Mustapa (third left), Feona (third right), Wan Junaidi (second right) and other honoured guests officiate the opening of Demak’s new corporate building and manufacturing plant yesterday.
KUCHING: Demak, one of the fastest growing motorcycle brands in Malaysia, is all geared up and ready to go places on the back of its growing popularity in Malaysia and Sri Lanka.
A brand synonymous with the motorbike fraternity for its value for money and quality attributes, Demak will use its new RM43 million manufacturing plant in Olak Lempit near Banting as the distribution hub for market expansion into emerging economies in Southeast Asia.
Demak is also targeting the developing markets in South Asia, the Middle East and Africa through its operations in Colombo, said DNC Asiatic Hldings Sdn Bhd chairperson, Datin Sri Feona Wan Junaidi, at the official opening of Demak’s new corporate building and manufacturing plant by International Trade and Industry Mnister, Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed.
Also present was Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.
“Our success has a lot to do with Demak’s compelling market proposition, offering great value for money motorcycles with unsurpassed quality and service standards that exceed our customers’ expectations,” she added.
“Despite the less encouraging consumer sentiments, we have enjoyed incremental increase in sales in the first half of this year, allowing us to maintain our market share of over 10 per cent in Malaysia.”
Demak’s 7.8-acre manufacturing plant, with a built-up area of 260,000 square feet (sq ft), houses two production lines, warehousing, training and research and development (R&D) facilities.
The fully integrated plant also has manufacturing facilities for motorcycle chassis, metal-based parts and plastic parts and components.
In Sri Lanka, Demak has emerged as the fastest growing brand after its introduction to the market in 2011.
Its range of sporty looking premium bikes are among the top sellers in the South Asian nation.
Demak Sri Lanka has a distribution network of 90 exclusive dealers, 16 Mega 4S centres and 220 service and spare parts dealers nationwide. It also has an assembly plant in Colombo with a production capacity of 36,000 bikers annually.
Feona said the completion of the new plant in late 2014 was well timed with its moving forward plans in product market expansions.
“It will be the catalyst to continue our exciting journey vis-a-vis product innovation and enhancements, R&D and the development of local components, both metal and plastic based parts and components.
“We are now pursuing our E business drive and the proposed roadmap will include next-generation of electric and energy efficient motorcycles and compact vehicles.”
Demak, according to Feona, has the know-how and expertise to place Malaysia as an important hub for the production of next-generation energy efficient motorcycles and compact vehicles.
Demak will also make its maiden participation in Intermot, one of the largest motorcycle trade exhibitions in Europe, in Cologne in October this year. It will showcase its latest rang of motorcycles – underbones, scooters, dual sports bikes and utility vehicles – and aims to reach out to quality international buyers and business partners for its export market.
At the opening fo the new corporate building and plant, Demak also announced its participation in two corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives – the Rakan Alam Sekitar programme and strategic partnership with Pertubuhan Amal Seri Sinar in the going green and recycling programmes for charity in Malaysia.