Mazda has halted plans to build a second factory in the United States due to the sales downturn, and difficulties facing Ford, its partner in its existing Auto Alliance plant in Flat Rock, Michigan, the Nikkei business newspaper reported on Wednesday.
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But the Japanese firm dismissed the report as “speculative”.
“With respect to the articles appearing in the media stating that “Mazda has frozen plans to build a North American plant with Ford due to the sharp decline in new vehicle sales in the US”, the content of these reports is considered speculative and not based in fact,” the automaker said in a statement.
“As outlined in our mid-term Mazda Advancement Plan, announced in March 2007, Mazda has no plans to establish a new vehicle production facility in North America.”
According to Reuters, the Nikkei had said Mazda had considered using a shuttered Ford plant or building a new one with its US partner, aiming to produce fuel-efficient mid-size cars and other models from the first half of 2010.
But the deepening downturn in the world’s largest vehicle market had forced the Japanese automaker to scrap the project, the Nikkei added. Ford’s plan – which Japanese media reported on Monday – to sell part of its 33.4% stake in Mazda was another reason, according to the Nikkei today.
Mazda has five manufacturing alliances with Ford in the US, Thailand, Japan and China. The 50-50-owned Auto Alliance International assembly plant in Michigan began operations in June 1992 but the facility, initially operated by Mazda alone, dates back to 1985.
It has built a variety of Ford and Mazda models over the years, including some for export, but currently makes only the Mazda 6 for North America.
