Currently, European and Japanese heavy truck brands take the majority in Malaysia transportation industry. Over the past few years, Chinese brands are playing an increasingly influential power as more and more Chinese truck builders enter this Malaysia market.
Now, Malaysia is busying with infrastructure construction which raises great demands for heavy duty trucks. It is a great opportunity for Chinese truck builders to contend for bigger market share relying on Chinese economical and practical truck products.
China's leading heavy duty truck manufacturer, Sinotruk expects to achieve higher sales of its trucks in Malaysia, thanks to the nation's strong economic growth.
The company aimed to sell 1,000 heavy duty trucks in 2014, its chief representative in Malaysia, Sun Yongjun, told Bernama in an interview.
The number was significant compared with the combined sales of more than 2,000 vehicles sold in the past five years, he said.
Last year, the company, the first Chinese truck brand to make a foray into Malaysia in 2008, sold 350 trucks and raked in a revenue of RM80 million.
It currently enjoys a 20 per cent share in the domestic heavy duty truck market, with major customers including Integrated Logistics Bhd, Vertex Mission Holdings Sdn Bhd, Shin Yang Sdn Bhd and YTL Corporation Bhd, according to a company statement.
"Malaysia may not be as big as China geographically, but the market is growing strongly to us," Sun said, adding that the truck manufacturer saw an uptick in demand as more infrastructure projects were being launched locally.
Going forward, the company is set to bring in medium and light duty trucks in the second half of next year, in a move to complement its current offering of heavy duty vehicles.
The company has set a target to sell 300 medium trucks and 600 to 800 light duty trucks in Malaysia in 2015
In addition, CAMC and Dongfeng start to get into Malaysian market. CAMC even ranks No.1 among Chinese truck manufacturers who have exports to Malaysia.
The financial turbulence happened a few years ago will definitely have afterward influence on Malaysia, giving rise to demands on more effective, economical and reliable trucks. Chinese trucks thus become a top choice. It’s a good timing for Chinese truck manufacturers to seize a share in Malaysian market.
