Hero has commenced sales of its 6 best selling models in Columbia through 120 outlets and is the company’s preliminary step of achieving 1.2 million units from global business by 2020.>
Making its debut as brand ‘Hero’ in Columbia, the Indian two-wheeler giant has launched six of its best selling models and will be sold through the company’s 120 outlets spread across the Latin American country. The launch in Columbia is in-sync with the company’s objective of clocking 1.2 million unit sales from its global business by the year 2020. Further expanding its presence in Columbia, Hero will be increasing its dealerships to 150 outlets in a year’s time.
Offering a range of commuter bikes, Hero MotoCorp has launched 100cc bikes including the Splendor iSmart, Eco Deluxe and Passion Pro; as well as the 125cc Glamour, 150cc Hunk, while the flagship offering is the 223cc Karizma ZMR. The bikes sold in Columbia are the same as the India spec models with no changes to the power output. In addition, the Indian two-wheeler giant is also the first two-wheeler manufacturer to offer a 4-year warranty on all its models in the country.
In July this year, Hero officially announced its plans for Columbia and commenced the construction of its new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in the country. Spread over 17 acres of land at the Parque Sur Free Trade Zone in Vila Rica, the entire investment cost for the project is rated at $70 million and will be operational by mid-2015 with an installed capacity of 78,000 units. The production will be increased gradually up to 1,50,000 units by 2017-18 to meet the increase in demand.
With the plant once operational, Hero will be the first Indian two-wheeler maker to have a manufacting facility in Latin America. In addition to Columbia, the new facility also holds geographical importance due to its proximity to other markets including Mexico and the US and will also supply products to Andean countries as well as in Central America. Expanding its global footprint, Hero currently retails products across Asia, Africa, Latin and Central America, while operations in more established markets like Europe will commence by 2015 and in the US by 2016.
