Despite a softening market outlook and being saddled with domestic issues, Nissan is looking to expand its business further in Thailand. The automaker is planning to invest 10 billion baht (RM1.37 billion) in a three-year business plan to increase production capacity and develop new vehicles in the Kingdom, the Bangkok Post reports.
Revealing this, Nissan Motor Thailand president Ramesh Narasimhan said that while investment details have yet to be finalised, the plans for expansion are very much on the cards. “For the Thai operation, Nissan will increase its production capacity to launch new future models, including employing new jobs,” he said.
The country is the automaker’s production hub in Southeast Asia. It has two production plants, both located in Samut Prakan province, building passenger cars and pickups. With an annual production capacity of 295,000 vehicles, the factories build Navara, Teana, Terra, Note, Almera, March, Sylphy and X-Trail models for both the domestic market and export.
The new plan follows on the expansion seen earlier in the decade. In November 2012, the automaker announced it would invest 11 billion baht to expand its presence in the country. Of this, nearly 10 billion baht was spent on building a second plant to increase its production capacity. The new facility was launched in July 2014, with an initial production capacity of 75,000 units.
The automaker also built the Nissan Motor Asia Pacific (NMAP) R&D Test Centre in Samut Prakan. Opened in April 2016, the facility is the company’s third overseas testing centre outside Japan and an R&D hub for the ASEAN region.
Earlier this year, the company announced that it had chosen Thailand to build a new manufacturing hub for electric vehicles, the first outside of Japan. Nissan has two investment projects already approved by the country’s Board of Investment (BoI), a 10.96 billion baht (RM1.5 billion) investment to produce hybrid e-Power vehicles and a 470 million baht project (RM64.8 million) to assemble batteries for its e-Power cars.
In related news, Narasimhan said that Nissan plans to export the new Almera to Asia and Oceania starting next year. The second-gen Almera, which made its ASEAN debut in Thailand last week, is powered by a HRA0 1.0 litre three-cylinder DOHC turbo engine offering 100 hp and 152 Nm of torque, which complies with Thailand’s Phase 2 eco car rules.
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Another great coup for Thailand. Meanwhile, azmin too busy trying to be next PM to not get any new investment into Malaysia. Sigh.
Azmin, anwar, LGE, everyone in PH is seeing their chance to grab the PM job. Our Cabinet is a now collection of clowns and drama queens. How I wished the old ones were back.
I concur with you. Wishing to get back the old government.
The new one is too incompetent and not capable to lead this beloved country.
2 late now geng. i ate 2 much, we need anwar.
I’ve been following the SRC trial. Surprisingly he did not swindle any money from the rakyat at all. The new gov came into power by throwing lies, and sad to say I somewhat fell for it.
I’m sorry for being part of the mess we the rakyat are in right now. I’m sorry, please forgive me.
You havent learned how much did anwar eaten. Much much more than you friend. And its in USD, Pounds & Shekels. Don’t worry, you’ll be back…. as some famous dude have said.
Old are junks.
New are clowns.
I prefer junk than clowns, at least junks can still perform albeit funky here & there. Clowns are just funky all round. Good for laughs but no outcome.
Sedih… there goes job opportunities in Malaysia. I don’t know why always Thailand or Indonesia get but not Malaysia.
Without a dignified national car program like our, its easier to enter Thailand or Indonesia.
Given a choice, i sapot hvin national carmaker.
More jobs lost to tomyamland , madani…
Expansion in Thailand could improve Nissan in Malaysia
In bolehland, nissan and toyota sales will be taking over big H sales in the near future
Will be amazed to see more exciting new model. Sure UMW Toyota and Tan Chong will see big changes
Yes, they have more reasons to finally cut Tan Chong & ETCM out of their system. For too long, TC have been selling outdated models and they continue to sell us these junks long after model change has happen.
Malaysia still hub for passenger car … Madani.
So sad that automative industry is booming in Thailand and Indonesia while Malaysia still struggle. We are actually the biggest car market in SEA. Cannot brain why the new government not open to bring in FDI into Malaysia and create more jobs for rakyat. Everyday bz with political firefighting.
…meanwhile Malaysian politicians and ministers too embroiled with mud slinging, gutter politics…….
Malaysian only care about racing news , women team racing news , 1000km racing news , MotoGP news and also basikal lajak news