Among the roster of Chinese brands striving to carve out a piece of the local automotive pie, Geely is one of the more successful so far. The carmaker posted sales of 2,246 units in the first half of 2021, representing a 342 percent increase against the same period last year.
Powering Geely's sales performance for 2021 is the Coolray subcompact crossover
Leading the charge is the Coolray subcompact crossover, edging out its rivals and turning the segment on its head with 1,312 units rolling off dealerships over a period of six months. This was a 153 percent uptick compared to the 518 units sold between January and June 2020.
Geely has also been focusing on growing sales for its other offerings such as the Azkarra compact crossover and the Okavango midsize SUV, apart from embarking on an aggressive expansion of its dealer network. It recently opened a new dealership in Manila, its 15th branch in the country.
The Azkarra brought hybrid technology and all-wheel-drive to Geely's local lineup
The carmaker also launched corporate social responsibility initiatives in relation to the pandemic, donating surgical masks partnering with charity groups to organize food distribution and feeding programs. Used Geely billboard tarpaulins that would otherwise have been discarded were also exchanged for 120 kilograms of fish, with the former serving to line the banks of the Paombong River in Bulacan against floods.
Sojitz G Auto Philippines Corporation (SGAP) is the authorized distributor of Geely vehicles in the country. President and CEO Yosuke Nishi noted that there were successive waves of challenges that the brand has had to face so far, from the COVID-19 pandemic to the imposition of the safeguard duties on imported vehicles and the return of stricter quarantine restrictions.
The Okavango is the biggest Geely model so far available to Philippine customers
“We had to be flexible with our strategies to keep up with the volatile situation,” he said. “It is important to us that we are able to reach our growing number of customers especially now that more people are beginning to notice Geely all over the country.”
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