We are Pinoys!

By Christopher Lloyd T. Caliwan

Rota Wheel, one of the products of the Philippines’ auto parts making industry which is manufactured by industry leader Philippine Aluminum Wheels Inc. (PAWI) for the past 28 years, is now exported to 17 countries in four continents.

Probably one of the country’s most successful auto part export products, Rota Wheel is a brand of automotive alloy wheel that comes in various painted or chromed finish.

Raffy Villarreal, president of the Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturers Association of the Philippines (MVPMAP) to which PAWI belongs, said that MVPMAP is proud of PAWI’s accomplishments.

“It has proven to one and all that given the opportunity and the resources, a Filipino company can be competitive internationally, can be at par with the best that the rest of the world has to offer. Just look at Rota Wheels now — its main export market includes the United States of America, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Switzerland, France, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Israel, Singapore, Korea, Thailand, Hong Kong, Pakistan, Malaysia, Japan and Australia,” he added.

Villarreal said that promoting Philippine-made auto parts is the reason why MVPMAP has sent trade delegations abroad, such as to Australia and Taiwan, and even joined various international auto trade exhibits.

For his part, PAWI president Romy Roxas said that Rota Wheel has indeed gained recognition in the world market, such that their export shipments now constitute about 70 percent of their total sales. Depending on the month of the year, the domestic original equipment market (OEM) accounts for 20 to 25 percent and the local after-market, 5 to 10 percent of total sales.

“Rota Wheel is now a world-class product that is at par with Japanese and European brands. As a matter of fact, in terms of product quality, it is considered more superior to some Chinese and Indonesian brands,” Roxas said.

He added that PAWI has successfully broken into the export market by providing value for money in the alloy wheel products they supply, ensuring product quality that is at par or even surpasses international standards and pricing their products at a level that is very competitive yet affordable to a wider range of individual customers.

Roxas also takes pride in Rota Wheels as now being an international brand that is proudly Pinoy-made.

“PAWI is the only local alloy wheel manufacturer that is 100 percent Filipino-owned and, more importantly for us, operated by a 100 percent Filipino workforce of experienced workers, engineers and managers. It is also the only local company with an in-house crash-testing facility that complies with international testing requirements for wheel manufacturing,” he said

“As a result, it is the only Philippine wheel brand that complies with, and even surpasses, international testing standards. We are also proud of the fact that we are the only Filipino wheel brand that is able to sell to automotive manufacturers both locally and internationally,” he added.

“We expect that for the export market, Rota Wheels will continue to grow as more dealers for alloy wheels around the world continue to look for quality alloy wheels with a very strong branding and a track record for quality workmanship and safety performance. Rota Wheels has consistently delivered these needs,” Roxas said.

At the domestic front, he said he expects the market to continue to grow as well though not as fast as the export market.

“The Philippine market is small compared to the other international markets due to the very small disposable income of Filipino customers in general,” Roxas noted.

The latest product catalogue of Rota Wheels shows some 60 different alloy wheels in chrome or painted finish for passenger cars, SUVs and AUVs. In the domestic OEM market, it is fitted on such vehicles as Toyota, Mitsubishi, Isuzu, Ford, and Nissan. In the after-market, Rota Wheels are bought by individual customers for their Mercedes Benz, BMW, Subaru and even Mini Cooper cars.

To sustain its marketing initiatives, Rota Wheels are regularly brought for exhibition in international trade shows such as in Las Vegas and Automechanika in Frankfurt, Germany, and in local auto shows like the Manila International Autoshow and the Manila Auto Salon.

(Story courtesy of PNA Features)

 

Related posts:

1. Nestle Food invests billions in new Batangas factory
2. Standard & Poor bullish on Philippine economy
3. Working Abroad
4. MasterCard Worldwide bullish on Philippine economy
5. IMF: Philippine financial system resilient, banks stable

 

 

     Print