Suzuki Motorcycle to ramp up dealer network

Suzuki Motorcycle India Private Limited (SMIPL), the 100 per cent subsidiary of the Japan-based Suzuki Motor Corporation, aims to ramp up its dealer network from 217 at present to 300 by March 2011.

“We have targeted to increase our dealer network in the country from 217 at present to 300 by March 2011. In a short span of around two and half years, SMIPL can boast of a robust network of 217 dealers across the country”, Rakesh Kumar, dealer development officer of SMIPL said here.

He was here to inaugurate a new outlet, the company's 217th in the country.

Presently, the company has five dealer outlets in the state at Balasore, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Berhampur and Bhawanipatna and plans are afoot to expand this network, Kumar said.

SMIPL's manufacturing facility in India is located at Gurgaon (Haryana) with a capacity of 2.5 lakh units. The manufacturing facility is spread over 37 acres out of which only seven acres is devoted to plant construction while the remaining area is left for future expansion.

The company has posted a 76 per cent jump in its March sales to 21,752 vehicles. The sale of the vehicles increased despite the rise of excise duty on automobiles by 2 per cent from February 26.

In order to cater to the needs of the customers, SMIPL plans to roll out new models every year.