CAMPI sales up 22.6%

MANILA, Philippines - The country’s vehicle assemblers saw sales rise by more than a fifth  in February from the same month last year due to the continued demand  for passenger cars (PC) and commercial vehicles (CV).   

According to the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of  the Philippines Inc. (CAMPI), combined sales with the Truck  Manufacturers Association Inc. (TMA) reached 20,663 vehicles in  February this year, up 22.6 percent from 16,859 units a year ago.   

The CAMPI attributed the February sales result to the strong demand seen  for both the PC and CV segments, as well as attractive deals offered  by car firms.   

PC sales grew by 44.4 percent to 8,149 units in February this year  from the comparable months year’s 5,644 units.   

Sales of CVs posted an 11.6 percent uptick to reach 12,514 units in  February this year from 11,215 units in the same month in 2014.   

“There seems to be no let up in sales. With fewer calendar days for  February, the industry is surprised to see sales reaching a level  normally achieved during the peak month of December,” CAMPI president  Rommel Gutierrez said.   

For the first two months of the year, combined CAMPI-TMA sales climbed  21 percent to 39,325 units from 32,506 units in the comparable  period last year.

PC sales for the two-month period posted a 40.2 percent increase to  15,349 units this year from the 10,945 units sold a year ago.   

The number of CVs sold grew 11.2 percent to 23,976 units in the  January to February period this year from the previous year’s sale of 21,561  units.   

As of end-February, Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Philippines Corp.  remained the top car brand with sales of 17,579 units or a 44.7  percent share.   

Another Japanese firm Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. placed  second as it sold 7,313 units or accounted for an 18.6 percent share,  followed by American car manufacturer Ford Motor Co. Philippines Inc.  which had sales of 3,396 units or an 8.64 percent share.   

Total vehicle sales in the country, including those sold by non-members  of the CAMPI-TMA, are estimated to hit 300,000 units this year, 15  percent more than the 269,058 units sold in 2014.   

The full-year 2015 sales volume could even be higher if the positive  performance in the January to February period is sustained.     

“If this trend continues, industry may again exceed its target for  the year,” Gutierrez said.