Hinopak plans to increase bus exports to 400

Hinopak is planning to export buses and trucks to the Middle East and Africa to help reduce the country’s trade deficit, said the company’s CEO, Hideya Lijima. The company has a 65 per cent share in truck and bus manufacturing in Pakistan.

Hinopak is planning to take annual exports to 400 buses, earning $30 million per year for the country, said Deputy General Manager Hinopak, Ahmed Rauf. He added that production of 25 buses for export cost Rs160 million.

They were speaking at a ceremony organised to celebrate the first batch of exports on Tuesday.

Hinopak, established in 1986, will ship 25 buses this month to Emirates Transport for school and staff segments.

Lijima mentioned that the buses were designed taking the UAE and its geography, climate and economy into consideration. “Export of buses and trucks from Pakistan to the Middle East and Africa will help reduce trade imbalance,” he said.

“The company is striving to continuously tap prospective markets of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Egypt, Bahrain, UAE, Jordan, Panama, Mozambique and Costa Rica,” said the company’s Director Sales and Marketing, Muhammad Irfan Sheikh.

“Japanese experts inspect the buses before they are exported. Maintaining standards of quality is always our first priority,” Sheikh added.

Sheikh said that export of vehicles will have a good impact on Pakistan’s automobile industry. Besides, the increase in the company’s production capacity will help improve local worker expertise and experience.

“Hinopak Motors has the government’s full support in its endeavour to increase the export capacity,” said Chief Executive of Trade Development Authority of Pakistan, Mohibullah Shah.

“I would like to see exports from present 25 units to 25,000 units in coming years,” he added. “It is an honour for Pakistan and Hinopak to export high performance buses to the competitive market of Middle East,” said Shah.

Shah reminded everyone that Pakistan has achieved the highest-ever exports in financial year 2009-10, despite difficult financial conditions in and around the world. He added that Hinopak’s achievement was commendable.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 14^th, 2010.