Market reports – First half of 2015: DIP market report – Occasions BENELLI DAELIM KEEWAY ROYAL ENFIELD

First half of 2015: DIP’s market report

Market reports - First half of 2015: DIP market report - Occasions BENELLI DAELIM KEEWAY ROYAL ENFIELD

DIP imports the brands of motorized two-wheelers Daelim, Royal Enfield, Keeway, Benelli and Orcal Motor into France. Its commercial director, Marc Caparros, gives Site readers his report for the first half of 2015…

Site: After six years of constant decline, the French motorcycle market returned to growth in 2014 with + 2.5% (read our). In the first half of 2015, the increase was limited to + 0.8% (read our). Should we be worried ?
Marc Caparros, Commercial Director of DIP (importer):
In view of the figures transmitted by the AAA, the total of two-wheelers in June 2015 is higher than in June 2014. Of course, this is not spectacular, but it is an encouraging sign which should be confirmed in the coming months. We will come back to the results of the brands for which we are responsible (Daelim, Keeway, Royal Enfield, Orcal and Benelli), but overall we are improving our results with an increase in our sales of + 14% at the end of June 2015.

The motorized two-wheeler market remains very fragile and sensitive to legislation which always rains and shines and the repercussions on sales can change the results very quickly. The concern undoubtedly remains the fall in general sales in the 50 cc, which is the basis and the base of sales in the next ten years. Teenagers must be given the pleasure of riding two wheels, otherwise the two-wheeler will die out.

MNC: Regarding your brands, what is your assessment of your first six months of 2015?.
M. C .:
As discussed in the previous question, we are in a phase of progress at the end of June 2015. But we remain vigilant to the results for each brand and it is not easy as the ranges are so varied and different. In the first six months of 2015 we received a lot of new things like the 125 Cityblade scooter from Keeway, the Benelli 302, the Witty 50 Daelim and two new 125 GT scooters which have just arrived. Finally, let’s underline the arrival of the Astor 125 from our Orcal brand: the implementation work begins. All these novelties allow us to attract the attention of stores and bring a very useful new breath in a market which suffers despite everything..

MNC: For you, what is the highlight of this first half of the year? ?
M. C .:
We are very attentive to the fragile and even precarious situation of many motorcycle shops. Between 2008 and 2015, hundreds of two-wheeler shops went out of business. Marked in red ink by financial and banking establishments, two-wheeler shops would need oxygen and financial support to remain attractive and dynamic. Our role is not to replace banks or credit houses, yet we do so on a daily basis. Without our support (all brands and importers) many stores would be empty or out of stock. However, presenting new vehicles, having a wider range and varied colors remain the essential assets for the health of motorcycle shops. Thus the progression observed over the past six months does not improve the situation of motorcycle dealers, which remains very alarming..

MNC: How is your second semester going? ?
M. C .:
We will continue our work diligently, with the main objective of opening new points of sale for our brands. We will focus on the presentation and marketing of new models as part of the preparation for 2016.

MNC: Finally, the government has still not settled the question of the "retrofit" (read). How this lack of response impacts your business ?
M. C .:
We understand the problem of resellers and individuals in the event that jailbreak is not accepted. Unfortunately, we have had successive anti-two-wheeler governments for decades, just look at the fate of Voxan for example or the absence of French two-wheeler manufacturers. Only car sales count in France. We hope without conviction that the right answer will be provided…

Interview by Matthieu BRETILLE

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