Small auto firms overtake big companies in growth in December

Chennai, Jan 2 (IANS) Small automobile companies logged volume growth in general as compared to major players in the industry whose sales dipped in December as seen from the numbers announced by the companies.

However, one major company that has bucked the negative sales trend is Tata Motors, which logged a two per cent volume growth.

The currency crunch due to demonetisation of 500 and 1,000 rupee notes coupled with customers postponing purchase decisions has hit some of the major players in the industry.

Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd (M&M), Ashok Leyland Ltd, Bajaj Auto Ltd and Maruti Suzuki Ltd saw their sales dipping while companies like Nissan Motor India Pvt Ltd, Volkswagen and Eicher Motors logged volume growth.

"The auto industry continues to go through challenging times, grappling with the short-term effects of demonetisation as well as reduced and postponed purchase decisions," said Pravin Shah, President and Chief Executive (Automotive) at M&M.

"We do hope that the implementation of GST along with some right initiatives taken by the government in the upcoming Union Budget on 1st February, will provide a veritable boost to the auto industry and the economy in general," he added.

Nissan Motor India Pvt Ltd sold 3,711 units in the domestic market, up from 3,065 units sold the same month a year ago.

"Nissan India achieved healthy sales in December by posting 21 per cent year-on-year growth despite the challenges of demonetisation," said its Managing Director Arun Malhotra.

Similarly Volkswagen sold 4,348 units as compared to 2,577 units sold in December 2015.

Hyundai Motor India achieved 5.2 per cent growth in domestic sales to 5,00,537 units in calendar year 2016, as against 4,76,001 units in 2015.

Exports, however, were down by 3.4 per cent in the year to 161,517 units as compared to 1 67,268 shipped out in 2015.

Renault India, registered a growth of 9.2 per cent with monthly sales of 11,244 units last month as against 10,292 units in December 2015.

On the other hand, the largest car-maker in India, Maruti Suzuki India reported a one per cent dip in its total sales for December.

According to the company, its sales during the month stood at 117,908 units from 119,149 units sold in the same month last year.

For December, the company's domestic sales were down by 4.4 per cent to 106,414 units from 111,333 units sold during the corresponding month of 2015, but exports surged by 47.1 per cent with 11,494 units shipped out -- from 7, 816 units sold abroad in December last year.

On its part, M&M announced that it sold 36,363 vehicles compared to 37,915 vehicles during December 2015. The company logged negative sales in passenger and commercial vehicles segments for the period under review.

Two-wheeler maker Eicher Motors Ltd closed last month logging at 42 per cent sales growth as compared to sales figures of December 2015, a statement said on Monday.

Eicher Motors sold 57,398 units last month, up from 40,453 units sold in December 2015, the statement said.

Two- and three-wheeler major Bajaj Auto saw a whopping 22 per cent fall in its sales last month at 225,529 units as compared to 289,003 units sold in December 2015.

Commercial vehicles major Ashok Leyland Ltd registered a negative growth last month selling 10,731 units, down from 12,154 units sold in December 2015.

For Ashok Leyland, the fall in sales was a steep 20 per cent at 1,949 units in the light commercial vehicles (LCV) segment as compared to the eight per cent fall in the medium and commercial vehicles category at 8,782 units.

Tata Motors sold a total of 40,944 units last month logging two per cent growth over 39,373 units sold in December 2015.

Tata Motors domestic sales of commercial and passenger vehicles for December 2016 was at 35,825 units, a growth of one per cent over over December 2015.