The transmission plant is being established in response to increasing demand for the carmaker’s SKYACTIV TECHNOLOGY engines and will have an annual production capacity of approximately 400,000 units for SKYACTIV models produced at AAT and other Mazda vehicle production facilities around the world.

The plant will be located in the Chonburi Province of Thailand, approximately 5km north of Mazda's joint venture production facility, AutoAlliance (Thailand), and will cost ¥26bn (€211m). Production will start between March and September 2016.

Mazda CEO Takashi Yamanouchi said: ‘Mazda is establishing global production footprints in order to achieve our goal of an annual global sales volume of 1.7 million units by fiscal year ending March 2016.’

He added: ‘The Nakanoseki district of Hofu Plant will remain the chief production facility for transmissions, but we have decided to establish a second major transmission plant in Thailand's Chonburi Province. This will enable Mazda to cope with the rapidly increasing demand for SKYACTIV models and establish a production system capable of responding to the changing demands of our customers in a flexible and timely manner. We will make use of the knowledge and experience gained through AAT to ensure the success of the new plant in cooperation with the people of Thailand.’