Automotive Intelligence for Professionals
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Toyota Thailand may get Toyota Australia Altona engine line
As we suggested, following the news Toyota would end manufacturing in Australia from 2017, it now appears the automaker already has plans for its near new engine manufacturing line.
Sources have told Australian auto industry publication GoAutoNews the A$331m Altona engine plant - which makes the Camry and Camry Hybrid I4 engines - is likely to end up in Thailand at Siam Toyota Manufacturing.
Australia has a free trade agreement with Thailand which ships thousands of vehicles 'down under' every year from Ford, Mazda, Isuzu, Honda, Nissan and Toyota plants. Toyota Australia switched sourcing its Corolla sedan from Japan to Thailand with the recent 2014 model year redesign.
The company officially said no decision had been made on what would happen to the engine manufacturing equipment after Altona production ends in 2017 but GoAuto said it had been told that Toyota Australia executives are speculating privately that Thailand is the logical destination for the machinery that was partly funded by Australian taxpayers.
It would also be logical for more Camrys to be built there for all ASEAN, Australiasian and Far East markets though the model could also be sourced from the US which is now supplying the new Kluger SUV (Highlander), replacing Japan.
GoAuto noted Toyota's Altona factory already exports engines to Thailand where they are fitted to Camrys and Camry Hybrids built at Toyota Motor Thailand’s Gateway assembly plant, about 100km east of Bangkok.
As that plant will need a fresh source of 2.5-litre four-cylinder engines after Altona closes, it makes sense to relocate that production line to Toyota’s existing engine manufacturing factory in Thailand, Siam Toyota Manufacturing, in nearby Chonburi.
GoAuto said other equipment from the Altona car assembly plant might also end up in Thailand, which is the likely source of Camry and the related V6 Aurion for Australia once Altona shuts down.
Toyota Australia media and external affairs manager Beck Angel told GoAuto no decision had been made on what Toyota would do with its factory equipment post-2017 or where the Camry and Aurion would be imported from.
Toyota shut a CKD kit assembly plant in neighbouring New Zealand in 1998 and the assembly equipment, including costly body jig equipment, reportedly went to a similar plant in Pakistan.
Australia has a free trade agreement with Thailand which ships thousands of vehicles 'down under' every year from Ford, Mazda, Isuzu, Honda, Nissan and Toyota plants. Toyota Australia switched sourcing its Corolla sedan from Japan to Thailand with the recent 2014 model year redesign.
The company officially said no decision had been made on what would happen to the engine manufacturing equipment after Altona production ends in 2017 but GoAuto said it had been told that Toyota Australia executives are speculating privately that Thailand is the logical destination for the machinery that was partly funded by Australian taxpayers.
It would also be logical for more Camrys to be built there for all ASEAN, Australiasian and Far East markets though the model could also be sourced from the US which is now supplying the new Kluger SUV (Highlander), replacing Japan.
GoAuto noted Toyota's Altona factory already exports engines to Thailand where they are fitted to Camrys and Camry Hybrids built at Toyota Motor Thailand’s Gateway assembly plant, about 100km east of Bangkok.
As that plant will need a fresh source of 2.5-litre four-cylinder engines after Altona closes, it makes sense to relocate that production line to Toyota’s existing engine manufacturing factory in Thailand, Siam Toyota Manufacturing, in nearby Chonburi.
GoAuto said other equipment from the Altona car assembly plant might also end up in Thailand, which is the likely source of Camry and the related V6 Aurion for Australia once Altona shuts down.
Toyota Australia media and external affairs manager Beck Angel told GoAuto no decision had been made on what Toyota would do with its factory equipment post-2017 or where the Camry and Aurion would be imported from.
Toyota shut a CKD kit assembly plant in neighbouring New Zealand in 1998 and the assembly equipment, including costly body jig equipment, reportedly went to a similar plant in Pakistan.
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Malaysia's vehicle sales down 8.7% in January
Via THE STAR: Malaysia recorded an 8.7% decline in total vehicle sales to 50,273 units in January from 55,066 vehicles a year ago but the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA) is expecting sales to be maintained at the same level in February.
The trade body said on Wednesday that of the 50,273 units sold in January, 44,702 of them were passenger vehicles and the rest were 5,571 commercial vehicles.
The MAA said the sales volume in January was also lower than December 2013 by 17%.
"Heavy discounting by car companies given out in December 2013 resulted in many booking concluded in December 2013 itself," it said.
On the outlook for February, it said the sales volume was expected to be maintained at the January level because of the short working month due to the Chinese New Year holidays.
The trade body said on Wednesday that of the 50,273 units sold in January, 44,702 of them were passenger vehicles and the rest were 5,571 commercial vehicles.
The MAA said the sales volume in January was also lower than December 2013 by 17%.
"Heavy discounting by car companies given out in December 2013 resulted in many booking concluded in December 2013 itself," it said.
On the outlook for February, it said the sales volume was expected to be maintained at the January level because of the short working month due to the Chinese New Year holidays.
Friday, February 14, 2014
GM Thailand celebrates millionth vehicle built at Rayong
General Motors Thailand and Southeast Asia Operations today celebrated the production of its millionth vehicle – a Chevrolet Trailblazer – since operations began in 2000 at the Rayong Assembly plant.
The celebration coincided with a visit from GM CEO Mary Barra, and President Dan Ammann. Speaking at the celebration, Barra said, “Today’s milestone demonstrates why Thailand is so important to GM’s growth in Southeast Asia, and helps reinforce our commitment to continually strengthen our investment in this facility.”
“Everything starts with great products,” said Ammann. “Our plant in Rayong is an important member of GM’s regional and global manufacturing operation. It also is a key component of our consumer-centric and market-driven strategy for growing our product lineup and Chevrolet brand in the region.”
GM’s facility in Rayong has 4,300 employees. It was one of five new plants built outside North America in the late 1990s. It incorporates GM’s Global Manufacturing System (GMS), a company-wide production system based on the principles of lean manufacturing. The main elements of GMS include employee involvement, continuous improvement, standardization, short lead-time and built-in quality.
The Rayong Assembly plant has the ability to produce different models and variants on the same line without incurring unnecessary downtime. This enabled the facility to successfully launch a totally renewed lineup in the past two years. The facility enjoyed record exports last year, shipping almost 44,000 vehicles to 77 countries.
Barra and Ammann also visited GM Thailand’s Powertrain Facility and congratulated the team for building 100,000 engines from its opening in September 2011 to May 2013. The plant is producing second-generation four-cylinder Duramax turbo-diesel engines and is GM’s only diesel engine plant in the region. It also is the first GM powertrain facility in the world to manufacture four-cylinder Duramax engines.
“Everything starts with great products,” said Ammann. “Our plant in Rayong is an important member of GM’s regional and global manufacturing operation. It also is a key component of our consumer-centric and market-driven strategy for growing our product lineup and Chevrolet brand in the region.”
GM’s facility in Rayong has 4,300 employees. It was one of five new plants built outside North America in the late 1990s. It incorporates GM’s Global Manufacturing System (GMS), a company-wide production system based on the principles of lean manufacturing. The main elements of GMS include employee involvement, continuous improvement, standardization, short lead-time and built-in quality.
The Rayong Assembly plant has the ability to produce different models and variants on the same line without incurring unnecessary downtime. This enabled the facility to successfully launch a totally renewed lineup in the past two years. The facility enjoyed record exports last year, shipping almost 44,000 vehicles to 77 countries.
Barra and Ammann also visited GM Thailand’s Powertrain Facility and congratulated the team for building 100,000 engines from its opening in September 2011 to May 2013. The plant is producing second-generation four-cylinder Duramax turbo-diesel engines and is GM’s only diesel engine plant in the region. It also is the first GM powertrain facility in the world to manufacture four-cylinder Duramax engines.
Thailand-made Mitsubishi Mirage G4 debut in North America
The Mirage G4, Mitsubishi’s Thailand-built four-door, three-cylinder sedan, will make its North American debut today at the 2014 Salon International de l’auto de Montreal. But company president and CEO, Kenichiro “Kenny” Yamamoto said its future availability in Canada will be based, in part, on consumer opinion.
Monday, February 10, 2014
Nissan joins rivals in suffering setback from Thailand troubles
Via FT:
Nissan has become the latest Japanese carmaker to warn of plunging sales in Thailand after political tension and the cancellation of a car purchase subsidy.
The third-biggest carmaker in Japan by revenues, said that sales in the country dropped by more than half year on year to 21,700 vehicles in the three months to December 31 as it reported quarterly results on Monday.
Japanese carmakers have invested heavily in Thailand, which they have seen as a promising market because of its proximity to Japan and an increasingly affluent population who are familiar with the country’s marques.
But a prolonged anti-government street protest movement in Bangkok and an end to state incentives to buy vehicles has soured the picture of late. Honda, Mazda Motor and Mitsubishi Motor have all warned of falling sales in the country, while Toyota has warned that the crisis could affect its plans for $609m of further investment in Thailand.
The unrest in Thailand compounds existing problems for Japan’s car manufacturers, particularly the end of a tax break for first-time car buyers introduced to spur sales following flooding in 2011.
Nissan’s strategy is focused on an aggressive push into emerging markets in Asia and Africa. It is exhibiting the new Datsun models, reborn as a low-budget brand for the Indian markets at the Delhi auto show this week.
Presenting the results, Nissan’s Joji Tagawa, corporate vice-president, said the drop in the country was “substantial”. Otherwise the group reported healthy third-quarter results thanks to the combination of the yen’s depreciation and the US economic recovery.
Nissan has become the latest Japanese carmaker to warn of plunging sales in Thailand after political tension and the cancellation of a car purchase subsidy.
The third-biggest carmaker in Japan by revenues, said that sales in the country dropped by more than half year on year to 21,700 vehicles in the three months to December 31 as it reported quarterly results on Monday.Japanese carmakers have invested heavily in Thailand, which they have seen as a promising market because of its proximity to Japan and an increasingly affluent population who are familiar with the country’s marques.
But a prolonged anti-government street protest movement in Bangkok and an end to state incentives to buy vehicles has soured the picture of late. Honda, Mazda Motor and Mitsubishi Motor have all warned of falling sales in the country, while Toyota has warned that the crisis could affect its plans for $609m of further investment in Thailand.
The unrest in Thailand compounds existing problems for Japan’s car manufacturers, particularly the end of a tax break for first-time car buyers introduced to spur sales following flooding in 2011.
Nissan’s strategy is focused on an aggressive push into emerging markets in Asia and Africa. It is exhibiting the new Datsun models, reborn as a low-budget brand for the Indian markets at the Delhi auto show this week.
Presenting the results, Nissan’s Joji Tagawa, corporate vice-president, said the drop in the country was “substantial”. Otherwise the group reported healthy third-quarter results thanks to the combination of the yen’s depreciation and the US economic recovery.
Nissan Motor Indonesia to double annual capacity
Car distribution firm and sole agent of Japanese Nissan Motor Co , PT Nissan Motor Indonesia, will double 2014 production capacity to 200,000 units per year, said co-CEO Yoshiya Horigome, the Investor Daily reports.
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