Mazda 2013 Annual Report Download - page 10

To Shareholders and Investors
First, with regard to “business innovation by SKYACTIV TECHNOLOGY,” we plan to launch
eight SKYACTIV-equipped models by the end of the March 2016 fiscal year, and during the
past year we released the first two: the CX-5 and the new Mazda6. The CX-5 has had a strong
reception in Japan and overseas, making a large contribution in terms of both sales and
profit. The new Mazda6 also had a solid launch and orders remain strong, and during the
March 2014 fiscal year we will strengthen our sales activities for full-scale launches in Europe
and the United States.
Along with releases of SKYACTIV models, we are innovating our sales methods at the
global level, leveraging our product strength to curtail incentives and improve residual value.
This is making a major contribution to improved earnings and enhanced brand value.
In terms of the initiative to “accelerate further cost improvements through Monotsukuri
Innovation,” the new Mazda6 is producing results as expected, as did the CX-5. Aided by our
enhanced product strength, we are making steady progress toward developing and manufac-
turing cars that produce a profit even in a strong yen environment.
To “reinforce our business in emerging markets and establish a global production foot-
print,” over the past year we have been building a new plant in Mexico, strengthening our
business in emerging markets including in the ASEAN region, and establishing our global
production structure. We are making steady progress, and have already begun producing the
CX-5 and the new Mazda6 in Russia. In addition, to meet the growth in demand for SKYACTIV-
equipped vehicles and further strengthen our global production structure, we have decided
to build a transmission plant with an annual capacity of 400,000 units in Thailand. Production
will commence during the first half of the March 2016 fiscal year.
We have also made progress during the past year in the “promotion of global alliances.”
Based on the license for hybrid system technology obtained through our alliance with Toyota,
we plan to launch a SKYACTIV-equipped Axela (Mazda3) sedan hybrid in the Japanese market
during the March 2014 fiscal year. We also plan to commence production at our new plant in
* In references to other companies, the
short form of the company name is used.
Overseas Production Strategy and Promotion of Global Alliances — Developments during the March 2013 Fiscal Ye a r
Thailand
• Increased production capacity for pickup
trucks at AAT*
• Decision to build new transmission plant,
scheduled to produce SKYACTIV-DRIVE
(automatic) transmissions from the March
2016 fiscal year
* AutoAlliance (Thailand)
Malaysia
• Establishment of joint venture with Bermaz
• Commencement of local production of
the CX-5
China
• Approval of restructuring plan, establishment of
new Changan Mazda Automobile Company
Mexico
• Steady progress in construction of new
joint-venture plant with Sumitomo
Corporation toward commencement of
operations in fourth quarter of March
2014 fiscal year
• Plan to increase annual production
capacity to 230,000 units* in the March
2016 fiscal year
* Including 50,000 Toyota-branded units
Russia
• Establishment of joint venture with Sollers
• Commencement of local production of the
CX-5 and new Mazda6
Indonesia
• Procurement of three-seat compact
vehicle from Suzuki
Mazda Annual Report 2013
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