TOYOTA SENDS AUTOMOTIVE GRADUATES TO SAUDI ARABIA
TOYOTA Motor Phils. (TMP) said it recently held a send-off ceremony for the first batch of Specialized Automotive Training Program (SATP) graduates to Abdul Latif Jameel Co. Ltd. (ALJ) in Saudi Arabia. The SATP graduates will be deployed as automotive technicians in the company.

TMP President Michinobu Sugata officially endorsed the 26 technicians to ALJ Managing Director for Guest Service Operations Lup Hang Wong. ALJ is the exclusive distributor of Toyota, Lexus and Daihatsu products in Saudi Arabia, and is the seventh-largest Toyota distributor worldwide.

“In Saudi Arabia and within the automotive service trade, Filipino technicians are equated with quality service skills,” said Wong. “They are therefore highly regarded and it is not unusual for Saudi customers to request that their vehicles be serviced or repaired by Filipinos.”

For his part, Sugata said that the program is beneficial to the Global Toyota Dealer Network. “Most of all, it is a great opportunity for our Toyota Technical Education Program graduates,” he said.

In 2010, TMP and ALJ signed an agreement on the TMP-ALJ SATP. An 18-month training program was conducted by the TMP-Customer Service Operations to qualified graduates of the Toyota Technical Education Program partner schools with the objective of training them up to pro-technician level and certifying them according to global standards.

PH CAR IMPORTERS POST18% SALES GROWTH IN OCTOBER
THE Philippines’ Association of Vehicle Importers and Distributors (AVID) reported it sold 2,254 units in October, an 18-percent growth compared to the same month in 2010. This brings AVID sales to 20,340 units in the first 10 months of the year, or a 0.1-percent growth from the previous, against a 2.4-percent decline for total industry sales, according to the group. It added that AVID maintains a 15-percent share of the local market.

AVID cited a “better-than-expected” 48-percent growth in passenger car sales in October outweighed the weakness in the light commercial vehicle segment, which largely mitigated the supply-related problems in the first 10 months of the year.

“Strong sales recovery in October bodes well for the positive performance of AVID for the remainder of the year, with the boost arising from expectations of improved supply condition and favorable consumer outlook on better cash-flow prospects triggered by holiday bonuses and overseas remittances,” said AVID President Fe Agudo.

XENON-BULBS TAKES 20% OFF ON HID, LED LAMPS IN YULE SALE
XENON-BULBS has announced a Christmas promo that offers at least 20-percent discounts on all its HID and LED lamps. The company said this means huge savings in equipping cars with brighter lights during a brighter Yuletide season.

Xenon-Bulbs automotive lights are known for their quality and durability, the products able to last for years—much longer and better than any other brand sold in the market, according to the company.

For more information, call 713-1998, 386-3262 and 0922-7192929 or log on to www.xenon-bulbs.com.

KIA STARTS NEW GLOBAL, MULTILINGUAL BRAND CAMPAIGN
KIA Motors has launched its new global brand campaign called “Inspired by What You Like. Kia, the Power to Surprise,” which the carmaker said aims to increase awareness and understanding of its core brand beliefs through TV commercials and participation in digital media.

Kia said that in addition to large-scale traditional media exposure, it also plans to provide a digital experience to create a “more intimate bond with consumers.”

Kia said it had partnered with Facebook in a digital campaign—introduced in seven languages—that includes a social media quiz, a corporate social responsibility program and a semantic interactive social movie.

“Through our new global brand campaign, we want to pay tribute to our fans around the world for the strong interest and loyal support they have shown in the Kia brand and our cars,” said Kia Motors Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Tae-Hyun Oh.

Kia said its digital campaign on Facebook will run until January 31, 2012, with content available in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and Arabic.