Mitsubishi Motors Thailand Adds Third Location

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) is beginning the construction of its third factory in Thailand and has conducted a Foundation Stone Laying Ceremony at the site, which was attended by dignitaries including Thailand’s Minister of Industry Chaiwut Bannawat and MMC President Osamu Masuko. The new factory is set to be built at the Laem Chabang Industrial Estate in Chonburi province and will produce Mitsubishi's "global small" vehicle scheduled for launching in 2011.

The third factory will be built adjacent to the first and second factories and is planned to start mass production in March 2012. At first, it will have a capacity of around 150,000 units per year, with the possibility to expand to 200,000 units per year. The new factory is planned to hire around 3,000 new staff.

The "global small" car will be a new vehicle based on a completely new platform that's currently under development by Mitsubishi and will join the automaker's lineup as an entry-level model.

“It’s my great pleasure that Mitsubishi Motors Thailand’s factory becomes a part of our Eco-car Project. This Mitsubishi factory will bring to Thailand many technologies for automobile production and lead to improve labour skills for auto industry as well as related industries,” said Minister Chaiwut Bannawat, praising the new factory.

“It’s a great honour to have this memorable day for the construction of the third factory. From the beginning, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation has strongly believed in Thailand’s potential as the production hub for global markets; now Mitsubishi Motors Thailand became the production base of our 1-ton pickup. We share the Thai government’s environmental concerns and we have made Thailand the global production hub for the 'global small'," said Mitsubishi Motors Corporation President Masuko