Motown starts 2020 on a low key
Steel Insights|February 2020
The country’s motown has started off the New Year on a low key as most automakers faced declining sales.
Ritwik Sinha
Motown starts 2020 on a low key

In January 2020, the overall passenger cars sales declined by 5.3 percent over the previous year and majority of the OEMs projected a negative growth. The industry is currently reeling to liquidate BS-4 stocks and all efforts are aligned in the direction.

The country’s largest passenger car manufacturer, Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) started off the New Year on a positive note, reporting increased sales after months of degrowth. MSI is has reported a 1.6 percent growth in its total sales (domestic + exports) at 154,123 units in January 2020, compared to 151,721 units in the same month of the previous year.

The company continued its lead in the market with 53.3 percent market share, up from 50.3 percent in January 2019.

Maruti Suzuki

Maruti Suzuki has recorded a marginal increase of 1.7 percent in sales in January 2020 selling 144,499 units in the domestic market as compared to 142,150 units it sold a year ago. The mini and compact segment always have been the major growth drivers for India’s largest carmaker and continue to do so moving ahead. The mini segment with products like the Alto, S-Presso and old WagonR went up by 10.8 percent at 25,885 units against 23,360 units sold in the same month last year. The compact segment including models like the Maruti Suzuki Dzire, Swift, Baleno and new WagonR among others surged by 11.6 percent at 84,340 units compared to 75,571 units sold a year ago.

The utility vehicle (UV) segment has been under pressure for quite some time now and even in January recorded a slump of 26.6 percent at 16,460 units as compared to 22,430 units sold a year ago. That said, company’s UV sales are expected to improve once the 2020 Vitara Brezza petrol goes on sale this year. The model along with the Ertiga MPV has been a significant volume generator but is losing sheen towards the end of its lifecycle, more so with unavailability of a petrol engine.

This story is from the February 2020 edition of Steel Insights.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the February 2020 edition of Steel Insights.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM STEEL INSIGHTSView All
Steel's Net Zero mission
Steel Insights

Steel's Net Zero mission

The country’s commitment to achieving Net Zero within a targeted timeframe will now propel its steel sector towards a sustainable future in line with global trends.

time-read
10+ mins  |
November 2021
Fuel Price Hike, Supply Chain Disruption Hurt Festive Sales
Steel Insights

Fuel Price Hike, Supply Chain Disruption Hurt Festive Sales

Supply chain disruptions and fuel price hikes have hurt festive sales in a big way as most auto majors posted decline in sales in October.

time-read
5 mins  |
November 2021
Seaborne coking coal offers remain range-bound
Steel Insights

Seaborne coking coal offers remain range-bound

Seaborne coking coal offers moved in a narrow range in October amid global supply tightness and healthy spot demand.

time-read
3 mins  |
November 2021
Global crude steel output down 8% in September
Steel Insights

Global crude steel output down 8% in September

China manufactured 74 mt in September, fall of 21% y-o-y while India’s production went up by 7% to 10 mt.

time-read
1 min  |
November 2021
MOIL embarks on expansion projects
Steel Insights

MOIL embarks on expansion projects

“Even though our country is blessed with manganese ore reserves, we import 50% of the domestic requirement. We have to lower our import dependence and save precious foreign exchange.” Ram Chandra Prasad Singh, Steel Minister

time-read
5 mins  |
November 2021
Iron ore handled by major ports down 17% in H1
Steel Insights

Iron ore handled by major ports down 17% in H1

The 12 major Indian ports handled 27 mt of iron-ore during H1 of 2021, down by 17% from 33 mt recorded for the corresponding period of previous year.

time-read
1 min  |
November 2021
Shrinking China output to boost India exports
Steel Insights

Shrinking China output to boost India exports

“In the third quarter of 2021, the company actively responded to the pressure from external policies, such as production curtailment and dual control system on energy consumption and intensity, as well as coal resource shortage and surging prices.” Baoshan Iron and Steel Co Ltd

time-read
4 mins  |
November 2021
Indian Railways' iron-ore handling up 25% in H1
Steel Insights

Indian Railways' iron-ore handling up 25% in H1

Indian Railways in April-September of 2021 (H1) transported 84 mt of iron ore, up by 25% over 67 mt during April-September 2020.

time-read
1 min  |
November 2021
September crude steel production up 7.2% y-o-y
Steel Insights

September crude steel production up 7.2% y-o-y

India’s crude steel production in September 2021 grew 7.2 percent to 9.547 million tons (mt) over September 2020 but was down by 3.2 percent from August 2021 output, provisional steel ministry data showed.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2021
“Five enablers: way forward to sustainable cleaner steel”
Steel Insights

“Five enablers: way forward to sustainable cleaner steel”

Right and scalable technology, appropriate policy guidance by government, access to finance to fund transition, willingness of customers to pay for cleaner products and infrastructure for use of new technologies are the need of the hour for the sustainable and cleaner steel industry, according to Madhulika Sharma, Chief Corporate Sustainability, Tata Steel.

time-read
10+ mins  |
November 2021