Mazda plant open for business

Mazda Motor Corporation has begun production of the new Mazda CX-5 at its Hofu Plant. Until now the CX-5 has been produced at the company’s Hiroshima Plant and at plants in China and Malaysia (for other markets) The planned production is in order to enable the company to meet the growing global demand for Mazda crossover vehicles. Managing director for Mazda New Zealand, David Hodge said having the CX-5 produced at the Hofu plant will help markets such as New Zealand keep up with demand for the award-winning vehicle. “The new CX-5 further enhances the popularity of the vehicle that has won numerous motoring awards in New Zealand since it was first launched in 2012 and we are delighted the new CX-5 is a finalist in the 2017 AA/NZ Car of the Year Awards and a contender for People's Choice.” Mazda is working to meet a global sales volume target of 1.65 million units by the end of its three-year business plan, Structural Reform Stage 2, which was launched last fiscal year. In recent years global demand for crossovers has surged. To meet this demand expeditiously, the company has made its production system more flexible. In December 2016 the Hofu Plant joined the Hiroshima plant in producing the CX-3, a compact crossover SUV and in August of this year, the system for production of crossovers at the Hiroshima Plant’s body factory was enhanced.