Toyota auto parts shipments down 10%

MANILA, Philippines - Shipments of automotive parts of the Toyota Group from the Philippines Declined 10 percent in 2014 from a year ago amid congestion at Manila’s ports and Thailand’s political crisis.

Toyota Motor Philippines Corp. (TMPC) vice president for corporate affairs Rommel Gutierrez said in a text message yesterday the Toyota Group’s exports from the Philippines reached close to $890 million last year, down 10 percent from 2013.

The result is short of the $897 million forecast for 2014 given earlier by TMPC.

Gutierrez said the decrease was “mainly due to port congestion and Thailand is political issue.”

Manila’s ports saw a pileup of containers following the imposition of a truck ban by the City Government of Manila in February last year.

While the implementation of the truck ban was lifted in September, congestion at the ports continue to be a problem, affecting exports and leading to delays in deliveries.

Anti-government protests also took place in Thailand between the latter part of 2013 until last year, resulting in the removal of then Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and the naming of Thai army chief Prayuth Chan-Ocha as new Prime Minister.

The protest thus affected Thai auto production which orders auto parts from the Philippines.          

The Toyota Group is composed of the following parts suppliers: Toyota Autoparts Philippines, Inc. (transmissions and constant velocity joints); Aichi Forging Company (metal forged parts); EDS Manufacturing Inc. (wiring harness); Fujitsu Ten Corp. of the Phils. (security system); International Wiring Harness (wiring harness); JECO Autoparts Inc. (clocks);  Koyo Manufacturing Inc. (bearings);  Nippon Antenna (Phils.) Inc. (antenna); Philippine Auto Components Inc. (meter assembly combination); Philippine HKR Inc. (machining parts); Technol Eight Phils. Corp.(stamped parts); Tokai Rica Phils. Inc. (switches); and Yazaki Torres Manufacturing Inc. (wiring harness).