Bronze Limited starts marketing US UM brand motor bikes in Bangladesh

Newly formed Bangladeshi company Bronze Limited started marketing famous US two -wheeler-- 'UM brand motorbike' in Bangladesh, officials said.

Apart from Navana Motors' collaboration with Indian Mahindra, Rangs Group has partnership with Japanese Suzuki Motor and Bronze Ltd started joint venture with US Motorbike Company UM brand.

"UM Global Motorcycles is an American motorbike manufacturer who's UM brand is currently sold in 37 countries in Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, North America and South America"

"Bangladesh will be the 38th country of selling UM brand," Rashid Bhuiyan Parvez Managing Director of Bronze Limited told the FE.

He also said they are here to take your riding experience to a new height. Mr Parvez said with UM, we do our best to be a world-class motorcycle company. By pushing the boundaries of innovation, providing exhilarating design at affordable prices and offering both reliable service and serious fun, we create something bigger than ourselves.

He said Bronze Limited initially is importing UM brand motorbikes in CBU condition.

Bronze also has a plan to install an assembly plant in near future and is planning to invest Tk 200 million, he said.

He said UM is the alternative to high cost bike in the market and Bronze is launching 5 models of UM brand motorbikes.

Industry insiders said to meet the growing demand of motorbikes in the country, many new players are going to invest a sum of Tk 5 billion in this sector.

Shawn Hakim, Head of Operations of Rangs Group said Rangs Group is currently constructing a state of the art assembly plant with a total cost of Tk 800 million exclusively to build Suzuki motorbikes at Savar, an outskirt of the capital.

He said they are going for new investment in motor bike sector thanks to increased sales of motorcycles in those developing countries where economy is growing very fast.

He said there is a huge demand for motor bike locally due to its cheap rate and easy traffic movement.

Mr Hakim said they have set a target of producing 20,000 motorcycles of Suzuki brand in the first year of operation in 2014.

He said that initially they will produce motorbikes of 110cc, 125cc and 150cc.

Hafizur Rahman Khan, Chairman of Runner Automobiles Ltd, a leading motorcycle maker said the country's better financial condition compared to that of its South Asian peers, has been a key factor in attracting the international brands.

He said a good number of city-dwellers now go for motorcycles to get around the heavy traffic jams.

Mr Khan said to meet the increased demand Runner will be able to boost its capacity to produce 1,000 motorcycles from its present 500 a day soon by maintaining quality in their brand.

According to Bangladesh Motorcycle Manufacturers and Assemblers Association (BMMAA), in last fiscal 2012-13, the assemblers and marketing companies altogether sold more then 0.2 million units of motorcycle.