GIVI INSIDE - GIVI INDONESIA

06/07/2021

This latest achievement — like all our other triumphs in this part of the world, for that matter — is the result of the incredible work carried out since the foundation of GIVI ASIA in 1994 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The development of the Indonesian market began in 2013. Our collaboration with the local distributor continued to grow and deepen into a consolidated partnership, eventually resulting in PT. GIVI INDONESIA (the Indonesian name for GIVI INDONESIA) in 2017. This was followed by transferring our offices to CIKUPA, TANGERANG (in the province of Banten and the Jakarta metropolitan area, on the island of Java). Here, in addition to the establishment of a purpose-built commercial hub for the expansion of the business, a research and development workshop was created and equipped just like the R&D unit at Italian headquarters.

GIVI INDONESIA has a vital role to play, as the hub is also responsible for all marketing and distribution activities for the entire archipelago, which represents over 270 million inhabitants, 85% of whom use scooters and motorcycles with an average capacity between 125 cc and 250 cc for their everyday transport needs.

Indonesia is home to the production sites of many leaders in the automotive industry, which began to establish a presence here in 1971. The sector is currently considered and is set to remain one of the Big Five propelling economic growth in Indonesia, particularly given the imminent expansion of the electric segment — the subsoil here is rich in nickel, a metal which is indispensable for the production of batteries.

Getting back to GIVI, this extraordinary Country, with its continual social and economic developments, immediately made its enormous potential clear to us in terms of the market for accessories for two-wheeled vehicles, giving us a venue for our most innovative products.

INTERVIEW WITH Kalyn NG, commercial director of Givi Indonesia

Ms Kalyn, INDONESIA is an archipelago consisting of 17,000 islands… how do you get to them all?

You don’t need to get to all of them, as most of the population lives on the three main islands: Sumatra, Java and Bali. Java is home to almost 70% of the entire population, especially in the urban areas around Jakarta, Bogor, Tangerang and Bekasi, known locally by the abbreviation JABODETABEK.

How did you go from a single local distributor to the creation of GIVI INDONESIA, and what was your aim in doing so?

Through that one distributor, we began working with a variety of dealers in all areas, some of whom also belonged to governmental associations. Next, we took steps to be able to produce specific attachments on request right here, with the aim of meeting the needs of most vehicles on our roads, particularly the most commonly sold ones and those produced exclusively for this market, which are not distributed outside of INDONESIA. Having a direct presence meant that we could aim higher than simply increasing our business with the dealers. We are always eager to achieve better and better results, but right now our focus is not only on increasing our productivity through the dealers, but also on driving a very specific message home to young people: GIVI products are here for your safety.

What tools are you using to broadcast this message?

We are completely transforming our online communication and using social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok — particularly the last two — to connect and interact with Millennials and Generation Z, given that they are the target we want to reach. Remember that the Indonesian population has an average age of about 28, so it's a very young country. We are planning fresh content aimed at creating the right sort of engagement with this market, which absolutely deserves greater attention. In the meantime, we are collaborating with local companies and influencers in our attempt to maintain constant interaction with our followers.

In addition to the internet, do you also take part in trade fairs and motorcycling events?

We took part in the GIIAS, one of the most important national events (it has a formula similar to Italy’s EICMA). This event opened our eyes to the enormous enthusiasm that is out there among motorcyclists and how many of them are still an untapped market that could represent real breakthroughs. Lots of other events followed on from this one, giving us the opportunity to strengthen our local network by connecting with motorcycling clubs and existing online communities. Then came the virus, bringing an end to these live initiatives. But despite the unpredictability of these times and the terrible impact that has had on the automotive and motorcycle industries in recent months, GIVI aims to be as prepared as possible to embark on fresh adventures and tackle fresh challenges when the world finds its “new normal”.

Let’s talk a little about vehicles. Which are the best-selling ones? Broadly speaking, what differences have you noted in terms of urban mobility in the parts of Asia where you already have a direct presence? And which GIVI accessories are most popular with the “motorized” Indonesian population?

Honda is without a doubt the leader, being responsible for 70% of local sales. The rest is split between three other Japanese companies, Suzuki, Yamaha and Kawasaki, with just a small minority represented by other brands. The most commonly used means of transport are scooters under 250 cc. This is a matter of the cost-benefit ratio (the urban chaos of Jakarta is famous all over the world, so two-wheeled vehicles are a good alternative to traffic jams) and because increasing numbers of women are turning to scooters as their means of transport.

The best sellers are the square top cases, with our E43NTL the undisputed leader. In recent months, local buying habits have started to trend towards soft side bags (for small-capacity vehicles), so we’re trying to concentrate some of our efforts on making inroads into this market segment too, which is currently in its infancy.

Going back to the topic of safety, can you tell us about some of the initiatives you’re involved with?

We have had opportunities to sponsor educational events and traffic police forces, providing them with our top cases and specific fitting systems (including customizations and a special finish to make the vehicles of law enforcement and local administrations identifiable). Another example of our dedication to social matters concerns schools. Over 100 teachers have benefited from these programs, and we’ve also provided basic necessities to support the most socially and economically vulnerable areas.

Last but not least, we’ve entered into our first collaborations with companies that produce electric vehicles, with the aim of not only expanding our own business in that sector, but also of making a concrete contribution to the future.