KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 7 — Proton’s sales volume in January fell to 4,453 units (for both domestic and export sales) in January, a reduction of 25.3 per cent from the same month in 2021 and equivalent to an estimated local market share of 11.3 per cent.
It attributed the decline to the knock-on effects of the severe flooding in Selangor at the end of 2021.
“While Proton’s production facilities in Shah Alam and Tanjung Malim were unaffected by the floods in December, the company’s vendors were not as lucky. Many have production facilities in Shah Alam and were thus affected by rising floodwaters,” it said in a statement today.
“This had a direct effect on production volume in January, leading to a shortage of units to fulfil orders. The situation was further compounded by minimal carry overstock from the previous month as the company worked to close the gap between supply and market demand.”
“Proton is, however, confident of meeting our targets for 2022 based on market projections as well as our sales and marketing plans for the rest of the year,” Proton Edar chief executive officer Roslan Abdullah said.
Among all models, the Proton X50 and Proton X70 were the first to resume production and this was reflected in their January sales volume.
A total of 2,601 units of the Proton X50 and 799 units of the Proton X70 were delivered last month and although the individual numbers were modest compared to the previous month, combined they helped to position Proton as the number one sport utility vehicle (SUV) brand in Malaysia.
Flood relief efforts for customers continue
One and a half months after the December floods took the nation by surprise, over 1,200 flood-affected Proton vehicles have been received at authorised service centres. They are then divided into four categories, depending on the severity of the damage suffered, before assessments are made and repairs get underway.
“Proton would like to remind all customers with flood-damaged cars to send their vehicles to our network of authorised service centres to enjoy benefits such as free towing and car wash services as well as discounted parts and labour charges. We are also thankful to the government for the RM1,000 assistance voucher, which has proven to be invaluable for many of our customers,” added Roslan.
Sources: BERNAMA