Japan-Mazda Motor Corporation today announced that cumulative vehicle production at the Nishinoura district of Hofu Plant in Japan’s Yamaguchi prefecture has reached ten million units. The milestone is achieved 30 years and eleven months after vehicle production commenced at Hofu Plant No. 1.
A ceremony was held at Hofu Plant No. 2 in celebration of the achievement. Attendees, including Masamichi Kogai, Mazda’s Representative Director, President and CEO, and Nariaki Uchida, Executive Officer and General Manager of Hofu Plant, watched as the ten millionth vehicle, a Mazda6 (known as Atenza in Japan), came off the assembly line.
In his remarks at the ceremony, Masamichi Kogai said, "The production of ten million vehicles at Hofu Plant is a tremendous achievement, and we could not have done it without the support of our customers, our suppliers and other concerned parties, as well as that of the local community, the city of Hofu and Yamaguchi prefecture. On behalf of Mazda, allow me to express my deepest gratitude. We see this fantastic achievement not as a destination, but rather as a milestone on our road to further growth. Moving forward, we are committed to continue delivering fantastic products that delight our customers."
Full-scale production at Hofu plant started at what is today known as Hofu Plant No. 1 in September 1982. Hofu Plant No. 2 began operating in February 1992 with a volume and model mix flexible production line for vehicle bodies and modular assembly systems in the mixed-model assembly line. The two plants combined currently have an annual production capacity of 482,100 units. Currently, Hofu Plant No. 1 produces the all-new Mazda3 (Axela in Japan) which will be launched globally starting from North America this autumn. Hofu Plant No. 2 makes the Mazda6, which is enjoying strong sales around the globe.
