Ranger helps Ford book 57% increase in sales
Primastuti Handayani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
PT Ford Motor Indonesia (FMI) booked a 57 percent increase in its first quarter performance this year by selling a total of 1,619 cars, compared to the same period last year of 1,034 units, thanks to the increasing demand for its mini truck, the Ranger.
"We are extremely pleased with such a strong start for the Ford brand in 2005. People love the Ranger and its demand continues to rise," FMI President Director Will Angove told a press conference on Tuesday.
The Ranger first hit the local market in March 2002. In this year's first quarter, Ranger contributed 855 units of FMI's total sales, almost doubling last year's first quarter sales of 421 units.
"The Ranger is expanding very fast and we provide up to 16 derivatives of this model, including single cabin, automatic transmission, manual transmission and four-wheel drive," Angove said.
"We are also seeing excellent growth in other categories like Everest, our seven-seater SUV (sports utility vehicle)."
Everest saw a significant rise with sales up by over 50 percent from 321 units in 2004 to 487 units this quarter.
Angove said the company was optimistic that it would perform even better in the second quarter and beyond, but declined to go into details.
"Gaikindo (Association of Indonesian Automotive Manufacturers) has forecast a 15 percent increase this year (to about 530,000) and we support the forecast," he said, adding that the growth would be boosted by strong economic conditions and consumption.
Last year, FMI recorded total sales of 6,119 cars, a 62 percent increase from 2003's 3,794 units.
To help boost sales this year, FMI plans to unveil the Ford Focus sedan at the Gaikindo Auto Show in July.
The Ford brand has been known in the country since 1953, but the company itself was established in Indonesia three years ago. "Our main focus right now is the reestablishment of the Ford brand," Angove said.
To answer challenges from other dominate brands, he mentioned four factors -- right products, best people, distribution strategy and the provision of automotive credit -- that helped the company improve.
Meanwhile, visiting Executive Director of Marketing, Sales and Service of Ford Asia Pacific and Africa, David Alden, said that FMI has exceeded expectations and become the most successful sole brand holder agency in the region for Ford.
"The market in Asia, including Indonesia, is more attractive. We sold 400,000 cars in Asia last year and this year's growth is estimated at 10 percent," he said.
To expand businesses, FMI last week opened a dealership, called Ford Superstore, in Bandung and plans to open two more in Padang and Makassar. Earthquakes that shocked Nias and Mentawai recently put the plan on hold, but Angove said it would proceed before the end of the first semester.
FMI also plans to open three more dealerships in Jambi, Jayapura and Manado in the second semester.