Mazda invests Bt8.5bn in new transmission plant

Mazda Motor Corporation will invest 26 billion yen or about Bt8.5 billion in a transmission plant with an annual production capacity of approximately 400,000 units.

The plant in Chon Buri is in response to increasing demand for models featuring SKYACTIV TECHNOLOGY and to strengthen its global production footprint. Operations at the new plant will commence in the first half of the fiscal year ending March 2016.

Mazda Powertrain Manufacturing (Thailand) is established as a new wholly-owned subsidiary to run the plant, located approximately five kilometres from Mazda's joint venture production facility, AutoAlliance (Thailand) Co Ltd (AAT) and will supply SKYACTIV-DRIVE automatic transmissions for SKYACTIV models produced at AAT and other Mazda vehicle production facilities around the world.

Mazda's Representative Director, Chairman of the Board, President and CEO, Takashi Yamanouchi commented, "Mazda is establishing global production footprints in order to achieve our goal of an annual global sales volume of 1.7 million units by fiscal year ending March 2016.

"We will make use of the knowledge and experience gained through AAT to ensure the success of the new plant in cooperation with the people of Thailand."