Maruti to close two plants today

Amid a slowdown in petrol car sales, car market leader Maruti Suzuki Thursday said it will shut down its Gurgaon and Manesar plants Friday.

"Tomorrow (Friday), there will be a planned shutdown at the Gurgaon and Manesar plants. This is being done in accordance with the slowdown in market conditions," the company said.

According to the company official, both the plants have a combined production of 5,000 units per day. The shutdown comes just ahead of a scheduled maintenance closure at the plant June 17-22. Saturday (June 8) is a scheduled weekly off.

"The scheduled maintenance shutdown happens twice in the year in June and December, and is planned ahead," the company added.

The petrol-powered passenger cars have been impacted due to rising fuel and interest costs, as well as a slump in first-time consumer-buying sentiments.

Earlier, the company logged an overall sales dip of 14.4 percent in May 2013 at 84,677 units from 98,884 units sold in the corresponding month of 2012.

The domestic sales of the passenger car major fell by 13 percent at 77,821 units from an offtake of 89,478 units in the corresponding month of 2012.

The company's export in the period under review plunged by 27.1 percent at 6,856 units from 9,406 units shipped abroad during the corresponding month of last year.

The automobile major last observed a daylong shutdown at its Gurgaon plant on March 8, 2013.