● New record of 762,600 cars sold in 2010
● Growth Strategy 2018: sales set to double
● Successful history, especially since Volkswagen’s entry in 1991
In 2010, ŠKODA recorded its best ever sales result. Selling 762,600 units, the company broke through the three quarters of a million threshold for the first time and in doing so expanded its sales and shares in almost all markets. The carmaker is poised to continue expanding in the coming years as it pursues the ŠKODA Growth Strategy, targeting at least a doubling of global sales by 2018. The brand will continue to benefit from its close cooperation with Volkswagen. April this year will mark the 20th anniversary of the entry by Europe’s largest carmaker into the then AZNP Mladá Boleslav and the launch of enduring support for the brand’s rapid development.
2010 – a record-breaking year
ŠKODA has never sold as many cars as it did in 2010. The sales of 762,600 units were 11.5% up on 2009. Winfried Vahland, the ŠKODA chairman, expressed his great satisfaction, noting that “ŠKODA performed exceptionally well in 2010. We consolidated and increased our market share significantly in almost all our markets. We have repeatedly achieved double-digit sales growth.”
The Czech company’s sales in the growth markets of China, Russia and India progressed particularly rapidly. In China alone, the number of deliveries to customers rose by 47.3% to more than 180,000 cars. ŠKODA is keen to build on this positive development this year.
SKODA Growth Strategy: sales projected to follow upward trajectory until 2018
The company’s chairman believes that last year’s good results stand the ŠKODA brand in good stead as it seeks to grow in the next few years: “The new ŠKODA Growth Strategy will see sales at least double in the coming years. We plan to sell more than 1.5 million vehicles worldwide in 2018.”
These growth plans are rooted in the company’s even greater internationalization. In the future, ŠKODA would like to make over half of its sales outside Europe, with a particular focus on growth markets in China, India and Russia. The range of models will be expanded significantly in the coming years as the company pursues this sales policy. “In the major world markets, we will be the benchmark among cars combining space, value for money and smart solutions”, emphasized Vahland.
The company will be much more involved locally in its key markets. As of 2013, the compact Yeti SUV will also be produced in China, accompanied by a substantial increase in the number of dealers. “In China and other growth markets we will be significantly strengthening our role as a global entry-level brand,” says the ŠKODA chairman. Vahland is also quick to stress that the European market will remain as important as ever: “Europe and the Czech Republic will continue to be our home base. Our position at home will become stronger as we develop successfully on international growth markets.”
The company’s successful history since 1991 underscores his high performance
Vahland points to the highly successful advances over the past 20 years as proof of the company’s performance. Since joining the Volkswagen Group in April 1991, the ŠKODA brand has evolved from a single-product brand into a carmaker offering a wide variety of car models. Over this time, the brand has seen its sales increase nearly fourfold. ŠKODA has conquered new markets, overhauled its production potential and built up a highly advanced technological development centre in Mladá Boleslav. “In just 20 years, with the Volkswagen Group’s support, we have recovered our status as an established Czech car manufacturer. Few expected us to achieve this success. We are convinced that we will continue to achieve our growth goals,” rounds off Winfried Vahland.
