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Published on January 25, 2008

By launching the new products, the group expects to increase its 2008 revenue to Bt45 billion, a 7-per-cent increase from Bt42 billion last year.

The first product is a spark plug for automatic motorcycles developed by Denso International (Thailand), said managing director Thanong Leeissaranukul. The spark plug is created to serve the increase in automatic motorcycles, from a 10-per-cent share in 2006 to 45 per cent last year.

"Manual motorcycles used to be the No 1 with a market share of 85 per cent in 2004. But the market share of automatic motorcycles rose to 45 per cent last year. This reflects the popularity of this segment and has pushed bike manufacturers to produce parts to supply automatic motorcycles," Thanong said, adding that Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki are producing automatic motorcycles with a combined 10 models in the market.

Denso has targeted increasing its market share in automatic-motorcycle spark plugs from 25 per cent currently to 40 per cent in two years.

The second product is a motorcycle tyre called EMD (Eat My Dust), manufactured by Inoue Rubber (Thailand). The product has been developed for the drag-race bike market only and not for on-road riding.

The company decided to develop the new tyre for motorcycle rally drivers. Inoue Rubber designed a new pattern in order to increase grip power, Thanong said.

Total Oil (Thailand) is another partner that has introduced a new product: a motorcycle lubricant under the Elf brand. Total Oil will provide the innovative lubricant for both two-stroke and four-stroke bikes.

"We target the new motorcycle lubricant to acquire a market share of 2 or 3 per cent this year," he said.

Sittipol 1991 will market the new products through many channels, particularly the company's dealers and distributors nationwide.

Sittipol will also support at least eight motorcycle sports activities this year as a promotional channel.

"As we know, prospects for the motorcycle market were not good for a few years," Thanong said. "Therefore, manufacturers had to adapt themselves and improve products to serve the market.

Sittipol 1991 yesterday also signed an agreement with Bando Manufacturing (Thailand) to be the distributor for motorcycle

transmission belts.

Nalin Viboonchart, The Nation