The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
Hero MotoCorp, the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters, is now in the Philippines and it promises to give the local buyers a delightful motorcycles experience that makes it No. 1 in the world.
Terrafirma Motors Corporation (TMC), a part of the Columbian Group of Companies that is one of the leading and most experienced automotive groups in the Philippines, will be the exclusive assembler and distributor of Hero MotoCorp products as firmed up during its grand launch last week in Binan, Laguna.
Hero MotorCorp’s chief business officer Sanjay Bahn said the Philippine market is the first country for the Indian motorcycle to be introduced in the Asean region. “We would like the Filipino buyers to experience the motorcycle brand that was chosen by more than 116 million people. To get their trust, they need to experience the kind of motorcycle that is of quality and reliability,” Bahn said. Hero MotoCorp is currently in 48 countries around the world with tech centers in India and Germany and manufacturing facilities in India, Colombia and Bangladesh.
Columbian Group of Companies’ chairman emeritus and Cong. Jose Chaves Alvarez led the local officials in welcoming the Indian officials and presented to them the state-of-the-art assembly unit and parts warehouse that has been set-up inside the Terrafirma in Binan with over 6,000 sq. mtrs in size and has an annual capacity of over 150,000 units annually. He was assisted by Terrafirma president Felix Mabilog, who celebrated his birthday during the said launch. The partnerhip has set up a retail network (sales, service, spares) with over 350 customer touch-points and will rapidly expand the network by the end of the year.
The new assembly facility will produce Hero MotoCorp’s best-selling and globally acclaimed range of motorcycles such as the Xpulse 200 4V, Hunk 160R 4V and the Xoom 110 scooter. The Xpulse 200 4V is available for P140,000 while the Hunk 160R 4V is at P99,900 and the Xoom 110 at P69,900. It all comes with a warranty of 2 years or 24,000 kms.
“The commencement of operations in the Philippines will bolster our overall global presence. Hero MotoCorp, with its diverse and tech-driven product portfolio, is committed to delivering the best-in-class mobility solutions and hassle-free aftersales services to ensure a delightful ownership experience. In Terrafirma Motors Corporation (TMC), we have a strong partner and together with them we will rapidly create and strengthen our presence in this key market,” said Niranjan Gupta, the chief executive officer of Hero MotoCorp.
For his part, Bienvenido Sanvictores Santos, the chairman of Terrafirma Motors Corporation, said, “We are delighted to partner with Hero MotoCorp, one of the leading automotive companies in the world. Hero’s products are renowned for their technology and reliability and we are confident that customers in the Philippines will love these motorcycles and scooters. Combining Hero MotoCorp’s global expertise with our local knowledge, we intend to make an impact in the market.”