Mazda Raising Skyactiv Engine Plant Capacity

Mazda will add 200,000 units to its capacity for Skyactiv engine production by the end of 2014, taking it to 1 million units a year in response to rising global sales of vehicles with the technology.

The increase will cover both Skyactiv-G gasoline engines and Skyactiv-D diesel engines at the auto maker’s Hiroshima, Japan, plant.

Mazda says in a statement a highly versatile new engine-machining line will be installed in the existing engine plant. An assembly line now used exclusively to produce inline 4-cyl. engines (MZR1.8L-2.5L) will be revamped to allow mixed production with Skyactiv powerplants.

Kiyotaka Shobuda, managing executive officer-global production and global business logistics, says Skyactiv technology has gained an excellent reputation since the first engine system debuted in a Mazda2 for the Japanese market in June 2011.

“Sales of Skyactiv vehicles are increasing in markets around the globe, and the decision to increase production capacity was made to further strengthen our supply system,” Shobuda says.

Mazda is strengthening its production system in line with its aim to increase global sales to 1.7 million units by fiscal 2016, with 80% of the vehicles expected to feature Skyactiv technology.

The engines also are manufactured at Changan Ford Mazda Engine in China, where production began in June, and will be built in Mexico at Mazda Motor Mfg. de Mexico starting in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014.