Dong Feng seeks market niche

Dong Feng Motor Distributors Inc. Philippines Inc., the local distributor of Dongfeng Motor Company Ltd. of China, wants to create a niche market for industrial vehicles in the Philippines.

Part-owner Francis Chua said the China-based company aimed to expand the market for mining and dump trucks in the Philippines.

“There is more future [in the Philippines] when it comes to [selling] dump trucks and mining equipment. I believe this is the opportunity for Chinese cars,” he said.

“I don’t think it will be wise if we try to match up with the Japanese when it comes to sedan and other segments. When it comes to passenger cars, you have to give it to the Japanese. We don’t want to compete with that,” he added.

Dong Feng Motor has also brought passenger cars and light commercial vehicles into the Philipines.

Chua said the company was still assessing the possibility of setting up local assembly in the Philippines pending the release of a new set of incentives as provided for in the proposed Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence.

He said China planned to set up an assembly plant in Southeast Asia with the Philippines as one of the preferred sites.

Dong Feng is the second of the five biggest automobile manufacturers in China. It produces light commercial vehicles, Dongfeng Cummins engine parts, mini vans, pick-up, special purpose series vehicles, trucks, buses, tractors, dump trucks and passenger cars.

It also serves the car part needs of other automobile brands, including Japanese car makers.

Dong Feng in 2012 produced 3.2 million vehicles of various makes and models.

By the end of 2011, Dongfeng’s total assets amounted to RMB 232 billion yuan and an employment of 160,000.

It sold over 3 million vehicles in 2011, achieving a sales revenue of RMB390.4 billion yuan.

Dongfeng Motor Co. in 2012 ranked 142 in the Fortune Global Top 500, 16 among top 500 Chinese enterprises and third among top 500 Chinese manufacturers.

Sales in 2012 reached 3.2 million vehicles of various makes and models.

The company was China’s top auto maker in the medium/heavy duty commercial vehicle and medium duty bus segment and the second biggest in light duty commercial vehicle and SUV segment in 2010.

The company is looking forward to becoming the top automobile maker in China.

Dong Feng Motor in 2014 said it would pursue an aggressive major dealership nationwide to position itself amid the reconstruction activities in the typhoon-ravaged provinces of Samar and Leyte.

“We’re expecting a load of infrastructures with all these devastation in Tacloban, Ormoc and other areas destroyed by Typhoon Yolanda. So we’re putting up a lot of local dealership all over the country,” said Chua.