Foton Philippines Looks to Innovation, Filipino-Centric Products to Drive Growth

Foton is a force to be reckoned with in the Philippine automotive industry. Now one of the top 10 best-selling brands in the country, the commercial vehicle specialist had a tough time when they started out 13 years ago.

Vice-Chairman Kenneth Sytin recalls:

“Thirteen years ago, my family introduced Foton to the Philippine market. Believe it or not, we roughly sold less than a hundred vehicles for the entire year. It was difficult. It made us think if we made the right decision to bring a relatively new name to a country and market that had been keeping the popular players in mind when it comes to vehicle purchasing.”

However, thanks to hard work and persistence, Foton grew continuously. Sytin continues:

“Starting off with just a single model of pick-up and one model of light-duty truck, Foton now has six product segments—the passenger vehicles, Gratour series, light-duty trucks medium-duty trucks, heavy-duty trucks, and heavy machinery—each segment consisting of numerous model variants, totaling to about 70 or more.”

And they’re not stopping there. Vice-President for Marketing and Sales, Levy Santos says Foton Philippines is seeking to grow even more through innovation, and by entering new market segments.

“In any field or any industry that one may belong to, it is a common fact that technological innovations always play a major role for the success and advancement of a product, a brand, or a company.  We at Foton believe that each innovation, no matter how big or small, is equivalent to creating new opportunities to make our products and our services better. 

Built for the masses, it is a well-known fact that Foton’s trucks are robust and pretty much equivalent to being bulletproof and most importantly, affordable. With strong double-layer chassis and frames, responsive transmission with synchronizer, Cummins diesel engine, a wider stance, and larger brakes, these trucks have the muscle and axle capacity to hump highway hills and shoulder heavy loads without working up a sweat.”

In particular, Santos says the company is looking squarely at the government’s PUV Modernization Program. For this, Foton is offering its F-Jeepney which is available in two different seating configurations: the F24 (a 24-seater), and the F29 (a 29-seater). Regardless, these market offerings will be able to move a large number of people reliably, safely, and with care for the environment.

Naturally, embarking on nationwide events will also help drive brand awareness and sales. After the conclusion of its Metro Manila leg, the Foton Big AtTRUCKtion is embarking on a nationwide tour to reach out opportunity seekers in the provinces.

The North Luzon leg will be held on September 26-27, 2019 at San Fernando Town Plaza in La Union; Mindanao leg on October 9-10, 2019 at Kauswagan Highway in Cagayan De Oro, and Visayas leg on October 18-19, 2019 at SM City Cebu Event Center.