OREANDA-NEWS. Mazda Motor Corporation today announced that it will construct an engine machining factory at its new vehicle production facility in Mexico, Mazda Motor Manufacturing de Mexico S.A. de C.V. (MMMdM). MMMdM is a joint venture between Mazda and Sumitomo Corporation.

The new factory will make SKYACTIV engines for vehicles produced at MMMdM such as the Mazda3 (Axela in Japan) and Mazda2 (Demio). It will produce approximately 230,000 engines per year with operations expected to begin in October 2014. MMMdM will invest 120 million dollars (approximately 12 billion yen) in the new factory and employ approximately 100 extra people to operate it.

At MMMdM, construction of the buildings which will house the vehicle and engine assembly lines is complete and preparations are being made for the start of operations in the fourth quarter of fiscal year ending March 2014. The establishment of the new engine machining factory will further strengthen Mazda's production system for SKYACTIV technologies. Also, by localizing production and increasing the number parts procured locally, Mazda will enhance its ability to withstand exchange rate fluctuations.

Mazda is targeting global sales of 1.7 million units by fiscal year ending March 2016 and anticipates 80 percent of those models will feature SKYACTIV Technology. For this reason, Mazda is enhancing its production framework for SKYACTIV technology. In addition to MMMdM, SKYACTIV engines are currently produced at the Hiroshima Plant in Japan and Changan Ford Mazda Engine Co., Ltd. in China.