We Make 600 Cars Monthly And Employ 7200 People: Innoson

Chief Innocent Ifediaso Chukwuma, (Alas Innoson) is treading where many ordinary businessmen feared to tread and he is blazing a trail. Though not many gave him any chance of success in the highly capital intensive, sensitive, technical and technology-driven automobile industry, but he stayed steadfast to his dream. Today, his company is the flagship of indigenous auto manufacturing companies in the country. Perhaps, all of these would never have been but for the hand of fate that intervened to save his life. From the day he mysteriously “resurrected from dead” at the age of six after a ghastly motor accident, having been knocked down by a Morris Minor car and left for dead for over three hours, waiting to be buried. But, he suddenly regained consciousness on hearing a ‘’loud noise’’, to the relief of a distraught father. ‘He is still alive,’ came the shout of relief. Ever since, this child of destiny has continued to make louder noise through his entrepreneurial efforts. In this no holds barred interview, the indigenous auto king bared his mind on all issues raised. “Ask me any question, and I will answer you.” And he did, from the silly, the not so silly amidst jokes in this exclusive interview with Kasie Abone.

Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Limited (IVM) plant at Nnewi is a marvel, one is even more surprised that Innoson Technical Company, Enugu that such level of production activities are going on, could you share with us the Innoson Group story? As you have visited our factories, I don’t have much to tell you because you have seen things yourself. You have seen us, interviewed us one by one, I feel you now know better than what anybody would tell you.
But for the interest of our readers, what is Innoson Group all about? We are into motorcycle assembly, plastic manufacturing, we are into tyre manufacturing, motor component parts manufacturing; we have five factories all together and we have 7,200 people in our employ. How old is IVM? We started about five years ago with 14 seater buses. We later introduced 18 seater, 26 seater, 43 and city bus. Today, we manufacture SUV, Pick-Up; on April, we will be launching IVM Sedan cars into the market. The cars are currently undergoing test running. So, by April, it will be ready for the market. Everybody that buys it will surely enjoy it. It is the first car we are building and we want to make it a delight for every body in terms of affordability and durability. The cars come in two models. Both of them would be launched the same time. Some people are of the view that IVM brand of vehicles are substandard and so can’t compare in terms of quality with foreign brands in terms of design and quality. Has anybody ever told you that? If yes, how do you respond to such insinuations? The people who say this, do they use IVM vehicles? Before you criticize any product, you must have put it to test. It’s only the people that drive our vehicles that can tell you about them. IVM vehicles are manufactured to global standard, they are comparable to any other competing brands in quality and design. We don’t produce engines. We buy our engines from where others buy theirs; we buy flash sheets and other components from the same place others source their own and we use the same equipment to assemble them. Is it because IVM is made by a black man that it is not good? We go for training where others are trained. So, we have the same standard.
What percentage components of your inputs are locally sourced?
As of now, I am sure we source about 60 percent of our materials locally. Gradually we will improve on that. It can’t be automatic. Every year the amount if imported components continues to drop. Any one we can source locally, as far as it passes set standard, we don’t hesitate to do. IVM vehicles seems more popular in the east than other parts of Nigeria, what is the brands level of patronage and acceptance? How much awareness have you created around the brand? Nigerians have given IVM very good patronage. We receive orders from different parts of the country. And our customers are happy with what they are getting. Nigerians are happy and proud that such products are coming out of Nigeria and they are driving them. IVM markets also spreads beyond the shores of Nigeria into west coast countries like Ghana and other African countries. I have seen companies in Lagos that are using my vehicles to ply West coast routes. We started with producing 300 vehicles monthly. Due to increased demand, today we do 600 with a projection of 1,200 by year end.