Eicher Motors, maker of Royal Enfield, has reported a 41% growth in December 2015 in domestic sales at 40,453 units, up from 28,634 units sold in December 2014.
But the company's exports fell 9% to 416 units, from 455 units in December 2014. In November 2015, exports had gone up 33% to 457 units, from 344 units in November 2014.
On a cumulative basis, the company sold 4,52,812 units of Royal Enfield during calendar year 2015, up 50% from 3,02,591 units in the corresponding period last year.
The company, like other automobile makers, was hit by the severe rain and resulting flooding that wreaked havoc in Chennai in the last week of November and first week of December last year.
"Due to heavy rain and flooding in Chennai, Royal Enfield's production facilities in Thiruvottiyur and Oragadam were shut between 1 and 6 December, 2015. We resumed production of motorcycles on December 7, 2015, with our manufacturing facilities operating at 50% of our installed capacity. Over the course of the last week, our production rates improved steadily as our facilities, employees and suppliers recovered from the floods. As of Monday, the 14th of December, 2015, we are back to normal at our plants, and are running at 100% of our installed capacity," the company had said in a regulatory filing on 18 December, 2015.
In November 2015, Eicher Motors sold 40,769 units of Royal Enfield in India, up 48% from 27,542 units in November 2014.
The Royal Enfield factories in Tiruvottiyur and Oragadam have the capacity to produce 4.5 lakh units annually.
"We continue to monitor the situation closely and work in the best interest of our employees, customers, business partners and the larger eco-system in Chennai," added the company.
Royal Enfield is currently focusing on the launch of the brand's first adventure tourer, christened the Himalayan, which is expected in the first half of 2016.
Hero Motocorp sold 4,99,665 units in December 2015, down 5% from 5,26,097 units in December 2014.
