International Dealer News IDN 141 February/March 2018 | Page 11

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Suzuki sales increase
For the second quarter (to 30th
September 2017) of its 2017/18
financial year Suzuki has
announced worldwide
motorcycle sales increased by
+18 percent year-on-year at
797,000 units, driven by
increases in India, China,
Indonesia (despite the market
slump there) and other of their
emerging markets.
The company is now forecasting
that it will sell 1.5 Mn units for
its full financial year (a forecast
increase of some 96,000 units).
For its first six months, Suzuki
says sales revenues from
motorcycles were up by +1.5
percent in Japan, and by +26.3
percent in total in all its
international markets
combined, with Europe +4.5
percent at 24 Bn yen, with
North America +5.4 percent and
Asia as a whole +15.0 percent.
Driven by sales of the all-new
GSX-R1000 in global markets
and the GSX-R150 in emerging
markets, their motorcycle
segment operating loss of ¥0.7
billion in the previous fiscal
year improved to an operating
income of ¥3.7 billion.
Global production increased by
+20.2 percent year-on-year for
their first six months of the
2017/18 financial year (793,000
units) – an increase of 133,000
units.
In other news the GSX250R and
V-Strom 250 both picked up
Good Design Awards, and in
September, attended by
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo
Abe and Indian Prime Minister
Narendra Modi, Suzuki opened
its new Suzuki Motor factory
and saw the cornerstone laid
for a new Lithium-ion battery
plant at Gujarat, India.
GS Yuasa - new MD and CEO for GSY
Europe; new lithium-ion battery
plant in Hungary
GS Yuasa Battery Europe Ltd have
announced the appointment of
Andrew Taylor as the company’s new
Managing Director and Chief
Executive Officer.
Andrew has been with the company
for approaching 29 years. Since 2007
he has been Managing Director of GS
Yuasa Battery Sales UK Ltd. During this
time, the company has achieved
unprecedented growth, becoming the
UK market leader for automotive,
motorcycle and industrial batteries.
Andrew has also been Commercial
Director of GS Yuasa Battery Europe
Ltd since 2015.
Commenting on his new appointment,
Andrew said: “It is a great honour for
me to take up the position of
Managing Director and CEO of GS
Yuasa Battery Europe Ltd. It is a
challenge that I am very much looking
forward to.
“We have a strong platform to build
on and an excellent European team to
support our sales growth plan
throughout Europe.”
In other company news, GS Yuasa
Corporation, the parent company of
GS Yuasa Battery Europe, has
announced that it will establish a new
manufacturing subsidiary company,
GS Yuasa Hungary Ltd. and construct
a new manufacturing plant for lithium-
ion batteries in Miskolc, Hungary
Lithium-ion batteries will be
assembled in the new plant with
lithium-ion cells made in Japan. These
batteries will be used for SLI (Starting,
Lighting, and Ignition) applications
which the company expects to see
“expanded in demand terms in the
European market in the coming
years”.
GS Yuasa will also consider
manufacturing lithium-ion cells in this
plant in future. The company says it will
“continue to respond to the market
environment change in its extensive
technologies”.
GS Yuasa Battery Europe Ltd consists
of five European sales companies and,
at present, one battery manufacturing
company. From sales and distribution
centres in Swindon (UK), Milan, Lyon,
Madrid and Dusseldorf, and a state-of-
the-art manufacturing facility in Ebbw
Vale, UK, GS Yuasa supplies European
markets with a “vast range of high-
quality GS and Yuasa brand batteries
and accessories”.
www.gs-yuasa.eu
Corvus hires Staffiero
as Export Director
Former Honda Motor Europe
Motorcycle Sales Operations
and Aftersales Dealer
Development executive Luis
Staffiero has returned to his
native Spain to take up the
Export Director position at
Murcia based UTV
manufacturer Corvus.
Corvus is a completely new
company that has evolved from
RBS (Rabassa Innova,
Barcelona) – a specialist off-
road “Side by Side” leisure and
racing UTV vehicle
manufacturer. “Our ultimate
mission is that our customers
enjoy their off-road experience,
thanks to the comfort and
versatility of our vehicles,” says
Staffiero.
“Inspired by the passion to feel
an adrenaline rush in each
corner, the Corvus design and
engineering team works
tirelessly on the trail concept -
to develop fully equipped
vehicles with high
performance. Our ambition is
to conquer the European off-
road market with European
made and designed
recreational and professional
use UTV and sport ATV models
that can sell worldwide”.
www.corvus-utv.com
INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018
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