Mazda Gets Approval for New Plant in Russia

Japanese car maker Mazda Motor Corp. says the Russian government has accepted its request to build an assembly plant in the country. According to CEO Takashi Yamanouchi, Mazda is now consiering whether to find a partner to help it run the facility.

Last month the company announced it intends to spend US$80 million (approx. €56 million) to set up a plant somewhere in the Russian Far-East and begin assembling as many as 50,000 vehicles per year in late 2012. The company said the factory would make the Mazda6 midsize sedan and eventually add an undisclosed second model. The cars will have an initial localisation rate of 30%, according to Mazda.