Retail News CRM

Tag: bangkok

  • Isetan ends Bangkok era

    Isetan ends Bangkok era

    Japanese department store Isetan has closed its Bangkok outlet after 28 years of operation in Thailand.

    The complex launched in CentralWorld shopping center during the early days of Southeast Asia’s economic growth when many consumers in the region were having their first taste of wealth. The store was also a favorite haunt of Japanese residents in the city who found a slice of the home there.

    Isetan announced the closure on its Facebook account with a poignant message that attracted thanks and well-wishes from saddened customers and friends of the store. It did not disclose whether operator Mitsukoshi Group intends to reopen the store in a new location, but this is considered unlikely.

    The department store announced it would not renew the lease of its CentralWorld lease in March. At the time it was known that the store was suffering from competition with other retailers, its sales have fallen to 70 percent of the peak level in 1997.

    According to mall owner Central Pattana Plc, the 27,000sqm retail space is to undergo renovation as an “urban lifestyle destination”.

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  • Thailand’s CP All to launch 7-Eleven in Laos

    Thailand’s CP All to launch 7-Eleven in Laos

    Thailand’s CP Group is taking the 7-Eleven convenience-store chain into Laos after winning franchise rights for the country.

    The first 7-Eleven store in Laos will be opened in the capital city, Vientiane in 2022.

    “With its remarkable success in Thailand, I can think of no one better than CP All to bring the 7-Eleven brand to consumers in Laos,” said Joe DePinto, CEO at 7-Eleven. “This relationship promises to bring additional jobs and economic opportunities throughout the region.”

    Under the agreement, CP Group’s subsidiary CP All will oversee store construction and start to modernize the small-retail environment, according to the company. The 7-Eleven Laos network will offer international products, beverages, snacks, and consumables fresh foods with recipes developed for regional tastes.

    CP All now holds franchise rights for 7-Eleven in three Southeast Asian countries, with Laos following Thailand and Cambodia. Laos will be the 7-Eleven’s 20th international market.

    CP Group signed a master franchise agreement to operate the chain in Cambodia last year. In July, the company received reports of an unauthorized party representing itself as 7-Eleven’s master franchisee in the country and attempting to sell outlets.

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  • KBank Completes First Transaction Reference to New Thai Overnight Repurchase Rate

    KBank Completes First Transaction Reference to New Thai Overnight Repurchase Rate

    Murex, the global leader in trading, risk and processing solutions for capital markets, powered an overnight indexed swap derivatives transaction for KBank based on THOR, the new Thai reference rate. KBank successfully completed the first such transaction referencing THOR on August 31. 

    The interest rate swap transaction based on THOR represents a critical inaugural step—it sets the stage for new markets for THOR-linked derivatives and cash products.  

    KBank, also known as KASIKORNBANK, executed the transaction after bespoke THOR mechanisms and configuration facilitated by Murex, a long-term technology partner to the Thai bank. KBank is Thailand’s largest lender by assets and has 70 years of experience in the country.  

    “This is a remarkable moment and an important milestone for KBank history and the local financial community to create a robust interest rate derivatives market based on THOR,” said KBank Capital Markets Business Division Head Thiti Tantikulanan. “The KBank team is excited to have been a part of this transaction. Our close collaboration with various stakeholders in Thailand, including the Bank of Thailand and the Murex teams, will contribute to the development of a liquid derivatives market based on the new benchmark rate after the LIBOR discontinuation at the end of 2021.” 

    In 2019, the Bank of Thailand, with inputs from the Thai Bankers’ Association and the Association of International Banks, established a Steering Committee on Commercial Banks’ Preparedness on LIBOR Discontinuation.  

    KBank was an active part of the committee, whose tasks included proposing the replacement rate for the Thai Baht Interest Rate Fixing contract (THBFIX), which LIBOR cessation puts at risk. That replacement rate is THOR, which was finalized in April. 

    “We’re very proud to have been an advising financial institution to the Thai central bank in this critical initiative,” said Thiti Tantikulanan. “To have completed the first transaction using this rate is a great feather in our cap. It is also an important milestone for THOR.” 

    Murex was thrilled to deliver the core technology to KBank, according to Guy Otayek, CEO of Murex APAC. 

    “Collaborating with KBank has always resulted in innovative solutions,” said Guy Otayek.  “Though we’ve been working with them for many years—KBank has more than 500 active users of MX.3—this transition project represents a longstanding commitment to bringing innovative solutions in Thailand and Southeast Asia. This first transaction powered by MX.3 is another great illustration of our unique expertise to help our client community transition away from LIBOR on data, analytics, operations and accounting, and provide them with the mechanisms to easily adopt new RFRs. This first transaction proves that Murex is the right partner to serve the capital markets here in Thailand.” 

  • Thai retailers downsizing, refocusing e-commerce

    Thai retailers downsizing, refocusing e-commerce

    Thai F&B and experiential retailers are likely to open fewer stores or downsize in scale for the remainder of the year following an unprecedented hit to the industry brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.

    The sobering view of Thai retail’s prospects for the remaining months of this year came out of a new CBRE research report conducted in May, finding a high degree of uncertainty for the foreseeable future.

    “What we have been seeing in the past three months are brand-new challenges that took everyone by surprise,” said CBRE Thailand head of advisory & transaction services – retail Jariya Thumtrongkitkul.

    “For around two years, we have been saying that those who cannot adapt quickly enough to the shifting retail landscape will not survive, but this is on another level. Retailers have to change their business operations not only to match the drastic drop in footfall but to accommodate a new way of shopping.”

    According to the Bank of Thailand, figures from the May retail sales index show a year on year drop of 34 percent, much of which is attributable to a decline in the sale of vehicles and fuel. While final figures are as yet unavailable, a general drop is expected in the sales number for both food and non-food retailers in the territory for the period in question.

    Adaptive strategies from both landlords and retailers have attempted to restore a healthy business outlook, including flexible rental terms and various sales and marketing strategies such as longer grand sales events and frequent mall activities.

    The CBRE report suggests that eventually, resizing existing rental space will emerge as an increasingly important approach for tenants to become more cost-effective. It expects that e-commerce penetration will no longer be optional but a must for Thai businesses to survive.

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  • Visa launches “Team Shop Chat Thai” lucky draw campaign to help power Thailand’s economic recovery

    Visa launches “Team Shop Chat Thai” lucky draw campaign to help power Thailand’s economic recovery

    Visa, the world’s leader in digital payments, today announced the launch of “Team Shop Chat Thai” lucky draw campaign offering rewards to Visa cardholders.  The campaign is a collaborative effort led by Visa, along with its bank and merchant partners, to stimulate local economic activities and support Thailand’s economic recovery.

    Under the campaign, Thai shoppers stand a chance to win prizes worth up to 2,000 baht when spending a minimum of 1,000 baht per receipt on their Visa cards, including credit, debit or prepaid.

    Prizes include a 2,000 baht hotel stay, Thai Smile air tickets to the value of 2,000 baht, and 1,000 baht worth of entry tickets to tourist destinations in Bangkok, Pattaya, Chiang Mai and Phuket.  The total prize pool will see 2,000 prizes to be given away worth a total of 3,000,000 baht.  The campaign runs from today to 30 September 2020.

    Visa has recently announced its cooperation with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) to expand the acceptance of digital payment locations in Bangkok and five major tourist cities across the nation in a bid provide local businesses with a more hygienic digital payment option and help recapture consumer confidence. Visa has also collaborated with Thailand’s leading FinTech companies to make it easier and faster for Thai social commerce sellers, including individual sellers and small businesses on social media platforms, to accept Visa card payments.

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  • Lu Partners Thai Bank to Grow Digital Wealth Management

    Lu Partners Thai Bank to Grow Digital Wealth Management

    The Singapore-based subsidiary of leading Chinese retail fintech Lufax has announced a strategic partnership to meet rising demands for digital financial services in Thailand.

    Lu will work with Kasikornbank to jointly build a digital wealth management platform, which will be jointly operated and managed by both parties, to serve retail investors in Thailand, the company announced in a statement on Monday.

    The world is about to enter another wave of digital disruption as big players like commercial banks morph into fintech organizations. It is imperative that we quickly adjust ourselves and strengthen our capabilities to seek new business opportunities, Kattiya Indaravijaya, Kasikornbank CEO, said about the partnership.

    Established in 1945, Kasikornbank is the fourth-largest commercial bank in Thailand, with 17.3 million customers, including 12.7 million online users. The bank has been actively promoting the digitization process in recent years, and is committed to providing a full range of financial services through digital platforms to its customers.

    Lu International, Lufax’s first international arm, was set up in Singapore in 2017. Since then, it has grown its operations and market reach, which now spans several markets in Asia, with over 380,000 registered customers.

    The company said it plans to capitalize on growth opportunities for financial services in up-and-coming economies throughout and beyond Southeast Asia.

    «We will continue to grow our capabilities in Southeast Asia, extending our footprint in the region to meet the needs of our customers and support the business growth of our partners,» Kit Wong, Lu International CEO, said.

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  • Ikea Thailand and Greyhound collaborate on designer homewares range

    Ikea Thailand and Greyhound collaborate on designer homewares range

    Ikea Thailand has launched a limited collection with local retailer Greyhound Original, which operates fashion shops and restaurants in Southeast Asia.

    Called “Sammankoppla”, which means interconnect or unify, the Ikea x Greyhound collection offers furniture and home accessories for small-space living.

    “Since multi-function and creativity is key in order to enable both a small-space living solution and an expressive design piece, we turned to Greyhound Original,” says Michael Nikolic, creative leader at Ikea Sweden.

    Designed by two Thai fashion designers from Greyhound,  Bhanu Inkawat, and Vitchukorn Chokedeetaweeanan, the Sammankoppla collection features bold patterns found in traditional Thai weaving.

    “Incorporating recycled materials that have their own history adds to this, with sustainability and creative re-purposing processes being key to the Sammankoppla collection,” said Clotilde Passalacqua, interior design manager at Ikea UK and Ireland.

    The Ikea x Greyhound collection includes a geometric cushion, a reusable carrier bag with “a unique twist on Ikea’s Frakta bag” and jug-shaped light.

    Launched in 1980 with a tagline “Basic with a twist”, Greyhound has marked its footprint in overseas markets including Hong Kong, Shanghai and London.

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  • Deliveroo Seeks Hong Kong Government Support on Urgent Action to Further Aid Restaurant Sector hit by COVID-19

    Deliveroo Seeks Hong Kong Government Support on Urgent Action to Further Aid Restaurant Sector hit by COVID-19

    Deliveroo is calling on the Hong Kong Government to build on recent measures and further aid the restaurant sector, in the face of continuing and unprecedented challenges posed by the third wave of COVID-19. Brian Lo, General Manager of Deliveroo Hong Kong and Board Director of the HK Federation of Restaurants and Related Trades, has written to Chief Executive Mrs. Carrie Lam on the matter, asking for urgent action.

    Brian Lo said, “The Government has taken a number of steps to support Hong Kong’s restaurant industry this year, including the Employment Support Scheme, the Food Licence Holders Subsidy Scheme and the Catering Business (Social Distancing) Subsidy Scheme. These one-off subsidies have prevented thousands of restaurants from going out of business and protected many people from losing their jobs – but the crisis is far from over. Restaurants continue to see significant revenue losses under the current dine-in ban and 50% reduced capacity; and while these measures are critical for public safety, urgent action is needed to protect the sector.”

    Deliveroo partners with close to 8,000 restaurants in Hong Kong, representing around 40% of the city’s licensed food providers. A recent survey of Deliveroo’s small and independent restaurant partners revealed that more than 50% are facing the prospect of immediate business suspension. Many predict that if the current situation continues, within the next three months they will be forced to permanently close or even pushed to bankruptcy.

    Lo added, “Restaurants have seen significant revenue losses during the lockdown even if they are able to remain open for delivery business. The growing contribution of delivery sales to their total revenue is not sufficient to cover cumulative fixed costs such as rent obligations. The precipitous drop in dine-in sales means restaurants are finding it close to impossible to operate and cover their day to day costs. Since last week, we saw close to 1,000 restaurants on our platform alone temporarily shut their doors. Many of these are small and medium sized businesses with no foreseeable date to reopen.

    As the leader in the food delivery sector and as an important stakeholder in the F&B industry, we have invested over HK$30 million in a number of measures in the past 6 months including commission reduction, payment delay, funding promotions and rider COVID-19 testing kits, to support our restaurant partners and the industry, as well as our rider community. However, without further Government support to help restaurants to generate revenue and cover costs, more than 5,000 restaurants may be forced to permanently close their doors in the coming months, putting at risk over 80,000 jobs in the industry itself, as well as the loss of income and jobs in businesses providing goods and services to the F&B industry.”

    In its detailed submission to the Government, Deliveroo, based on extensive consultation with a large proportion of its 8,000 restaurant partners in Hong Kong, has formulated a series of key policy proposals which would help the industry to recover through this challenging period, adapt to the new economic environment and thrive in the future. These include:

    1. Subsidy Scheme Extensions: Following on from the success of the first Licensed Hawkers Subsidy Scheme and Food Licence Holder Subsidy Scheme back in March 2020, Deliveroo proposes the provision of incremental HK$200,000, HK$80,000 or HK$5,000 payments per licensed outlet for every three months of continued enforcement of social distancing measures. This will be vital in allowing restaurants to pay rent, supplier bills and staffing costs; and to stave off immediate liquidity concerns.
    2. Action on Rents: Rent costs in Hong Kong are equivalent to around 20-25% of a restaurant’s usual revenue, compared to the 10-15% range in major European markets, the UAE, Australia and Singapore. The recent drop in sales of 50% or more due to COVID-19 means that rent as a percentage of sale has increased even further, squeezing Hong Kong operators’ margins to the breaking point. Deliveroo proposes a series of measures including waiving rental fees for four months, introducing an evictions moratorium, and encouraging landlords to use turnover leases.
    3. Action on Staffing Costs: The unemployment rate for the F&B industry rose from 8.6% in Q1 to 14.7% in Q2, according to Government Census data. Deliveroo’s data shows further signs of deterioration, indicating a 300% increase in restaurant closures in July alone compared to the same period last year. Deliveroo therefore urges the Government to extend the Employment Support Scheme for at least six more months or as long as social distancing measures prevent restaurants operating at full capacity. This will potentially safeguard tens of thousands of jobs.

    Other areas for proposed action include helping restaurants meet the cost of becoming COVID-secure, launching a government-led campaign making clear that restaurant food is safe, and providing a subsidy for restaurants to conduct deep-cleaning

    Restaurants such as Mini Bangkok, Man Kee Cart Noodle, Chilli Fagara, Golden Monkey, Holy Eats, nood food, La Rotisserie, Limewood, Sip Song, Mott 32 and Pololi are in support of the suggestions Deliveroo has put forward.

    Mark Lam, Owner of Mini Bangkok, a popular Thai restaurant in Kowloon City, said, “Like many others in our industry, we’ve had to make major readjustments to cope with this extremely difficult time. It’s tough not knowing from day to day if we will be able to maintain our operations – and the situation continues to become increasingly urgent. While delivery and takeaway is an important part of our business, the revenue lost through minimizing dine-in truly challenges us, preventing us from being able to support fixed costs that we can’t escape. We need further support from the government to safely sernoodve customers, maintain our workforce, ensure a steady supply chain, and so on. We hope that further action will be taken to help us and others in the industry to weather the ongoing storm.”

    Tracy Wong, Owner of Chilli Fagara, a modern Sichuan restaurant in Lan Kwai Fong, said, “While we completely understand the need for social distancing measures, the unfortunate truth is that our business has suffered heavy losses as a result of the downfall in foot traffic, especially as a restaurant located in Lan Kwai Fong when alcohol selling and dine-in are prohibited. If we were to cut losses and close the business today, we would still continue to lose money, as a result of forgoing the rent deposit. It has truly become a desperate situation for our restaurant and from what I understand, for many other operators in our same position. We strongly urge the Government to further bolster support for the industry at this difficult time.”

    Lo concluded, “We are proud to be a part of Hong Kong’s restaurant sector, renowned as one of the most vibrant and dynamic food scenes in Asia and indeed around the world. We are glad to support our restaurant partners via increased delivery sales during this time, but we recognise that more and urgent action is necessary to counter the financial effects of yet another wave of COVID-19. We believe the measures that Deliveroo is today proposing to the Government can help to ensure that Hong Kong’s restaurant industry survives this pandemic and rebounds after it; and we look forward to further opportunities to discuss and aid the sector during these difficult times.”

  • Thai super-star singer Ying Lee’s concert in the sky spices up Thai Vietjet’s inaugural Bangkok – Khon Kaen flight

    Thai super-star singer Ying Lee’s concert in the sky spices up Thai Vietjet’s inaugural Bangkok – Khon Kaen flight

    Thai Vietjet today inaugurated its maiden flight VZ210 from Thailand’s capital airport of Suvarnabhumi to Khon Kaen, the country’s commercial and political centre in the Northeastern region. Celebrating the new service, Thai Vietjet gave passengers a memorable surprise with a ‘Ying Lee’ concert in the sky, complete with a full team of dancers and cabin crew, along with nice corporate souvenirs.

    In celebration of the new route, the airline also launched a mega promotion from just THB 5 for a one-way ticket (approx. US16 cents) (*) for booking throughout the five golden days of 1st – 5th August 2020 at their website or Vietjet Air mobile app. The special promotion tickets are applied for all Thailand domestic flights of Thai Vietjet traveling during 1st August – 30th September, 2020.

    Aiming to facilitate domestic travel in Thailand, Thai Vietjet has constantly increased its flight frequency and destinations from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport. Currently, the carrier serves 8 flights/day to Phuket/Chiang Mai, 3 flights/day to Chiang Rai, 2 flights/day to Udon Thani/ Krabi/ Hat Yai/ Khon Kaen in which the flight frequency for Suvarnabhumi – Hat Yai service will be increased to 3 flights/day from 15th August 2020. The airline will also inaugurate the Suvarnabhumi-Nakhon Si Thammarat flight on 6th August 2020. It has also introduced on-line check-in service for domestic passengers traveling out of Suvarnabhumi airport for more convenience.

    The new route Bangkok- Khon Kaen marks the airline’s 7th route from its Suvarnabhumi hub and is operated 2 flights daily, with a flight duration of around 1 hour 5 minutes per leg as per the schedule below:

    Flight No. Departure from Suvarnabhumi Arrival at Khon Kaen Flight No. Departure from Khon Kaen Arrival at Suvarnabhumi
    (Local time) (Local time)
    VZ210 07.30 08.35 VZ211 09.05 10.15
    VZ212 15.45 16.50 VZ213 17.20 18.30
  • Taco Bell Joins Hands with foodpanda to Beat Your Hunger

    Taco Bell Joins Hands with foodpanda to Beat Your Hunger

    Taco Bell, the world-famous Mexican food chain join hands with foodpanda, the first online food delivery service in Thailand, launched its exclusive “Beat Your Hunger” promotional campaign, offering a 20% discount for Taco Bell special bundle sets: Couple Set, Family Set and Party Set, starting from 5 August to 30 September 2020.

    Mr. Chalermchai Mahagitsiri, President and CEO of TTA and Director of Siam Taco Co., Ltd., said “Partnering with foodpanda combines both companies’ strengths and excellent service, which customers will perceive as valuable benefits.   The “Beat Your Hunger” promotional program will enable Taco Bell to attract new customers and encourage repeat orders from existing customers.  We believe that our customers will feel greater convenient to place order with foodpanda, thus, our sales volume from delivery order will be increased.”

    Come Reward Yourself with delicious Taco Menu from Taco Bell. Currently, Taco Bell operates 6 branches in Thailand: The Mercury Ville @Chidlom, Siam Paragon, Central Pinklao, Samyan Mitrtown, Central Westgate, and Sukhumvit Soi 11. Every store adheres strictly to safety measures in accordance with government policy and guidelines set by the Centre for the Administration of the Situation due to the Outbreak of the Communicable Disease Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). For further details on Taco Bell activities, news and promotions, please visit Facebook: facebook.com/TacoBellTH, IG: @TacoBellTH, Twitter: @TacoBellTH, and Line: @TacoBellTH.

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  • King Power Thailand sales axed 50 percent

    King Power Thailand sales axed 50 percent

    Thai duty-free retailer King Power is anticipating a drop in sales revenues of 50 percent in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

    The firm has attempted to drum up business while international travel is largely frozen via an online sales strategy, but it has not been able to offset the steep fall in business with online revenues contributing just 10 percent of total business, far short of the hoped-for 20 percent.

    Just two King Power outlets out of 11 nationwide have reopened since the Covid-19 outbreak.

    “Despite the huge sales drop, we don’t have any plans to lay off any of our 11,000 staff,” said King Power CEO Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha. “Instead, we assigned them to sell King Power products via their own social media accounts and via King Power online.”

    Aiyawatt is a participant in the Thai government’s Thailand Smiles with You campaign, promoting the nation’s image and economic prospects during global recovery via the English Premier League team Leicester City FC, which Aiyawatt chairs.

    “As Thais, we are proud to cooperate with the government in mitigating the adversity and supporting projects that will both, directly and indirectly, benefit our country’s economic and social wellbeing,” said Aiyawatt, “hoping that it will lead us through this crisis safe and sound”.

    The campaign will see the phrase “Thailand Smiles With You” on Leicester City football team jerseys and signboards throughout the 2020–21 season.

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  • Opening date revealed for Apple Thailand’s second Bangkok store

    Opening date revealed for Apple Thailand’s second Bangkok store

    Apple Thailand’s second retail store in Bangkok will open at the CentralWorld shopping center this week. A reliable local source says the opening date is scheduled for Friday, July 31. However, Apple’s Thai website has posted a colorful version of the brand’s logo with Thai lettering inside, teasing that the Apple CentralWorld store is “coming soon”.

    The website also features a tagline ‘Intersection of the creative idea and inspiration’, which refers to the Ratchaprasong intersection where Apple’s new space is located.

    Earlier this year, photos of the Apple Thailand’s second store were leaked on Twitter, showing a preview of what the store will look like. Apple Thailand’s second store features a unique design with a whirling cylinder of glass and curved timber radiating in concentric circles. It is located on part of a large courtyard outside the mall.

    The Apple CentralWorld store reflects the brand’s confidence in the Thai market, despite the Covid-19 situation in the country.

    Apple Thailand opened its first store at the IconSiam shopping center in Bangkok in November 2018.

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  • Off-White opens doors in Bangkok’s EmQuartier

    Off-White opens doors in Bangkok’s EmQuartier

    Italian luxury fashion label Off-White has opened a new monobrand store in Bangkok’s EmQuartier.

    Located on M Floor, the Off-White EmQuartier store occupies a 174sqm space, offering a selection of Off-White’s menswear and womenswear collections.

    The store facade features gray walls with the Off-White’s logo in yellow. The store’s interior is dressed in curved wood, creating a soft and elegant design.

    Off-White’s products are displayed under the wooden wall, which according to the company works as “racking systems and modules for product display”, a feature specially created for this location.

    Several grey granite tables with hole detailing stand in the centre of the store, reflecting the Off-White’s fresh, new logo concept. Velvet benches and carpets add a touch of sophistication to the design.

  • Tops unveils new supermarket retail format in Bangkok

    Tops unveils new supermarket retail format in Bangkok

    Bangkok’s Tops Market Westgate has undergone a major renovation designed to position the supermarket as the “most complete premium lifestyle supermarket in Thailand”.

    The revamp features six “magnet” zones introducing more than 40,000 globally sourced products and focused on meeting a broad range of target consumer trends, in a move to match Central Plaza Westgate’s own development plans and ambitions to become a Western Bangkok shopping hub. The zones include a bakery, health food store, international snacks market, a beauty and lifestyle zone, a dine-in section, and a pet accessories store. The renovation also features a farmers’ market.

    “The complete transformation of Tops Market Westgate is part of our strategy to move our business forward to meet changing consumer trends,” said Central Food Retail COO Sujita Phengoun. “We aim to elevate the shopping experience by offering a premium lifestyle supermarket for our customers to enjoy a new experience and have more fun while shopping.

    “Tops Market Westgate is a blueprint store for our premium lifestyle supermarkets in 2020, offering the most complete products and services in Thailand. There are six new zones that will serve as magnets that draw all customer groups. The renovation is in line with the expansion and increased purchasing power of consumers in Western Bangkok, and resonates with Central Westgate’s strategies to expand our customer base in eight provinces, in order to be the number one destination in Western Bangkok.

    Tops Market Westgate also features a fresh-food zone, a parenting zone, a fashion zone and a promotions zone.

  • Royal Enfield To Compete In American Flat Track Series

    Royal Enfield To Compete In American Flat Track Series

    Royal Enfield has announced that the brand will be competing in the American Flat Track (AFT) starting August 2020. Royal Enfield will be fielding specially-prepared versions of their production bikes. For the Production Twins class, meant for motorcycles with twin-cylinder engines, Royal Enfield will be entering a specially-made model called the FT Concept, based on the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650. The FT Concept has been built in collaboration with chassis specialists, Harris Performance, also owned by Royal Enfield’s parent company, Eicher Motors Limited.

    The new machine is going to be based on the bike built as a design exercise between Royal Enfield and Harris Performance. The bike’s frame is a classy looking brazed steel tube, with an adjustable steering head angle to customize the bike’s handling according to individual riders. The frame, 41 mm front forks featuring Ohlins internals, as well as the Ohlins TTX rear shock, as well as the 19-inch wheels machined from forged billet Aluminium, are all made specifically for the bike. Johnny Lewis, Royal Enfield Slide School Instructor in the US, and AFT racer will be piloting the bike on August 28 and August 29.

    “The Royal Enfield FT Concept has already shown promise so far. We’re already seeing great results from the motorcycle. The team at Harris Performance and Royal Enfield have done a great job with the chassis, and we’ve already begun working through small adjustments based on my feedback. With the way the schedule is shaping out with small tracks, we could surprise many people,” said Lewis.

    Royal Enfield already has a FT411 based on the Royal Enfield Himalayan, to be used for Slide School flat track lessons, both in India and in the US. Later in 2020, four lady builders of the ‘Build Train Race’ program will also hit the track along with Lewis with their modified Interceptor 650 motorcycles alongside Lewis. The events for the all-women flat tracker are scheduled for October 2-3 at the Dixie Speedway event and at the Daytona Beach on October 15-16.

    While Royal Enfield has made tremendous progress in product development and engineering, starting with the 650 Twin platform as well as the Royal Enfield Himalayan which has been increasingly gaining acceptance worldwide, the future will surely be focussed on more models, new engines and platforms. We have consistently maintained that Royal Enfield has already entered a new era in technology and product development, and the next few years will only show more evidence of shaking off an image, at least in the domestic market, of having motorcycles with technology which critics consider ancient. With the push to events like the American Flat Track series, Royal Enfield seems to have set its sights on cementing its position in the international market, and also following the old adage – “Race on Sunday, sell on Monday.”

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