Mitsubishi ships its 4 millionth vehicle from Thailand.

Mitsubishi ships its 4 millionth vehicle from Thailand.

An assembly line for Mitsubishi eco-cars at its plant in Laem Chabang, Chon Buri. (File photo by Somchai Poomlard)
An assembly line for Mitsubishi eco-cars at its plant in Laem Chabang, Chon Buri. (File photo by Somchai Poomlard)

Japanese car maker Mitsubishi Motors Corporation on Wednesday exported its 4 millionth Thai-assembled vehicle through Laem Chabang port in Chon Buri province, bound for Europe.

It was a Thai-made Triton pickup. 

Osamu Masuko, chairman of Tokyo-based Mitsubishi, was in Thailand to witness the historic shipment. 

Morikazu Chokki, president and chief executive of Mitsubishi Motors Thailand. said pickups accounted for 70% of the vehicles the company exports from Thailand. Thai-made eco-cars make up 22% of the total. 

Passenger vehicles account for 5%, with the remainder comprising other vehicles.

In 2018, Mitsubishi exported 287,000 completely built units, down 0.7% from a year before.

Last week, Mitsubishi reported shipments from Thailand in the first half at 151,000 units, up by 9%.

This volume meant Mitsubishi surpassed Toyota to become the country's largest car exporter. 

Toyota reported last week that its car shipments from Thailand stood at 138,538 units in the first half, a 5% decline.

As a result, Mitsubishi made up 27% of the country's total exports of 559,861 units for the period, down by 0.4%. Toyota accounted for 24.7%.

Mr Chokki said Mitsubishi aimed to maintain export volume at 287,000 cars in 2019.

Mitsubishi started its operations in Thailand in 1961, then in 1988 it was the first carmaker to export a Thai-built vehicle, with the Lancer Champ to Canada.

Mitsubishi has three vehicle plants, all located in Laem Chabang, with total capacity of 424,000 units per year, and employs 7,000 people.

It shipped its one-millionth car in 2007, rising to two-million in 2013 and hit the three-million mark in 2016.

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