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October 29, 2002: 2002 Tokyo Motor Show: Mazda Press Briefing at Makuhari, Chiba, JAPAN.
[ Lewis Booth, President and CEO ]
Good morning, and thank you for joining us here today. With so many things to
see at the motor show, we very much appreciate your taking the time to visit Mazda.
 Today we will introduce some exciting additions to our commercial vehicle line-up.
But first I want to bring you up to date on Mazda.
Where is Mazda today?
I can answer that in three words: "right on target".
Last year we achieved an important milestone in our Millennium Plan: Mazda returned to profitability. This fiscal year - a pivotal point in our Millennium Plan - our goal is to return to product-led growth.
This is our "Year of Execution, Delivery and Growth."
And in this year, not only are we delivering new product, they are proving to be world-leading.
When we launched our Mazda Atenza, the response was immediate and overwhelmingly positive.
Many of the world's most demanding automotive journalists declared it 'best-in-class.' And Mazda6, as it is known outside Japan, has won a place among the seven finalists for "European Car of the Year."
Just last week, in New Zealand, it was named `Car of the Year` by National Business Review.
The launch of our new Demio, or Mazda2, has gone equally well.
First-month sales more than met our expectations... putting a Mazda back amongst Japan's 10 best-selling models.
And in Europe we are preparing for the launch of this car in the Valencia Plant in Spain.
Today, we are going to show you that Mazda is right on target with commercial vehicles under the Millennium Plan, as well.
 Last week we announced our plans for re-balancing domestic production capacity to support our mid-term Millennium Plan growth objectives while improving overall operating efficiency.
Specifically, we will reopen our Ujina 2 Plant to increase domestic production capacity by 110,000 units per annum, and close our aging F plant during fiscal year 2004.
Commercial vehicles are an important pillar of Mazda's business, accounting for 20 percent of domestic sales, and with a large population of loyal customers.
Our plant re-balancing plan is designed to build a more efficient production system, which further strengthens our commitment to deliver high-quality commercial vehicles that satisfy customer needs.
At this year's motor show we display our latest concept models based on commercial vehicles that embody the creativity and innovation that you have come to expect from Mazda.
So, let me now ask my colleague Imaki-san to introduce some truly 'Insightful and Spirited' new models. Imaki-san... |
