Precision automotive parts maker MinebeaMitsumi is looking to develop Cambodia into a key export platform for shipments to the US, reported Nikkei Asia.

The plan centres on a second factory in Pursat province that started partial operations in November.

The site covers 500,000m² and is set up to produce essential parts for high-precision LiDAR sensors used in autonomous driving systems.

Output is expected to rise in step with customer demand.

The Japanese company already has an established presence in the country, having opened a Phnom Penh plant in 2011 making ball bearings and motors.

That investment formed part of a “Thailand plus one” approach, shifting some manufacturing away from Thailand to nearby markets with lower labour costs.

In a statement to Nikkei Asia, MinebeaMitsumi chairman and CEO Yoshihisa Kainuma said: "We will not treat it merely as a 'Thailand plus one' facility, but rather develop it into a factory on par with those in other countries.”

The report states that MinebeaMitsumi’s operations in Cambodia have been impacted by border closures between Cambodia and Thailand since May 2025.

Kainuma said the company wants Cambodia to serve as “a strategic base” for exports to US customers.

The restrictions have disrupted land transport routes and added to logistics costs.

The company still procures certain materials from Thailand but is now working to find alternative suppliers in Vietnam, China and other markets, according to the report.

Japan’s Foreign Ministry, cited in the report, said Cambodia had 425 Japanese-affiliated business locations as of October 2024.

The news agency noted that persistent logistics disruption could weigh on investor sentiment, though MinebeaMitsumi said its operations in Cambodia remain stable as it adjusts sourcing to reduce supply chain risk.