Despite challenging market conditions, Ford India sales have increased by 35 percent so far this year. Earlier last month, the company broke ground for its new plant in Sanand, Gujarat.
Ford India sold 90,612 wholesale and export vehicles from January to September 2011, compared to 67,253 units sold during the same period last year – a 35 percent increase year-over-year.
In September 2011, the company had combined wholesales and exports of 10,270 units.
“The festival season is coming and Ford India has a lot to celebrate,” said Michael Boneham, president and managing director, Ford India. “Despite increasing fuel prices and an increasingly challenging market, consumers continue to choose the fuel-efficient, affordable, feature-filled vehicles Ford offers, and we are close to reaching the 100,000 sales milestone for this year.”
Boneham said Ford’s aggressive expansion plans and long-term commitment to India will allow the company to continue developing, building and selling more vehicles that people want and value. India’s importance to Ford was reinforced by the groundbreaking on a new approximately USD 1 billion facility recently, he added.
“With support from newer vehicles such as the All-New Ford Fiesta, sustained demand for the Ford Figo, and our efforts to remove bottlenecks with suppliers’ constraints to manufacture more diesel cars, we are hopeful of reducing the waiting period on diesel cars and boosting sales.”
Ford Figo continues to see a surge in demand as Ford India exported 2,469 cars this month, adding one new market, Jamaica, and extending its list to 27 countries. “Exports are a strong part of our growth strategy. It is gratifying to see the ever-growing demand for the Chennai-built Figo beyond the borders of India.”
Ford will eventually export the Figo to close to 50 international markets, reinforcing Ford India’s growing status as an exporter of both small cars and fuel-efficient, low-displacement engines..
Ford India also inaugurated a new state-of-the-art warehouse for spare parts in northern India near Gurgaon in Haryana state. The facility, strategically located near the Kundli- Manesar- Palwal highway and Kundli– Ghaziabad–Palwal highway, will support Ford’s growing footprint.
The new Parts Distribution Centre near Gurgaon is part of our commitment to deliver ‘Right parts- Every Time- On Time’ to our growing base of customers and improve service quality, said Nigel Wark, Ford India’s executive director for Marketing, Sales and Service.
To support its growing sales, the company is set to expand its sales and service network to more than 200 outlets in 120 and beyond cities by the end of this year, with new dealerships coming up at 13 new locations such as Solapur, Gulbarga and Tirupur.
