Bajaj to ramp up Pulsar production

Bajaj Auto is betting big on its Pulsar bike and plans to ramp up production to 90,000 units per month in the next six months with a sales target of 1 million units per annum by the end of next financial year.

"We are witnessing a resurgence of sales in Pulsar. From a low of 25,000 units sales per month last year, sales have now shot up to 45,000 units per month," Bajaj Auto Chief Executive Officer (Two-Wheelers) S Sridhar told PTI.

The company has set an ambitious but "achievable" target of 1 million units for FY11 and will ramp up production at its Chakan unit to 90,000 units per month over the next six months, Sridhar said.

The company, which had a sales of 28,000 per month (3,36,000 for the year) in FY09, is aiming to sell 6 lakh Pulsars this fiscal (FY10) at a monthly average of 50,000 units per month, he said.

The target is to up this to 85,000 units per month in FY11 with the annual sales target pegged at 1 million units, he said.

Of this, Pulsar 180 cc and 220 cc, both launched early this year to beat competition from Yamaha and Suzuki, would constitute 40 per cent sales with the balance from the Pulsar 150 cc, he said.

At present, its 180 cc and 220 cc sales constitute 30 per cent of the total Pulsar portfolio.

The Pulsar, which is in the performance category, currently enjoys a 50 per cent marketshare, Sridhar claimed.

Asked how the turnaround in sales was achieved (Pulsar sales have increased 80 per cent in the last six months), Sridhar attributed it to the launch of its 180 cc and 220 cc versions which have gained a strong foothold in the marketplace.

"We also undertook a massive marketing and advertising blitz -- our spend in FY10 will be nearly Rs 60 crore, more than double that of the Rs 25 crore in FY09," he said.

Apart from boosting its brand imagery, the company also focused on its existing customer base to boost sales of the Pulsar.

"We provided free service to 60,000 Pulsars in camps where we also showcased our new editions (180 cc and 220 cc). We covered 60 towns and sold 3,000 new bikes through these camps," he said.

The company exports 10,000 Pulsars (180 cc and 220 cc versions) to countries such as Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and South America, he said.