China, India grab huge local helmet market

[Black_cats]

China, India grab huge local helmet market
Mamun Abdullah

• Published at 11:00 pm March 30th, 2019

Helmets are being imported mainly from China and India in the absence of a local helmet manufacturing company Syed Zakir Hossain/Dhaka Tribune


943,000 helmets imported in July-Feb, use of substandard helmets galore

The use of helmets in Bangladesh has seen a spate in recent years amid operations of different ridesharing services and a comparative tightening of traffic rules as regard to use of safety gear while riding.

To cater to the growing demand, helmets are being imported mainly from China and India in the absence of a local helmet manufacturing company.

According to the National Board of Revenue (NBR), 431,000 helmets were imported in the FY2015-16; 732,000 in FY2016-17; 923,000 in FY2017-18; and 943,000 helmets till February this fiscal year.

Speaking to the Dhaka Tribune, Md Jahangir Alam, second secretary of Customs Policy at NBR, has said Chinese helmets hold approximately 70% of the market, Indian helmets 29%, while the remaining 1% by countries like Thailand, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Japan, and Taiwan.

In a recent visit to different retail markets in the capital, it was found that Chinese brands MIBK, KM SBK, STM EMA and Tanket and Indian brands Vega, Lighters, Steel Bird, Xaj, and Aron are popular among other brands.

While the price of Chinese helmets start from Tk1,000, price of Indian helmets range between Tk1,500 and Tk2,000.

Abdul Ali Babul, proprietor of Madina Motors, stated: “Generally, light and thin front glass helmets can be bought within a price range of Tk1,000 to Tk1,200. Higher quality helmets are priced between Tk1,500 and as high as Tk10,000.”

Babul, who imports helmets from both China and India, adds that there are no local helmet producers in Bangladesh for a lack of technical manpower and entrepreneurs.

“Neither our government, nor merchants are interested in developing and investing in the sector, despite high demands in the local market,” he said.

According to NBR data, Bangladesh imported safety headgears worth Tk17.73 crore in FY2016-17, up by over Tk10 crore from Tk7.22 crore in FY2015-16.

In FY2017-18, total helmet import values reached at Tk 25.37 crore. Till February of the current fiscal year, import of helmets stood at staggering Tk34.13 crore.

Market flooded with ‘substandard helmets’

Abdul Hamid, President of Bangladesh Auto Parts Association, says that despite a significant increase in helmet usage by bikers, the helmets being used are ‘substandard’.

Following student protests demanding safe roads, law enforcement also launched a crackdown to ensure helmet usage.

Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Irfan Hossain Chowdhury, says: “We strictly prohibit using substandard helmets made of low quality materials.”

However, it was alleged that police seldom question the quality of helmets, paving way for opting cheap safety headgears by bikers which in most cases don’t give protection to heads while road accidents involving bikers take place.

Sumon Chakraborty, a Pathao rider, has said: “Most of us are using low quality helmets which are not capable of protecting riders and passengers in an accident.”

Three other UberMOTO riders have echoed similar concerns, claiming that helmets offered to them by Uber are of inferior quality.

Neither Uber Bangladesh, nor Pathao could be reached for comments on the matter.

More motorcycles lead to higher helmet demand

According to the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), motorcycle sales have risen by nearly 25% on a year-on-year basis to four million in 2018, and is expected to cross five million by the end of 2019.

BRTA data states that motorbikes constitute around 60% of the country’s total motor vehicles.

Helmet shops of Dhaka are located in Banglamotor, New Eskaton, Bangshal, Old Dhaka, Rampura, Malibagh, Bashabo, Banani, Uttara, and Mirpur areas.

While there is a demand for all types of helmets, the price of helmets differs based on safety standard and design.

Helmet traders think that people often opt to buy cheaper helmets, sold between Tk150 to Tk300, just to prevent being fined by law enforcers.

https://www.dhakatribune.com/business/2019/03/30/china-india-grab-huge-local-helmet-market

 

[Bilal9]

Making Helmets is not rocket science but maybe making them locally is not as profitable as importing in volume.

Most importantly, we should ask BRTA to test these Chinese and Indian helmets if they pass our crash standards (if we have them that is, otherwise we should come up with standards).

The govt. should also increase tax on imported helmets.

 

[Gandh brandi]

 

[Bilal9]

Further on explaining the manufacture of Motrobike helmets.

Here is a video of the 'Nolan' factory in Italy making very high grade LEXAN (GE Plastics) helmets where outer shell is made of Lexan, inner expanded foam liner is made from EPS expanded bead foam (similar to EPS packing foam but more dense) and visor is made from transparent PC (poly carbonate). The foam liner has an inner covering that touches the skull, made of light sponge foam and flannel fabric (similar to jacket inner liners).

There is nothing here that cannot be made in Bangladesh, the govt. should apply the final nail in the coffin for the bastard importers by increasing tariff to twice what is currently applicable for imported helmets so helmets can start to be made locally.

Here is another Helmet company 'Shark' from France, which makes their helmets in Rayong, Thailand outside of Bangkok. As can be seen, making helmets involves a lot of Handwork such as applying water-slide decals which are very different for each batch, having different markings. Accuracy is important and value addition by low cost labor is crucial, a practice in which Bangladesh already excels via RMG exports. This can be ideal wage earner for Bangladeshi exports.

 

[macnurv]

Making Helmets is not rocket science but maybe making them locally is not as profitable as importing in volume.

Most importantly, we should ask BRTA to test these Chinese and Indian helmets if they pass our crash standards (if we have them that is, otherwise we should come up with standards).

The govt. should also increase tax on imported helmets.

Actually, its not that simple as well. Making helmets that actually can absorb shock effectively and protect its wearer is not that simple.
What is BRTA? I am guessing Bangladesh Road Transport Authority. Do they have the ability to perform extensive safety testing required to evaluate road helmets.

You have to understand these cheap helmets are made from cheapest type of polycarbonate, or worse some kind of cheap plastic. For EPS, I am not sure what they are using so I hope there are some standards to evaluate their safety. Quality helmets are expensive for a reason, but there must be a minimum standard set by the government to allow import of any such safety devices. People should also be educated on how to select and choose a proper helmet for their use.

I personally only use fiberglass helmets with DOT and ECE (BELL, HJC, SHARK and LS2)for my road riding, although I consider DOT to be an obsolete standard as it is also awarded to helmets that dont even pass the test). For track use I only use Carbon fiber SNELL rated helmets (AGV & SHOEI (Dual EPS Liner).

 

[Bilal9]

Actually, its not that simple as well. Making helmets that actually can absorb shock effectively and protect its wearer is not that simple.
What is BRTA? I am guessing Bangladesh Road Transport Authority. Do they have the ability to perform extensive safety testing required to evaluate road helmets.

You have to understand these cheap helmets are made from cheapest type of polycarbonate, or worse some kind of cheap plastic. For EPS, I am not sure what they are using so I hope there are some standards to evaluate their safety. Quality helmets are expensive for a reason, but there must be a minimum standard set by the government to allow import of any such safety devices. People should also be educated on how to select and choose a proper helmet for their use.

I personally only use fiberglass helmets with DOT and ECE (BELL, HJC, SHARK and LS2)for my road riding, although I consider DOT to be an obsolete standard as it is also awarded to helmets that dont even pass the test). For track use I only use Carbon fiber SNELL rated helmets (AGV & SHOEI (Dual EPS Liner).

You are right, the primary purpose of wearing a helmet is to save lives by absorbing impact to the head using the polycarbonate/fiberglass outer shell + the EPS foam inner shell.

Testing is not difficult and equipment can even be jury-rigged, as has been done by Walton for their own testing.

Basically you have to simulate the force of the head impacting hard concrete or hard asphalt using a helmet.

This can be done by using a weighted mannequin's head + the helmet dropped from a certain height into concrete or hard metal (in a controlled manner) to simulate the required impact force, per ECE or other standards. The after-effect can be observed to see if there are cracks and how much. I am sure none of the cheap Indian or Chinese helmets currently imported will pass these tests.

The first Nolan factory video shows the setup here around 3:18.

 

[Aryan0395]

You have to understand these cheap helmets are made from cheapest type of polycarbonate, or worse some kind of cheap plastic. For EPS, I am not sure what they are using so I hope there are some standards to evaluate their safety. Quality helmets are expensive for a reason

well ofc, these cheap helmets are good only to not get u a challan from traffic police, wont protect u.
Im curious, do u guys get Steelbird helmets in ur country...they are really great quality!!

 

[mb444]

If there is a demand there will be supply. BD bike sector is flourishing.... support industry will also naturally come up.