Demand for Commercial Cars Declines 5.7 Percent

Jakarta (Antara) - Demand for commercial cars shrank 5.7 percent in the first four months of the year from the same period last year. The decline was caused by poor performance in the farm and plantation sector and mining sector, car maker PT Krama Yudha Tiga Berlian Motors (KTB) said. "Since 2013 , demand for commercial cars has declined. In 2013, demand fell 2.9 percent from 2012," Marketing Executive Director of PT KTB Rizwan Alamjah said here on Tuesday. PT KTB is one of the country's largest producers of commercial cars mainly trucks. There are many factors behind the shrinking demand for commercial cars mainly trucks and buses, Rizwan said, added among them is high lending rates. "The mining sector is still in the doldrums, the same with CPO, and there is election factor," he said. He said despite the decline in the country's total sales, KTB still recorded an increase in its sales of Mitsubishi commercial cars. "Last year our sales grew 4.3 percent and in the first four months of the year, we recorded a 2 percent growth in sales," Rizwan said. In the first four months of this year sales of Mitsubishi trucks both Fuso and Colt Diesel reached 51,000 units making it a market leader with a market share of 47.8 percent in the country. "Amid declining demand for commercial cars, competition in the market is sharper involving many players," Rizwan said. In order to maintain the market lead , KTB has launched Mitsubishi truck Fuso 4x2 and 4x6 with larger carrying capacity, and Colt Diesel FE 71 Long Bus Chassis . "With the new variants , we hope sales of Mitsubishi commercial cars could reach at least the same level as in 2013," Rizwan, said. (*)