BJ Mercantile Inc. (BJM), one of the country’s leading conglomerates, has expanded its automotive portfolio through its partnership with Vietnamese automotive company, Thaco. BJM will become the official sales, service, and parts distributor of Thaco trucks and buses in the Philippines.
From its beginnings in 1974 as an importer of used engines and trucks, BJM has grown into a dynamic group with interests spanning automotive, logistics, real estate, petroleum, cold storage, and marine transport. This new development enables BJM to continue to expand its presence in the commercial vehicle space by offering more choices to customers.
“We are honored to partner with Thaco and are excited to offer their high-quality trucks and buses to the Philippine market,” said Leilani Lim Tan, Vice President of BJM. “This collaboration aligns with our commitment to provide innovative, cost-effective, and reliable transport solutions to support the growth of Filipino businesses.”
Founded in 1997, Thaco is a dominant player in Vietnam’s automotive industry and one of Southeast Asia’s largest auto manufacturers. Its state-of-the-art Chu Lai Truong Hai Industrial Complex is among the most advanced automotive manufacturing hubs in the region, capable of producing a wide range of vehicles from light-duty trucks to full-sized buses and passenger cars.
Thaco’s lineup of trucks and buses, built using durable and efficient Chinese chassis platforms and powered by Weichai engines, are known for their practicality, fuel efficiency, and competitive pricing which is a perfect match for the Philippines’ growing logistics, construction, and transport sectors. With over two decades of automotive engineering and manufacturing experience, Thaco’s vehicles are designed for tropical climates and heavy-duty use making them ideal for local roads.
BJM will offer Thaco-branded buses and trucks. Thaco buses offer a range from 29 to 47 seats, including a “VIP” version with just 20 to 29 seats. They also offer sleeper buses with 22 to 36 sleeping cabins. Meanwhile, its truck portfolio will include light-duty and medium-duty trucks as well as dump trucks and even specialized trucks with payload capacities ranging from 1.49 to 14.7 tons.
Thaco began researching and surveying the Philippine market in 2017. In 2019, the first batch of buses manufactured by Thaco Auto was exported to the Philippines, making it the first Southeast Asian company to export buses to this market.
The Thaco deal adds another strong brand to BJM’s growing automotive portfolio that includes Scania, Ashok-Leyland, Fuso, and Hongqi.
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