The production of motorcycles in Pakistan has crossed million units during the first 11 months of the current fiscal year, according to a study conducted by The News.

Pakistan Automobile brand members dominated by Japanese brands accounted for over 670,000 units during the first 11 months of the fiscal year and non-members mostly Chinese models produced over 400,000 units.

Chinese motorcycles are making fast inroads in the local market against the Japanese brands though Honda with sales of over 438,028 units till May this year followed by Yamaha that produced 113,288 units, according to the statistics released by Pakistan Automobiles Manufacturing Association (PAMA).

Even among PAMA members the next three largest producers are local brands using Chinese technology. Each of them produced more units than the Japanese brand of Suzuki. On the top is Hero that has produced 31,210 units till May and enjoys 4.5 per cent share in the PAMA production the data revealed.

The production of the company grew by 69 per cent against 18,388 units produced in 2008/09.

Only eight local, Chinese brands and three Japanese brands are PAMA members. The Chinese motorcycle producers have cumulatively produced over 114,000 motorcycles this year. However, a PAMA member said that around 45 non-PAMA producers are manufacturing around 450,000 motorcycles per annum. He said some of them have larger production than many PAMA members.

This year the total motorcycle production is estimated by the industry circles at around 1.1 million units. It was found that more than 56,750 Japanese motorcycles rolled in during the first 11 months of this fiscal year.

The local brands with the Chinese technology produced 514,000 units, including around 35,000 three wheelers, it said.

“The Chinese brands are increasing their market share rapidly,” said Dr Shahid Zia, a senior market analyst.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=247169