AM Auto-parts Suppliers Report Promising Sales in Nov.

Taipei, Dec. 22, 2012 (CENS)--Bad weather in the northern hemisphere has been fueling car accidents to drive up demand for aftermarket (AM) replacement auto parts in the fourth quarter, hence many of Taiwan's suppliers of AM collision-parts as bumpers, lamps, hoods, side mirrors, radiators, fenders, door panels reported lucrative results in November.

Depo Auto Parts Ind. Co. Ltd., an auto-lamp maker in Taiwan, registered revenue close to NT$900 million (US$30 million) in November, up 7.3% year-on-year (YoY), reversing modest sales in the third quarter.

Some AM-parts makers pointed out that North America has been the largest export market for Taiwan-made AM auto parts, and the recent bad weather there and Europe will drive demand for such products. Most auto-parts traders are expected to place orders to elevate inventory, the makers added.

Tong Yang Industrial Co., Ltd., a major maker of AM plastic body-parts supplier and a major OE (original equipment) parts supplier to international automakers, reported revenue of NT$1.2 billion (US$40 million) in November, similar to a year ago; and in the first 11 months of 2012, the company had cumulative revenue of NT$11.9 billion (US$396.9 million), up 1.4% YoY.

The island's largest AM parts supplier said that its revenue in December is expected to outstrip NT$1.2 billion (US$40 million), thanks to aggressive order-placing by foreign customers. Crispin Wu, Tong Yang's president, is confident that his company's fourth-quarter revenue will outpace last year's NT$3.5 billion (US$116.2 million), because both AM and OE parts demands in the fourth quarter are recovering.

Tong Yang's OE business had revenue of NT$156 million (US$5.2 million) in November, up about 5% month-on-month (MoM), and cumulative revenue in the first 11 months of NT$1.6 billion (US$53.9 million), up about 8% YoY, thanks to increased export sales.

Y.C.C. Parts Mfg. Co., Ltd., another Taiwan listed parts supplier, registered November revenue of NT$118 million (US$3.9 million), up about 14% YoY; and cumulative revenue of NT$1.1 billion (US$34.9 million) in the first 11 months, a 4.8% YoY increase.