The knock-on effect of the severe flooding in Selangor at the end of 2021 were crystalised in January 2022 for national car maker Proton. After ending the previous calendar year with its highest annual sales figure since 2014, volumes for the first month of the new year have dropped due to a lack of available stock.

The company sold 4,453 units (domestic + export) in January, a reduction of 25.3% from the same month in 2021 and equivalent to an estimated domestic market share of 11.3%.

Parts supply issues affect production of all models 

While Proton's production facilities in Shah Alam and Tanjung Malim were unaffected by the floods in December, the company’s vendors were not as lucky. Many have production facilities in Shah Alam and were thus affected by rising flood waters.

This had a direct effect on production volume in January, leading to a shortage of units to fulfil orders. The situation was further compounded by minimal carry over stock from the previous month as the company worked to close the gap between supply and market demand.

“After a successful end to 2021, January was a very tough month for Proton. Our short supply situation became magnified by the lack of units being produced, creating a severe shortage for our dealers.

Thankfully, production for all our models resumed in January, though some required more time than others. We are, however, confident of meeting our targets for 2022 based on market projections as well as our sales and marketing plans for the rest of the year,” said Roslan Abdullah, Chief Executive Officer, Proton Edar.

Among all models, the Proton X50 and Proton X70 were the first to resume production and this was reflected in their January sales volume.

2,601 units of the Proton X50 and 799 units of the Proton X70 were delivered last month and although the individual totals were modest compared to the previous month, combined they helped to position Proton as the number one SUV brand in Malaysia. The full breakdown is as below:

Flood relief efforts for customers continue 

One and a half months after the December floods took the nation by surprise, over 1,200 flood affected Proton vehicles have been received at authorised service centres. They are then divided into four categories, depending on the severity of the damage suffered, before assessments are made and repairs get underway.

“Proton would like to remind all customers with flood damaged cars to send their vehicles to our network of authorised service centres to enjoy benefits such as free towing and car wash services as well as discounted  parts and labour charges. We are also thankful to the government for the RM1,000 assistance voucher, which has proven to be invaluable for many of our customers,” added Roslan Abdullah.