Mitsubishi to Build 3rd Thai Plant

The automotive friendly environment carmakers seem to find in Thailand has determined the Japanese from Mitsubishi to consider building their third facility in the country, one which, local media speculates, will have an output capacity of some 50,000 units each year. Overall, Mitsubishi’s production capacity will be brought to 400,000 units a year from all its facilities.

The Japanese carmaker however has not fully confirmed its commitment to build a third facility. In response to the increasing media reports on the subject, Mitsubishi released a statement saying it is only considering such a move.

“There were reports regarding Mitsubishi Motors Corporation and the establishment of a new factory in Thailand from some media,” the carmaker says in the statement cited by just-auto.com.

“However, the establishment of a new factory is still under consideration; therefore reports that Mitsubishi Motors Corporation has decided to construct a new factory have no basis in fact.”

Despite the statement, Mitsubishi president Osamu Masuko already announced a possible price tag for the 3rd Thai production site, with the estimate pointing to a $463 million cost. The facility will be located in the same industrial park which currently houses the existing facilities and will employ an estimated 3,000 people.

Earlier this year, Mitsubishi let slip news of a new model being “under consideration” within the company, one which will be smaller than the European B-segment vehicles and will employ a small 1.2- or 1.3-liter four-cylinder engine. It is precisely this model for which the facility may be built, a model that’s expected to be part of the eco segment