SIAM GS BATTERY FOCUSES ON LOCAL MARKET

       Siam GS Sales, the distribution arm of Siam GS Battery, has sharply increased its sales target for the year from Bt2.5 billion to Bt3.5 billion amid strong growth in the local replacement market.
       Siam GS Battery, which manufactures batteries for motored vehicles, earlier this year changed its sales strategy to focus on the replacement-equipment manufacturing (REM) market, as original-equipment manufacturing (OEM) is expected to shrink heavily this year in line with overall automotive production.
       Prakasit Phornprapha, director of Siam GS Battery and Siam GS Sales, the manufacturer and distributor of GS Battery for automobiles, said the company had already achieved a 50-per-cent share in the replacement market, which is worth about Bt5.5 billion, higher than the 40-per-cent share targeted at the beginning of this year.
       He said the global economic downturn had affected the automotive industry worldwide, leading to a slowdown in the OEM car-battery market. The company has therefore shifted its focus on growth of the replacement battery business in the domestic market, with the goal of boosting its share of the REM market to 60 per cent within this year.
       "Local consumers have delayed their purchase of new vehicles amid the economic recession. They have used their old cars even longer. This helps our battery sales in the replacement market as people have changed batteries for the maintenance of their old vehicles," said Prakasit.
       The company yesterday launched an integrated marketing communications campaign with Peter Corp Dyrendal, well-known artist, as new presenter in the latest commercial, being created under the 'World Class Technology' concept.
       "We are injecting an additional Bt25 million into marketing to be held in the second half of this year, raising the year's total budget to above Bt100 million," said Prakasit. He said that Peter himself represents independent new generation people, aged under 30, who have great confidence. This will help boost brand recognition, especially among the target group of first jobbers, and serve as strong support for dealers nationwide in terms of product promotion and sales.
       Saran Chinprahat, managing director of Siam GS Sales, said that the company's performance during the first half of this year was pleasing as it saw a year-on-year growth of 15 per cent in value and 50 per cent in volume in the domestic sales of replacement battery.