INOKOM Corporation Sdn Bhd (Inokom), which has sealed a deal with Hyundai Motor (Thailand) Co. Ltd. (HMC Thailand), will assemble and export 1,000 units of the Elantra, Hyundai’s popular C-segment passenger car to Thailand in the first year.
Currently, the Elantra Nu1.8L is the only model that is being exported to Thailand. HMC Thailand offers three versions of the Elantra 1.8L in Thailand namely the 1.8 GLS Navi, 1.8 GLE and 1.8 GL. The Elantra 1.8L is in fact the first mass-oriented passenger car product to be offered to Thai consumers by Hyundai Motor (Thailand).
Inokom, a subsidiary of Sime Darby Motors, started assembling and exporting the first 200 units of the Hyundai Elantra since June this year. It has just rolled out another 200 units, which will be shipped to Thailand in early September. The number of units for export to Thailand is expected to increase in tandem with market demand as the Malaysian-assembled model is being priced cheaper due to the ASEAN Free Trade Area Agreement (AFTA).
“With the introduction of this new Inokom-assembled Elantra in Thailand, we expect its popularity to soar rapidly following the competitive pricing resulting from the ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (AFTA) scheme,” said Mr Hideki Yanagisawa of Hyundai Motor (Thailand). The introductory prices for the Elantra now start from THB749,000 for the entry 1.8 GL automatic. The mid-range 1.8 GLE and the top-end 1.8 GLS Navi are introduced at THB819,000 and THB898,000 respectively
“Though this is our first collaboration with Inokom, we look forward to future collaborations and possibly, for the other Hyundai models as well,” added Mr Yanagisawa.
According to Inokom’s Managing Director, En. Rizal Jailan, the collaboration with Hyundai Motor (Thailand) could open up more export business opportunities for Inokom, especially for locally assembled Hyundai models.
“We have proven our capabilities and we have vast experience in producing high quality vehicles. We place emphasis on quality, productivity and efficiency and this will ensure that we remain competitive in both the domestic and export markets. We are confident that our track record and reputation in producing quality vehicles will help the product’s success in Thailand.,” said En Rizal.
He added that Inokom was looking forward to a long-term working relationship with HMC Thailand and also actively looking and evaluating other business opportunities in the ASEAN market. With the export initiative, Inokom hopes to further cement its support for the new National Automotive Policy (NAP), by developing new vendors and increasing the participation of existing local vendors. Inokom’s vehicle assembly plant, which measures 100 acres of built-up area out of 200 acres of land, has an output capacity of 27,000 CKD (Complete Knock Down) vehicles a year. Apart from the Elantra, Inokom also assembles the 7-seater Santa Fe SUV and compact passenger car i10 for the domestic market that is distributed by Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors.
