Strong local demand for Ford Ranger and Mazda BT-50 pickup trucks has prompted Ford and Mazda to expand their AutoAlliance Thailand (AAT) joint-venture plant in Rayong.
The companies have jointly invested another US$27 million (837 million baht) in the plant to increase pickup capacity by another 20,000 units a year. The sum is in addition to the $350 million they spent last year to expand the plant to accommodate new pickup production.
Ford Thailand has received 16,500 bookings for the Ranger and delivered 5,000 since its launch in December. Mazda Sales Thailand has delivered 3,500 pickup trucks since it launched the new BT-50 in January, and has another 10,000 orders outstanding.
The new investment will include facility upgrades such as additional robotic equipment and tooling to help increase line speed and output. The new capacity will come onstream next month.
The additional 20,000 units bring AAT's annual pickup truck capacity to 195,000 units for local and export sale. The overall capacity of the plant, including passenger cars, will be 295,000 units per year.
Ford and Mazda have invested nearly $2 billion in AAT since operations began in 1995.
"This new investment reinforces Ford's long-term commitment to Thailand as a global production and export hub, and will allow us to meet the extraordinary demand for the Ford Ranger," said Peter Fleet, president of Ford Asean.
In addition to the Ranger and BT-50 pickups, AAT produces the Ford Everest SUV, and Ford Fiesta, Mazda2 and Mazda3 passenger cars for local and export sale.