Bajaj sales slip 2 pc in Feb: expects record volumes in FY07

New Delhi, Mar 1 (UNI) Bajaj Auto Ltd today said it expects to close this fiscal with record volumes even as its sales in February registered a two per cent drop.

The overall sales dipped to 2,02,212 units from 2,05,776 vehicles in the same month last year due to ''production constraints limited sale of high end Bajaj motorcycles as demand exceeded supply,'' the company said.

With anticipated good sales in March, Bajaj expects to close this financial year with record high volumes, motorcycle market share, revenues and profits, it added.

It maintained that the higher capacities planned in this segment will considerably improve the supply position from April.

The country's leading motorcycles manufacturer's motorbike sales also dropped two per cent to 1,75,256 units from 1,71,780 units.

The two-wheeler sales slipped three per cent during the month from 1,79,880 veichles to 1,74,220 units.

However, the three-wheeler sales in the period were up by eight per cent to 27,992 pieces from 25,896 vehicles.

The exports stood at 38,338 units, registering 46 per cent growth, as compared to 26,237 units in February 2006.

The company's new plant at Pantnagar, Uttarakhand, will commence production from April 9. All preparations including trial production, at the facility as well as at vendors' facilities are proceeding as scheduled, the company said.

Simultaneously, development activities and production preparation activities for the all new motorcycle platform, to enable consumers move away from 100 cc segment, are progressing to plan for slated launch in July-September quarter, it added.

UNI