Motorcycle maker Zongshen lowers overseas sales target

By Ding Qingfen and Zheng Lifei (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2009-03-07 11:49

Chinese motorcycle maker Zongshen Group expects overseas sales to account for 20 percent of its total this year, lower than last year's one-third, as the global economic downturn takes a bite out of business, its chairman said on Saturday.

Zongshen, one of the country's biggest motorcycle makers, suffered a steep drop in its overseas sales since the fourth quarter last year, Chairman Zuo Zongshen said on the sidelines of the annual sessions of the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

Motorcycle maker Zongshen lowers overseas sales target

"As a result, we have to readjust our strategy, we are aiming for 20 percent overseas sales this year and we are maintaining that target in the next three years," Zuo said.

Overseas sales accounted for nearly one third of its total sales in the past years, according to Zong.

The motorcycle maker's exports plunged 80 percent from a year earlier in the fourth quarter of 2008, the chairman of Chongqing-based Zongshen said.

Exports rebounded in the first two months of this year, but still suffered a 50 percent year-on-year drop.

Zongshen sold 9 million motorcycles last year, Zuo said earlier. The company expects to sell 25 million vehicles this year, the chairman said.
 
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