Mitsubishi acquires Ford factory in the Philippines, establishing R&D test course in Thailand

mitsubishi-laem-chabang 091

Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation (MMPC) has acquired a factory site from Ford Motor Company Philippines, located in Laguna Province. This site will house MMPC’s headquarters and factory, relocated from Cainta, Rizal Province. Production is due to start in January 2015.

This strengthening of production capability in the country is part of Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC)’s “New Stage 2016” next mid-term business plan, which aims to reinforce ASEAN output, according to MMPC.

The Lancer EX, Adventure compact MPV and L300 commercial vehicle are built in the Philippines. Last year, Mitsubishi commanded a 20.5% market share there, and posted sales of 42,360 units.

Meanwhile in Thailand, MMC has invested over 500 million baht (RM50.3 million) establishing its first R&D test course outside Japan – also part of “New Stage 2016.” The facility is located in Nhongkham Amphur, Chonburi, about 26 km from the Laem Chabang Industrial Estate (Mitsubishi Factory 3 pictured above).

“As MMC aims to reinforce R&D function by transferring some part to Mitsubishi Motors Thailand (MMTh), now we are in the first phase of the plan,” said MMth president Masahiko Ueki, adding that the test course is aimed at developing the scope of minor-change models in advance, as well as improving ASEAN-targeted products more rapidly by benchmarking testing and evaluation.

The organisational reinforcement has also lead to partial transfer of the R&D function from MMC to MMTh, with the workforce expected to increase from about 50 to more than 100 next year. The test course construction is expected to finish by the first quarter next year.

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Jonathan James Tan

While most dream of the future, Jonathan Tan dreams of the past, although he's never been there. Fantasises much too often about cruising down Treacher Road (Jalan Sultan Ismail) in a Triumph Stag that actually works, and hopes this stint here will snap him back to present reality.

 

Comments

  • kzm (Member) on Mar 31, 2014 at 6:02 pm

    Abisla bolehland kene bash

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 3
  • SohaiNAJIB on Mar 31, 2014 at 6:37 pm

    Why not buy over proton’s underutilized tanjong malim factory?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 6
    • Obviously (Member) on Apr 02, 2014 at 11:05 am

      Maybe cause they don’t want to sell their underutilized tanjong malim factory?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • nabill on Mar 31, 2014 at 6:47 pm

    Ya more crap like mirage…mitsu is almost dead…thy r survivng on triton sales…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 11
    • Low Budget on Mar 31, 2014 at 9:59 pm

      You must be joking, Mitsubishi is a heavy industry giant in Japan. Motor division is just a small part of it.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 2
      • Nabill on Mar 31, 2014 at 11:06 pm

        Im refering to automotive arm…not other businesses under mitsu brand

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 1
    • GuilleKnows on Mar 31, 2014 at 11:01 pm

      Poor ignorant

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
    • vee-oh on Apr 01, 2014 at 9:08 am

      yea yea your viva is no crap at all

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • Obviously (Member) on Apr 02, 2014 at 11:09 am

      You aren’t looking at the right places. Been seeing more of their ASX on the road nowadays and one of the auto-industry magazines reported that they’re actually improving their standing.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • how about start up in Malaysia??? owh wait….nvm

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 1
  • EnergyAnalyst on Mar 31, 2014 at 8:21 pm

    From Wikipedia :

    Ford Motor Company Philippines (FMCP) is a Filipino automotive manufacturer and a subsidiary of Ford Motor Company, focused on manufacturing automobiles for local and regional markets. FMCP builds the Ford Escape, Ford Laser, Ford Lynx, Ford Focus, Mazda3, and Mazda Tribute for the local market, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam.
    Ford’s lone manufacturing plant was located in Santa Rosa, Laguna, Philippines, which closed on December 2012.

    This is the plant Mitsubishi bought?! I see good for you !

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 0
    • Obviously (Member) on Apr 02, 2014 at 11:11 am

      Really, how else would they be able to acquire the plant if Ford was still using it?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Its all about cheap labour and less strigent labour law..thats why australian automotive industry is history. .

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
  • roti canai (Member) on Apr 01, 2014 at 12:18 pm

    mitsu, when are you going to wake up. if you want to get more sales, have a good look at your natural rival, subaru, their cars are noticeably more “boring” now….but they are doing really well in the USA.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
    • Obviously (Member) on Apr 02, 2014 at 11:12 am

      What do you expect them to do, though? They’ve already chosen their direction of development and it seems they will not so much be rivals with Subaru anymore. Different focus now.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Walter Ty on Apr 01, 2014 at 2:13 pm

    MMPC’s Cainta facility dates back to the time when the company was called Chrysler Philippines Corp., which was incorporated in February 1963. After Chrysler bowed out of most foreign markets in the late 1970’s due to financial problems, the U.S. automaker sold its Philippine subsidiary stake to Mitsubishi Motors & Nissho Iwai & the company was renamed Canlubang Automotive Resources & eventually Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
 

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