Ford India sales up 12% in October

NEW DELHI: Car-maker Ford India today reported a 12.01 per cent increase in total sales during October to 10,906 units, mainly on account of higher exports. The company sold 9,737 units in the corresponding month last year, Ford India said in a statement. Ford's domestic sales declined by 10.36 per cent to 8,091 units in the reporting quarter from 9,026 units in the same month last year, it added. Its overseas shipments, however, rose nearly four-fold to 2,815 units in October this year from 711 units in the same month last year. "Exports are a strong part of our growth strategy. And it's wonderful to see the Chennai-made Figo winning hearts of customers in overseas markets too," Ford India President and Managing Director Michael Boneham said. During the January to October period this year, Ford sold 1,01,439 units, as against 77,324 units in the corresponding year-ago period, translating into a 31.19 per cent increase. "We are so proud that more than 1,00,000 customers in India have chosen to drive a high quality, fuel-efficient Ford vehicle. More customers in the first 10 months of this year have chosen Ford than the entire 12 months of 2010," he said. The company recently started work on its second plant in Gujarat, on which it will invest Rs 4,000 crore.