Nissan Adds Second Plant in Thailand

Nissan has been investing heavily in Thailand; their Micra small car, a crucial product for the company, is now built in the country – though Japanese consumers have apparently taken issue with this, and sales have fallen. The Nikkei suggested that increased Thai production would come as a result of anti-Japanese demonstrations occuring in China, but a Nissan spokesman denied this when speaking with Reuters

 “The reason we will be investing in Thailand more is because we trust in the growth in the ASEAN region and Thailand. China’s economy is slowing down, but still growing…we have no intention of shifting from China … China is a very important market for us,”

Chinese trouble nonwithstanding, Nissan has been on a big kick to increase localized production for various markets- the United States being a major beneficiary with this move. Increasing production in Thailand is a logical move for a company looking to increase its presence in South East Asia and who’s to say that some of the low-cost Datsuns won’t be built here either?