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New Toyota showroom open

By BIBIAN BARRENG
ELA Motors Toyota has opened a new-look K5 million showroom at Badili, Port Moresby, which is the first of the company’s upgrading initiatives that began last year.
At the official opening of the showroom last Thursday, managing director Wally Haydok told guests that the occasion coincided with the recognition of a global marriage between PNG and Toyota Tsusho Japan.
Guest included Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare, Japanese ambassador to Papua New Guinea Kanji Hanagata and Toyota Tsusho Corp Japan managing director Kiyoshi Furuhayashi.
“Ela Motors with over 40 years of service in the country had provided services with a range of products that includes Toyota, Yamaha, Hino and Daihatsu which are now synonymous with the people of this nation,” Mr Haydok said.
Toyota Tsusho (PNG) Ltd trading as Ela Motors is a resident PNG company with major shareholder Toyota Tsusho South Pacific Holdings.
Most of the company shareholders included high-profile local investment groups, superannuation funds, insurance, among others which benefit the country, Mr Haydok said.
Mr Furuhayashi said the major part of the company’s responsibility was to look after Toyota customers in markets where they invest, thus recognising PNG as one of the most important markets among other global operations.
“Thanks to Toyota customers all over the world, Toyota’s global sales have achieved 7.9 million units last year, which is a record in the history of Toyota.
“The next target of Toyota is to achieve 10 million units in 2010 with 15% global market share,” Mr Furuhayashi said.
Mr Hanagata spoke of the wide range of brands by Ela Motors where he pointed out on the two distinctive brands in the country.
The first being Toyota with the general term Land Cruiser for four-wheel drives in the country where steep terrain and twisty roads make this heavy duty vehicle ideal for driving around.
The other is Yamaha for the seafarers of the coastal provinces where people rely heavily on motorised boats.
The automotive company also contributed K150,000 to the fight against HIV/AIDS in the country.
The K150,000 according to Mr. Haydok will be spread over three years to the PNG Coalition of Business Against HIV/AIDS (BAHA) with the first commitment of K50,000 paid that evening.
The presentation was made to NasFund chief executive Rod Mitchell and Nusfund managing director Ian Tarutia.