Mazda plans to construct an engine plant in the Chonburi province of Thailand. Operations are expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2015 with assembly of the Skyactiv-D 1.5 diesel engine for the Mazda 2 sold locally.
In February, Mazda successfully applied for the second phase of the Thai government’s Eco-Car programme with the 2. The programme levies preferential taxation on fuel-efficient, low-emission vehicles. The new engine plant is being built to meet the requirements of the programme. Production of the 2 for the Thai market began at Auto Alliance (Thailand) on 27 October.
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Mazda plans to raise the proportion of Skyactiv models to 85% of its global sales volume for the fiscal year ending 31 March, 2016. Construction of a new transmission factory at Mazda Powertrain Manufacturing (Thailand) (MPMT) has been completed and preparations are underway for the start of operations in January 2015. The new engine plant will be constructed on an adjacent site and will enable comprehensive local production of Skyactiv models in Thailand.
The new engine plant will begin assembly with capacity of 30,000 units per year. In order to meet the requirements of the Eco-Car programme, Mazda plans to increase capacity and construct an engine machining facility. The plant in Thailand will be the fourth producing Skyactiv engines, along with Hiroshima in Japan, Changan Ford Mazda Engine (CFME) in China, and Mazda de Mexico Vehicle Operation.
Mazda’s director and senior managing executive officer Yuji Nakamine said, “We are very excited to announce this development. Thailand is Mazda’s main production base in the ASEAN region, and establishing a comprehensive framework for the production of Skyactiv models will enable us to make an even greater contribution to the development of the Thai automotive industry.”
