Aisin Building Czech Plant

Japan's Aisin AI Co. Ltd. plans to construct a new 6-speed transmission plant in Brno, Czech Republic, the country's second-largest city.

Construction will begin in March 2008, with start of production scheduled later in the year. The plant will have a capacity for up to 180,000 transmissions annually.

About 300 jobs will be created in the plant's initial phase, when upper and lower parts of the transmission housings are produced on-site and additional parts sourced from other plants.

Gear wheel and shaft machining units and tempering equipment are to be installed in the facility's second phase beginning in 2010. The plant will be running at full capacity by 2015-2019.

No information about the amount of the plant's investment or potential customers has been given.

Aisin AI owns 5.7% of Toyota Motor Mfg. Poland Sp. z o.o., the engine and transmission plant based in Walbrzych, Poland.