Kathmandu, November 11:

Hisashi Miyazaki, president and managing director of Komatsu Asia and Pacific Pte Ltd inaugurated Komatsu Centre - a Komatsu workshop-cum-training centre - at Dhumbarahi, Kathmandu here today.

Kamatsu manufactures bulldozers, hydraulic excavators, wheel loaders, motor graders, crawler carriers, transmissions and many more heavy equipments.

Kia Motors has been marketing Komatsu products in Nepal since 1992, Suhrid Ghimire of Continental Group said adding that these equipments are used by rental Companies (PHU), construction companies, aggregate industries, mining industries, hydro-electricity projects/contractors, road and irrigation projects/contractors, property developers and private financiers.

“Continental provides efficient sales and marketing support to Komatsu customers, provides the prompt product support to Komatsu customers, trains manpower in service and repair of Komatsu machines and how to operate Komatsu equipment,” he added.

Continental Group — appointed distributor for Nepal in 1992 — also owns and of sub dealer and major customers from all over Nepal.

“It is the market leader from 1996,” said Miyasaki, adding that Komatsu products have achieved more that 90 per cent market share in 2007, according to the ERG report. Unlike FMG products, these equipments are in use for long time and expensive. “But we have been maintaining sizable parts of spare parts’ stock that are key,” Ghimire said.

Nepali market is doing well, asserted Miyasaki. “In the last three years, the market is increasing. Last year we sold 160 units and this year it will increase more than 200 units, which is very encouraging in the market like Nepal, where development projects have been in countable number.”

“This is because we focus on customer satisfaction,” he said adding that Komatsu takes care of its clients in various ways. “We provide support, trainings, after sales service and help them regularly,’ he informed.

Kamatsu that has 49 plants throughout the world has sold 4,25,400-unit and in Nepal Continental has been selling six, 12, 20 and 30 tonnes range of excavators.

However, the grey market is equally thriving in Nepal. “The fake spare parts is a major concern,” Ghjimire said adding that the unaware customers use the fake spare parts and when the machine is damaged come to complain. “We urge to use genuine spare parts for their own benefit,” Miyasaki said.