Telco truck sales pick up
24 Mar 1999
N. Mohan
24 March 1999
After a prolonged slide,
Telco's sales of heavy commercial vehicles are reported
to have suddenly picked up. Sales spurted 37.36 per cent
in February 1999 over the corresponding period last year.
The company sold 5,474 vehicles against 3,985 in February
last year.
That will still leave the current year's sales below the
previous year's level. In the period April 1998 to February
1999, Telco's HCV sales fell 18.75 per cent from the previous
year's level.
In February 1999 too, it's been mixed news for Telco.
Increased HCV sales were offset by a sharp fall in the
sale of light commercial vehicles -- 2,531, against 3388
in February 1998. Sales of multi-utility vehicles dropped
by a third to 1,978 from 2,991 in February 1998. Car sales
stagnated at a mere 74 during the month.
The changes follow an established pattern. Sales of HCVs
are usually high in the last quarter of every fiscal year,
as government orders tend to get bunched up in this period.
During the 11-month period ended February 1999, sales
of LCVs dropped 8.79 per cent, those of utility vehicles
fell 32.93 per cent, and those of car plummeted 51.12
per cent. Telco had raised HCV production 23.12 per cent
in February, and lowered that of LCVs by 35.10 per cent.
Production of utility vehicles was raised 5.38 per cent
and that of cars by 191.30 per cent.
Telco had announced an increase in the prices of its HCVs
and LCVs after the budget, but the prices of utility vehicles
have not been touched.
