SsangYong Motor’s Rexton Sports SUV. (image: SsangYong Motor)
SEOUL, Aug. 6 (Korea Bizwire) — SsangYong Motor Co., the South Korean unit of Indian carmaker Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., said Tuesday it is considering some belt-tightening measures due to increased losses.
In a letter sent to employees last week, SsangYong Motor President and CEO Yea Byung-tae said the company will begin discussing a set of cost-cutting measures, including reducing the number of executives by up to 20 percent, according to a company spokesman.
The measures under review are aimed at “preemptively” responding to rising costs and worsening profitability, the CEO said in the message.
In the January-June period, SsangYong Motor’s net losses almost doubled to 77.6 billion won (US$64 million) from 39.6 billion won a year earlier.
Lower demand for its models and higher marketing costs in a tougher competition with rivals ate into the first-half bottom line.
The company sells SUVs only, and its lineup is composed of the flagship G4 Rexton, Tivoli, Korando C and Korando Turismo.
Last week, SsangYong Motor and its union agreed on a wage deal for a 10th consecutive year without staging a strike.
Mahindra & Mahindra owns a 72.9 percent stake in the SUV-focused carmaker.
(Yonhap)
