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Pak Suzuki Motors to increase its share capital by Rs. 3,500 million

Muhammed Hanif Memon
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Pak Suzuki Motors to increase its share capital by Rs. 3,500 million

According to Metis global news, the Board of Directors of Pak Suzuki Motor Company Limited (PSMCL) have recommended increasing the authorised share capital of the company from Rs. 1,500 million to Rs. 5,000 million. However, the decision is subjected to the approval by the shareholders in the forthcoming general meeting of the company.

The notification was issued on Friday where the Japanese automaker revealed its plan to establish second manufacturing plant at Port Qasim to increase the production capacity of Suzuki vehicles to 100,000 per year.

Brief History

Pak Suzuki Motor Company Limited was established in1983 as a result of a joint venture agreement between Pakistan Automobile Corporation Limited (representing Government of Pakistan) and Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC) Japan. The Company started commercial production the year later with the primary objective of manufacturing, assembling and marketing of cars, pickups and vans in Pakistan.
Over 70 percent of the company’s shares are held by Suzuki Motor Corporation, Japan while less than 5 percent of the shares are held by the local public.

by Aqsa Mirza

How Did Shenzhen, China Build World’s Largest Electric Bus Fleet?

Muhammed Hanif Memon
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How Did Shenzhen, China Build World’s Largest Electric Bus Fleet?

Diesel buses—and the choking smog they spew—are a common sight in most cities. But not in Shenzhen, China.

The southeastern city, which connects Hong Kong to mainland China, announced at the end of last year that all of its 16,359 buses had gone electric. The city’s buses are the world’s first 100 percent electrified bus fleet, and its largest—bigger than New York’s, Los Angeles’s, New Jersey’s, Chicago’s and Toronto’s electric bus fleets combined.
How the city overcame obstacles like high costs, lack of charging station infrastructure and more provides lessons for other cities looking to electrify their bus lines.

Costs and Benefits of E-Buses
Diesel buses may comprise a small percentage of the vehicles on city roads, but they create an outsized environmental impact. In Shenzhen, diesel buses represent 0.5 percent of a city’s total vehicle fleet, but account for 20 percent of its transport emissions because they operate longer and drive more miles than private cars.

Switching to electric buses thus offers a vital path towards clean air. Cities and states around the world, such as London and California, are pursuing e-buses as a way to meet their air quality goals.
Yet shifting from diesel to e-buses isn’t easy. Electric buses cost 2 to 4 times1 more upfront than conventional diesel buses. They need the infrastructure to support consistent charging. And their batteries need to be replaced at least once during their lifetime, which can be costly. Battery replacement is nearly half of a vehicle’s price.

Shenzhen: The Making of the World’s Largest E-Bus Fleet
Yet Shenzhen was still able to cost-effectively electrify its buses. Four tactics helped:

1. National and local subsidies
For Shenzhen and many Chinese cities, policy incentives such as national and local subsidies play a major role in closing the cost gap between e-buses and conventional diesel buses. Before 2016, a 12-meter e-bus in Shenzhen received a $150,000 government subsidy, more than half of the vehicle’s price.

Yet some studies show that subsidies may not be necessary to make e-buses cost-competitive with diesel buses. According to a study conducted by the World Bank and Global Environment Facility,2 the lifecycle cost of e-buses in Shenzhen as of 2016 (including procurement, energy and maintenance costs over an eight-year period)3 is $375,457, almost the same as a diesel bus’s lifetime cost of $342,855. In short, while e-buses in Shenzhen have a high upfront cost, their operation and maintenance costs are significantly lower than those of diesel buses.

2. Leases to reduce upfront investments
Instead of directly procuring e-buses at the subsidized prices (around $90,000-$120,000) like many other Chinese cities, some bus operators in Shenzhen lease vehicles from manufacturers. This greatly saved operators’ upfront investments, and reduced the need for debt financing.

3. Optimized charging and operation
Operating an e-bus fleet differs significantly from operating a diesel fleet. Due to shorter driving ranges and recharging needs, Chinese cities typically require 100 percent more e-buses than conventional diesel buses. This requires additional money for procurement, operations and maintenance. Shenzhen almost entirely wiped out these additional costs by optimizing its operations and charging.
Shenzhen adopted a type of e-bus where a five-hour charge supports 250 kilometers (155 miles) of driving, almost sustaining a full day of operation.

However, to ensure recharging does not disrupt bus services, bus operators collaborated with charging infrastructure providers to furnish most of the bus routes with charging facilities; currently, the ratio of charging outlets to the number of e-buses is 1:34. The charging facilities are also open to private cars, thereby improving the financial performance of the charging infrastructure.

The bus operators also coordinated the time of charging with the operation schedule, with all e-buses charged fully overnight when electricity prices are low, and recharged at terminals during off-peak travel times.

4. Lifetime warranty of batteries
The early-phase technological immaturity of e-buses, coupled with the mid-life battery replacement need, often lead to frequent mechanical breakdowns and increased costs. Bus operators traditionally shoulder all these costs, but in Shenzhen, bus manufacturers provide a lifetime warranty for vehicles and batteries, because the bus operators required this at the procurement stage.
Manufacturers are better positioned than bus operators to manage financial risks because they can continuously innovate battery technologies.

A Better City Through Better Buses
Shenzhen’s experience proves that it’s possible for cities to cost-effectively electrify their bus fleets. The result benefits citizens both on and off the bus: Shenzhen met its air quality improvement goals in both 2016 and 2017.

Courtesy: World Resources Institute
https://www.wri.org

Belarus to increase machinery supplies to Pakistan

Muhammed Hanif Memon
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Belarus to increase machinery supplies to Pakistan

Belarus is set to increase machinery supplies to Pakistan, including by means of expanding the assortment range of export commodities, Belarus Deputy Industry Minister Dmitry Korchik told reporters on 18 December, BelTA has learned. “We are to leave for Pakistan soon to discuss a possibility to increase machinery exports and the assortment of supplies to Pakistan,” he noted. Dmitry Korchik said that Belarusian machinery has tremendous sales potential and has aroused interest in Pakistani counterparts. “Apart from that, we want to take part in technical upgrade programs in Pakistan. I think this will also be of interest to our partners,” Dmitry Korchik noted. As of today, Minsk Tractor Works (MTZ trademark) is Belarus’ major machinery exporter to Pakistan. MTZ has been operating on the Pakistani market for over 50 years already. Apart from expanding the assortment range of export commodities, the company is determined to promote assembly manufacturing and increase the localization level.

Displaying their products on MTZ indoor and outdoor exhibition premises were domestic industry giants like MTZ, Amkodor, Bobruiskagromash, MAZ, Gomselmash, Lidselmash, and Minsk Motor Plant.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 2019 Belarus is set to launch mass supplies of Gomselmash grain harvesters Palesse GS575 to Pakistan. This harvester has been successfully tested this year. “We are also supplying our agricultural trailers and are looking for potential partners to assemble road construction machinery,” Dmitry Korchik informed.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee of the Armed Forces of Pakistan Zubair Mahmood Hayat is on an official visit to Belarus. On 17 December the Pakistani delegation visited the MTZ premises to see Belarusian machinery and equipment, as well as products made by Belneftekhim Concern, Bellegprom Concern, Belgospishcheprom Concern, the Healthcare Ministry and the Agriculture and Food Ministry.

Mahatir launches first Proton X70 SUV in Malaysia with sub-RM100K Price tag

Muhammed Hanif Memon
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Mahatir launches first Proton X70 SUV in Malaysia with sub-RM100K Price tag

Proton X-70 Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) officially launches in Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, Malaysia. Malaysian Prime Minister Mahatir Muhammad was the chief guest of the ceremony who launched the much waited Proton X-70 variant.

This is the most anticipated SUV in Malaysian automotive history, with over 10,000 bookings received as at end-October 2018. The X70 is billed as the first premium SUV by a Malaysian automotive brand, and was jointly developed by Proton with partner Geely.

Dr Mahathir, in his speech, said he hopes the collaboration between Proton Holdings Bhd and Zhejiang Geely Holdings Group (Proton-Geely) collaboration will produce a truly Malaysian car in the future.

“Of course this car is not designed and built by Proton entirely but in order to be fast on the road, you have to cut corners,” he said.

However, Dr Mahathir said Proton should continue to make progress and participate in developing new models. Since partnership with Geely, Proton has made progress including the launch of its first sport utility vehicle, the X70.The model is the first collaboration between Proton and Chinese automaker Geely.

When developing the Proton X70, both Proton and Geely collaborated on multiple levels. From the cross deployment of staff in China and Malaysia, to testing in Malaysia’s hot and humid climate to the collaboration between local and international vendors, the goal was to ensure a product that is perfectly suited to the needs of Malaysian and Asean car buyers.

To prepare for its introduction, Proton embarked on a comprehensive marketing plan to build an unprecedented level of excitement amongst car buyers via on-ground events, the launch of an online booking portal and giving the SUV its public debut at the Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show 2018.

These efforts began in September and were further strengthened by social media campaigns that included a naming contest and numerous teaser videos on Facebook and YouTube.

The Xtra Service Package offers free parts and labour for the first service as well as free labour for five scheduled service appointments within 100,000km or five years.

Training activities for sales and service staff and the launch of the inaugural Proton After Sales Service Competition (PASSC) were part of efforts to ensure everyone had sufficient knowledge of the new vehicle.

“The Proton X70 is the result of more than one year of hard work by Proton and Geely engineers, designers and hundreds of other people working together to develop the first premium SUV by a Malaysian car manufacturer,” said Proton CEO Li Chunrong.

“Proton is proud of our achievement and it is our belief Malaysian car buyers will be equally proud to own an SUV that will help to transform the Proton brand.

“With over 10,000 bookings, it already has a good start so we will work hard to deliver on our product and brand promise.

A total of four variants have been introduced, which includes the Standard 2WD, Executive 2WD, Executive AWD, and Premium 2WD. All variants of the Proton X70 share a 1.8-litre TGDi turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine that does 181 hp and 285 Nm. A six-speed automatic transmission is the sole option, routing power to either the front or all four wheels, depending on specification.

The Standard 2WD (two-wheel drive) is priced at RM99,800; RM109,800 (Executive 2WD); RM115,800 (Executive AWD – all-wheel drive); and RM123,800 (Premium 2WD).

Specs of Proton X-70

• Gets keyless entry (with active touch sensors on the front door handles)

• Electrically foldable wing mirrors

• LED projector headlights with LED DRLs & LED fog lamps,

• “Smartphone Remote Control” and “Smart Air Purifier”

• The “Air Cleaner” system

So far, the available exterior colour options as we can tell are Flame Red, Snow White, Armour Silver, Jet Grey and Cinnamon Brown.

Pakistani Management and Dealers Principals also attended the ceremony

by Aqsa Mirza / Hanif Memon

Declining car sales show the harsh realities facing by PTI government

Muhammed Hanif Memon
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Declining car sales show the harsh realities facing by PTI government

The overall sales of cars have dropped 17 percent to 17,442 units in November 2018 in contrast to 21,091 units in the same months of the last year.

Industry analysts believe that the auto sales decline is due to the crippling economy, law barring tax non-filers from buying cars and multiple price hikes in the last one year due to rupee devaluation against the US dollar.

Additionally, sequentially, sales have dropped 30 percent MoM primarily due to the high base effect of last month as well as seasonal slow down in the demand of vehicles.

They said that in line with our static auto demand outlook, during 5MFY19, unit sales declined by 4 percent YoY which is first such decline after a period of five years.

Indus Motors

Indus Motor Company emerged as top performer amongst its peers, the only company which reported YoY growth in volumes, increased by 2 percent YoY in November 2018. On a sequential basis, volumes fell by 15 percent MoM while for 5MFY19, sales increased 7 percent YoY.

Corolla

Corolla sales rate increased by 9 percent YoY while sales of Hilux and Fortuner dropped by 46 percent and 15 percent, respectively.

Honda Atlas Cars

Honda (HCAR) sales declined by 23 percent YoY and 31 percent MoM while sales for 5MFY19 spiked by 2 percent YoY.

The fall in sales was mainly due to 76 percent lower BR-V sales while sales of City and Civic units on a cumulative basis declined by only 2 percent YoY.

Pak Suzuki Motors

Pak Suzuki Motor also experienced a significant decline and reported the worst sales rate with 25 percent YoY decline in volumetric sales.

The decline in sales is attributed to 44 percent, 39 percent and 28 percent decline in Mehran, Bolan and Ravi variants, respectively while the only variant to show growth was cultus, up by 13 percent YoY.

by Aqsa Mirza

Automark Magazine November 2018

Muhammed Hanif Memon
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Automark Magazine November 2018

Automark Magazine October 2018

Muhammed Hanif Memon
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Automark Magazine October 2018

Millat Tractors achieve success in export sector

Muhammed Hanif Memon
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Millat Tractors achieve success in export sector

Prime Minister’s Advisor on Commerce, Textile, Industry & Production and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood acknowledged the efforts and appreciated the range of quality products the company is manufacturing to increase the export and revenue of the country.

Millat Tractors Limited yesterday organised the celebration ceremony to mark the company’s success in exports of its products and achieving high sales record in the current fiscal year. While speaking at a celebration ceremony Abdul Razak Dawood said that value-added engineering products could earn much needed foreign exchange and generates a plenty of revenue for the country besides making it self-sufficient locally.

Millat Group’s Chairman Sikandar Mustafa Khan and Millat Tractors Limited’s Chief Executive Officer S M Irfan Aqueel were also present on the occasion.

Abdul Razak Dawood also inaugurated the export consignments of tractors being sent to Tanzania and Madagascar. He said that it is remarkable event and achievement that Millat had taken the lead in the automobile sector by setting up a broad vending base and exporting its products successfully in the global markets, which will not only portray a positive and soft image of Pakistan but also will result in saving and earning of foreign exchange.

He was briefed that the company is being manufactured products including Millat made Massey Ferguson tractors, tractor engines, electro pack engines, assemblies and sub-assemblies of spare parts that are being exported to Europe, Africa, South Asia, Turkey and Australia.

The exports have been a result of Millat’s agreement with their Principal AGCO, signed in 2015. It is important to note that Millat made products were competing in the global markets not only because of its affordable price ranges but also for good quality and high standards.

He also evaluated two newly manufactured tractor models, MF 360-4wd and MF 375- 4wd ready for export to global and local markets.

Speaking on the occasion, Sikandar Mustafa Khan said that the company’s exports are a testament of technical strength of its products, competing for the global markets successfully. He also paid tributes to all the stakeholders including foreign partners of the company which stood by it all the way and helped the company in achieving a milestone.

by Aqsa Mirza

New auto players (OEM`s) will face the challenges of skilled manpower

Muhammed Hanif Memon
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New auto players (OEM`s) will face the challenges of skilled manpower

As we all well known that China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will bring a lot of opportunities for Pakistan and auto sector. This in turn will benefit the transport warehousing and freight forwarding services by further expanding the auto and logistics sector of Pakistan.

Over the years the automobile industry world-wide has become a true reflection of the economy, similarly Pakistan’s economic indicators are improving with the present peak of the automobile industry.

The auto industry in Pakistan is currently entering a new phase in its development as many new players set their plants in Pakistan. From a virtual stagnation for nearly 10 years, the automotive industry is finally coming of age, with volumes growing exponentially and demand for quality, price and prompt deliveries being the order of the day.Now the question is that how new team players will fill the huge gap of skilled persons for their new facilities.

Why Skilled Manpower Are Important
Staying organized in the workplace can save a company time and money. Organizational skills are essential for multitasking and keeping a business running smoothly and successfully. Employers aim to recruit applicants who can work to achieve results consistently, even when unforeseen delays or problems arise.

Workers with strong organization skills are able to structure their schedule, boost productivity, and prioritize tasks that must be completed immediately versus those that can be postponed, delegated to another person, or eliminated altogether. In previous two years we saw in Pakistan Automotive industry peoples left their previous organization and move to join new team players with lot of attractive also business leaders are reacting in several standard ways: recruiting hard for the few candidates who are out there, offering higher pay and benefits to attract and retain them but no one from government either Automotive side to investing in learning and development programs to increase the skills of current employees.

The skilled labor shortage is affecting companies not only in the Pakistan but all over the world. According to the latest Manpower “Talent Shortage Survey” 44% of employers across the globe report they cannot find the skills they need.
The German Economic Institute recently calculated that the lack of skilled labor — estimated at 440,000 qualified workers — is costing the German economy 30 billion euros a year in GDP growth (0.9 percentage points to be exact).

The problem of skill shortages has also to be resolved for reducing income inequalities. When the country has skill shortages those possessing the requisite skills are able to command high premiums on their earnings. These benefits widen income inequalities which, in turn, slow down the process of poverty reduction despite reasonable growth rates.

To cop up this situation Pakistan Automotive OEM`s need to close liaison with the government for collaborative training programmes, there is less enthusiasm and willingness on the part of the government to realize their importance in relation to the opportunities arising from new developing industries of Automotive.

This is suggests suggested that unskilled issue could be addressed to a large extent by just imparting skilled technical education to the youth. “No skilled person has been found to be unemployed, and companies would take benefits from these skilled persons and produce high quality products in Pakistan

Written By : Nadeem Aftab, Head of Production, Plastech Autosafe

Careem plans to launch bus service in Pakistan

Muhammed Hanif Memon
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Careem plans to launch bus service in Pakistan

Careem, a Dubai-based ride-hailing company, is planning to launch bus services in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in the near future, the National reported Monday.

Careem has already started its bus service in Egypt’s Cairo as it aims to expand into mass transportation business. Careem Bus, a service aimed at attracting middle-income earners, will have fares fixed at a set rate that is 60 to 70% cheaper than its car service, the company said.

Source : SAMAA

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