Mazda ups transmission production

The Mazda CX-5 was the first all-new model to take advantage of the SkyActiv technology.

More SkyActiv model sales trigger increase

Mazda is committed to delivering vehicles featuring SkyActiv technology to the greatest number of customers possible. Nariaki Uchida, Mazda executive officer and general manager of Hofu Plant Mazda Motor Corporation has big plans to increase SkyActiv transmission production capacity at the Nakanoseki district of Hofu Plant in Yamaguchi, Japan.

Production capacityof 750,000 units a year at present will increase to 1,114,000 units in July 2014 in response to growing sales of SkyActiv models around the globe.

The initiative involves adding machining and assembly lines to an affiliated company's building next to the Nakanoseki district. Preparations will begin later this month with the installation of production equipment such as multi-function machining centres.

Mazda aims to begin operations in July next year.

A signing ceremony for an agreement related to the production capacity increase took place at the Hofu City Hall and was attended by Mazda's Nariaki Uchida, executive officer and general manager of Hofu Plant; Masato Matsuura, the Mayor of Hofu City, and Susumu Kimura from Yamaguchi Prefecture's department of commerce and industry.

Uchida said: "Operations began at the Nakanoseki district of Hofu Plant in December 1981 and it is now Mazda's chief transmission production facility. This is where we make SkyActiv transmissions for the Mazda CX-5, which was named Car of the Year Japan last year, and our flagship model, the Mazda6.

"Moving forward, Mazda is committed to delivering vehicles featuring SkyActiv technology to the greatest number of customers possible and to contribute to the further development of Yamaguchi Prefecture and the city of Hofu."

Mazda is strengthening its production system as it strives to achieve its goal of 1.7 million vehicles worldwide by the fiscal year ending March 2016 - 80 per cent of those vehicles are expected to feature SkyActiv technology.

As well as the Nakanoseki district, Mazda will build a new transmission plant in Thailand with an annual production capacity of about 400,000 units. Operations at the new plant are expected to begin in the first half of the fiscal year ending March 2016.

The SkyActiv transmission was first installed in the Mazda3 and is also available across the CX-5 and Mazda6 ranges.

It will also be available in the all-new Mazda3 expected to be launched in New Zealand next year.