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United Motors opens branch in Anuradhapura

United Motors Lanka PLC, the sole distributor in Sri Lanka for Mitsubishi brand new vehicles, Mitsubishi Fuso trucks and Mitsubishi genuine parts and accessories opened its first branch with comprehensive facilities under one roof at Maithripala Senanayake Mawatha, New Town, Anuradhapura on May 15.

The branch was ceremonially opened by Berty Premalal Dissanayake, the Chief Minister of the North Central Province. He was received by CEO/Executive Director Chanaka Yatawara and Executive Director of United Motors, Ramesh Yaseen.

The Chief Minister in his address commended the company for deciding to set up branches in the outstations and expressed his appreciation for deciding on Anuradhapura, especially taking into consideration the high volume of Mitsubishi vehicles in the North Central Province.

United Motors is now extending its services to selected provincial towns in the country. The Anuradhapura branch will not only market the range of Mitsubishi vehicles, Mitsubishi Fuso Trucks, Mitsubishi genuine parts and Mitsubishi repair/service facilities but will also make available the products marketed by its subsidiaries. The non Mitsubishi products would include Perodua cars from Malaysia, Nomad Zotye SUV's and JMC cabs from China and trucks from Force Motors, India.

The service facility at Anuradhapura will be manned by trained and experienced staff who will be geared to repair and service all types of Mitsubishi vehicles. Three Mitsubishi Fuso trucks were sold on the day of the opening. The CEO/Executive Director of United Motors and members of the Japanese delegation officially handed the vehicles over.

Nissan Motor to build second China plant

Japan's third-largest automaker by sales Nissan Motor Co. will invest about 10 billion yen ($95.8 million) in constructing a plant in China to raise output capacity for small commercial vehicles, the Nikkei newspaper reported on Wednesday without citing sources.

The new factory, to be built adjacent to Zhengzhou Nissan Automobile Co.'s existing plant in Henan Province, is expected to come on-stream in 2010, the report said. Zhengzhou Nissan, a subsidiary of a Nissan-Dongfeng Motor Corp. joint venture, mainly produces mainly pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles.

Its existing plant is already running at full capacity, turning out around 60,000 vehicles a year, the Nikkei said.

The new plant will bring total capacity to 160,000 vehicles by 2012, it said. (Thomson Financial News)

Yuejin Buddy hits Lankan Roads

Midland Riora Traders,the sole importer and marketer of Yuejin branded vehicles in Sri Lanka is planning to introduce continued mobile workshops and personalised after sales services for their customers.

Chairman of the Midland Riora Traders Nimal Ekanayake said, “We have been successfully selling the brand since its arrival in Sri Lanka two years back. In future we expect to reinforce the brand and introduce timely product improvements to suit the local market”. In an attempt to better understanding of the local market the representatives from Yuejin Motor Co. of China was on a tour of Sri Lanka.

These representatives have studied the requirements of the local market and promise to come up with necessary improvements, he said. These representatives also conducted workshops for the Midland staff on customer service.

They also met Yuejin customers in Sri Lanka and discussed various issues faced by them. The latest Yuejin brand truck to hit Sri Lankan roads is Yuejin four-cylinder Buddy truck. Yuejin four cylinder Buddy is available in both single and full body version.

There are three service centres in Kandy, Galle and Dambulla exclusively for Yuejin users.

Autoliv to make Nano’s air bag for $10

Tata Motors has asked the automotive safety component maker Autoliv IFB India to develop a $10 air bag for its small car Nano. This will be the world’s cheapest air bag, as those fitted in other small cars like the Zen Estilo start from $150.

Nano is likely to have two frontal air bags for the two high-end deluxe variants. The deluxe version will also have air-conditioning, music system and alloy wheels while the base variant will be a no-frill car.

While companies like Bosch has developed a special low-priced CRDi fuel system for Nano’s diesel variant and Honeywell Turbo India has also made a similar miniature turbo-charger system for the small engine, Autoliv, a worldwide leader in automotive safety components, is understood to be working on the ultra-cheap air bags. Nano’s closest rival Maruti 800 does not have an air bag. According to market sources, each of the twin air bags in the Zen Estilo is priced around $150.

Air bags are passive safety components in motorised vehicles which cushion the passenger during a frontal crash. They inflate within a fraction of a second to save passengers from any serious injury. International studies have reported that air bags reduce accident fatalities by 10%, when seat belts are worn.

A Tata Motors spokesperson said: “The company is under discussion with various suppliers for such equipment. The company has not taken any decision on air bags, and, therefore, there is nothing specific to Autoliv IFB India Ltd.”

According to sources in the automobile industry, Tata Motors had been looking for global standards for air bags and other safety equipment as Nano will be launched in overseas markets in future.

“Autoliv is the largest manufacturer of air bags with 28% market share in the world. Like other Nano suppliers, it can reinvent and minimise the manufacturing process and bring in innovative product design to meet stringent cost targets for Nano. It is banking on the large volumes envisaged for Nano.

Keeping in view the global experience of Autoliv, Tata Motors has asked it to develop air bags that are compliant with worldwide safety standards,” sources said.