eyeing a 30 percent market share of pick-up automobile sales in Laos in the next five years despite serious competition in this segment of vehicles.
Administrators of Tri Petch Isuzu Sales Co., Ltd. (Tri Petch Isuzu) revealed the plan to representatives of Lao media organisations last Thursday when they visited the company's headquarters in Bangkok, Thailand.
Tri Petch Isuzu President Mr Toshiaki Maekawa said he was confident the goal would be achieved, pointing to the Isuzu success of market penetration in the Philippines and Malaysia by using marketing experience in Thailand, and having seen the market share of Isuzu pick-up cars in the two countries.
The Japanese long-standing automobile brand of Isuzu was brought for distribution in Thailand in 1957 by Mitsubishi Corporation, which led to the alliance in the automobile business between the corporation and Isuzu.
According to Tri Petch Isuzu Sales Company Executive Vice President Ms Panatda Chennavasin, the dynamic growth of the Isuzu automobile business in Thailand led to the birth of Tri Petch Isuzu Sales Co., Ltd. in 1974.
Isuzu made a historic milestone in the sale of vehicles for commercial purposes when the Isuzu Dimax was globally introduced for the first time in Thailand in 2002. Some 10,000 pick-up cars of the Japanese brand were sold within 10 da ys of release, and the sales volume of the vehicles reached 1 million in seven years (2002-2010), according to a media release from the company.
Isuzu favour occurred again in 2011 when the All New Isuzu Dimax was introduced to the world market, with the sales volume of the pick-up cars reaching 15,000 within three days.
The marketing activities of Isuzu in Laos officially began in the middle of last year with the opening of a representative office of Tri Petch Isuzu Sales Co., Ltd. in Vientiane. Isuzu vehicles have a share of about 3 percent. Tri Petch Isuzu has two dealers in Laos, but no distributor.
Tri Petch Isuzu General Manager in Charge of Lao and Cambodian Markets, Mr Akira Odagaki, referred to the Lao economy growing steadily and the developed infrastructure, such as national roads and express roads as the reason for Isuzu to enter the Lao vehicle market, saying the demand for pick-ups will be on the rise from now on.
The Tri Petch Isuzu administrators were confident about the capacity of Isuzu vehicles, which they said would be favoured by Lao people.
He revealed that Tri Petch Isuzu plans to open an Isuzu auto service unit in Savannakhet province next month following the numerous Thais doing business in Laos and other neighbouring countries of Thailand, who would also drive through this area.
