Below is a list with tagged columns and company profiles.

Today's Headlines Automotive

  • Indonesia’s Steel Industry Affected by Oversupply in China

    Irvan Kamal Hakim, Director at Krakatau Steel (Indonesia’s largest steel manufacturer), said that the domestic steel industry is still affected by prolonged concerns about excess steel supply in China, the world's largest steel producer. Amid slowing economic growth in the world’s second-largest economy, domestic steel demand in China has declined resulting in a global oversupply of 525 million tons. Each 1 percent decline in GDP growth in China results in an additional oversupply of 24 million tons of steel.

    Read more ›

  • Why Do Japan’s Steel Giants Want to Invest in Indonesia’s Steel Industry?

    Two giant Japan-based steel producers, Mitsubishi Steel Manufacturing and Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation (NSSMC), will invest a total of USD $450 million in Indonesia for an acquisition as well as for the establishment of a special steel factory. Mitsubishi Steel is to purchase a 34 percent stake (worth USD $37 million) in Indonesian special long steel producer Jatim Steel Manufacturing, while NSSMC and Indonesia's largest steelmaker Krakatau Steel agreed to form a joint venture to produce automotive flat steel in Indonesia.

    Read more ›

  • Gaikindo: Ahead of Lebaran, Indonesian Car Sales Grow 13% in June 2014

    According to data from the Indonesian Automotive Industry Association (Gaikindo), domestic car sales in Indonesia rose 13 percent to 109,706 car units in June 2014 from the previous month (97,147 vehicles) as people increased car purchases ahead of the Idul Fitri (Lebaran) festivities, which commence after the holy fasting month of Ramadan has ended on 28 July. Idul Fitri involves the exodus of millions of Indonesians from the cities to their places of origin. Ahead of this celebration, car sales always increase.

    Read more ›

  • Boosting Automotive Exports to Generate Foreign Exchange Earnings

    Apart from the traditional earnings originating from the export of coal, crude palm oil (CPO) as well as income from the tourism sector, Indonesia aims to increase foreign exchange earnings through boosting exports of cars and automotive parts. The Indonesian Trade Ministry said that it expects the value of exported cars and components to rise to USD $4.8 billion in 2014, a 10 percentage point growth from the USD $4.4 billion worth of earnings recorded in 2013 as Indonesian car producers have been boosting sales abroad.

    Read more ›

  • Car and Motorcycle Sales in Indonesia Recover in March 2014

    Car and motorcycle sales increased rapidly in Indonesia throughout March 2014, primarily due to an improved distribution network. In the previous months, heavy rains amid a peak of the rainy season (causing floods in various parts of Indonesia) resulted in the postponement of car and motorcycle purchases. Data from the Association of Indonesian Automotive Industries (Gaikindo) indicated that car sales surged 18 percent (year-on-year, yoy) to 113,277 units in March 2014, while motorcycle sales grew 9.2 percent (yoy) to 728,820 units.

    Read more ›

  • Manufacturing Expansion of Indonesia Slips due to Natural Disasters

    Indonesia's February 2014 HSBC manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI), which measures the performance of the country's manufacturing industry, slipped to 50.5 from 51.0 in the previous month, thus indicating slowing growth (a reading above 50 indicates expansion in manufacturing activity, while a reading below 50 indicates contraction). Despite continued strong export orders, domestic demand weakened amid massive floods and volcanic eruptions at the start of the year.

    Read more ›

  • Indomobil Multi Jasa is the 28th IPO on Indonesia Stock Exchange in 2013

    Yesterday (10/12), the 28th initial public listing (IPO) in 2013 on Indonesia's Stock Exchange was conducted. Financing company Indomobil Multi Jasa - with company code IMJS - offered 450 million shares, or 10.4 percent of its stake, to the public with a price tag of IDR 500 per share. The company is a subsidiary of Indomobil Sukses Internasional (IMAS), Indonesia's second-largest automotive distributor after Astra International. Through the IPO, the company aims to obtain IDR 225 billion for business expansion.

    Read more ›

  • Indomobil Sukses Internasional: Strong Player in Indonesia's Car Industry

    Indomobil Sukses Internasional is - aside from Astra International - the leading Indonesian company in the country's automotive industry. Indomobil, established in 1976, is an integrated automotive business group which gains most of its revenues through its automotive business segment. Indomobil distributes various well-known international brands in Indonesia. These include Audi, Nissan, Renault, Suzuki, Volkswagen, and Volvo vehicles. With total Indonesian car sales reaching a record high in 2012, the company is engaged in a lucrative industry.

    Read more ›

  • Investment in Manufacturing Sector Reduces Dependence on Natural Resources

    In the first quarter of 2013, Indonesia's manufacturing sector has received increasingly more investments compared to the same period last year. Investors directed IDR 53.26 trillion (USD $5.5 billion) towards Indonesia's manufacturing sector out a total of IDR 93 trillion (USD $9.6 billion) investment in Q1-2013. Compared to Q1-2012, investment in the manufacturing sector grew 84 percent. It is a positive development as it reduces Indonesia's dependence on natural resources, produces added-value products, and provides employment opportunities.

    Read more ›

Latest Columns Automotive

  • Perennial Fuel Subsidy Dilemma; After Raising Prices, Indonesia Needs to Brace for High Inflation

    While one month ago we read (in Indonesian media) that Indonesian President Joko Widodo vowed no increase in prices of subsidized fuels before the end of 2022, the situation suddenly changed. Based on reports in Indonesian media in the second half of August 2022 there were growing signs that the government was busy preparing a significant increase in prices of subsidized fuels (involving Pertalite and Pertamax gasoline fuels as well as automotive diesel oil) to safeguard a healthy budget balance for the government.

    Read more ›

  • Overview of the Automotive Industry of Indonesia; the Electric Vehicle Arrives on the Scene

    The automotive industry is among the hardest-hit industries amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. In May 2020, when social and business restrictions were still very strict in places like Jakarta, car sales (wholesales; from the factories to the dealers) plunged 95.8 percent year-on-year (y/y) to 3,551 cars. Meanwhile, retail car sales dropped 96.1 percent (y/y) to 17,083 vehicles in May 2020. Never before had the Association of Indonesian Automotive Manufacturers (or Gaikindo) recorded such weak car sales figures.

    Read more ›

  • Indonesia May File WTO Complaint over Vietnam's Car Import Policy

    Indonesia may file a complaint at the World Trade Organization (WTO) over Vietnam's recent decision to tighten regulations related to car imports. Through Decree No. 116/2017/ND-CP on Overseas Vehicle Type Approval (VTA) (which has been in effect since 1 January 2018), Vietnam requires car exporters to obtain VTA certification first (from authorities in the exporting nation) before being allowed to export cars into Vietnam. This VTA details incoming vehicles' quality, safety and environmental protection.

    Read more ›

  • Automotive Sector: Ford Cars to Return on the Streets of Indonesia?

    After Ford Motor Indonesia, the local unit of American car manufacturer Ford Motor Company, exited Indonesia earlier this year as the company found it too difficult to compete with Japanese counterparts on the Indonesian market, Ford found a new way to make sure its components and after sales services can be delivered in Southeast Asia's largest economy.

    Read more ›

  • Automotive Sector Indonesia: High Hopes for Car Exports

    The government of Indonesia eyes rapid growth of car exports in the two decades ahead. By the year 2035 the government targets to see car shipments from Indonesia rise to 1.5 million vehicles (from around 200,000 exported units in 2016). By that year, exported vehicles should contribute 37.5 percent of total Indonesian car sales.

    Read more ›

  • Automotive Industry News: SGMW Motor Indonesia Enters Car Market

    A new player in Indonesia's automotive industry - backed by big carmakers from China and the USA - is eager to compete for market share in Indonesia. On Tuesday (11/07) SGMW Motor Indonesia inaugurated its first manufacturing facility in Cikarang (West Java). This local company is a joint venture between (1) SAIC Motor Corporation Ltd, a Chinese state-owned automotive design and manufacturing company headquartered in Shanghai, (2) General Motors Company (GM), a US multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, and (3) Liuzhou Wuling Automobile Industry Co Ltd, a China-based car manufacturer.

    Read more ›

  • Automotive Manufacturing Industry: Indonesia's Car Production Center

    Indonesia's automotive industry is centered around Bekasi, Karawang and Purwakarta in West Java. In this area various big global car-makers invested in industrial estates as well as car and component manufacturing plants. Therefore, it has become the production base of Indonesia's automotive sector (including motorcycles) and can be labelled the "Detroit of Indonesia". Detroit (Michigan, USA) is the birthplace of the US automotive industry and is home to car giants General Motor, Chrysler, and Ford.

    Read more ›

  • Indonesia's BI Rate Cut Not Enough to Boost Household Consumption?

    The decision of Indonesia's central bank (Bank Indonesia), last week, to cut its key interest rate (BI rate) by 0.25 percent to 7.00 percent and to cut the reserve-requirement ratio for commercial banks' rupiah deposits by 1 percent to 6.5 percent is a decision that should boost household consumption in Indonesia in 2016, improve people's purchasing power, give rise to a stronger automotive and property sector, and boost liquidity at local banks (hence providing room for an acceleration of credit growth in Southeast Asia's largest economy).

    Read more ›