Japanese carmaker Toyota Motor (TMC) is planning to invest JPY40bn ($504m) in its Thailand based engine production subsidiary Siam Toyota Manufacturing to expand the production capacity of diesel engines.
Following the completion of expansion project in 2015, the facility will be able to manufacture 610,000 diesel engine units per year compared to the existing 290,000 units, Toyota said.
The diesel engines manufactured at the Thailand plant are used in innovative international multi-purpose vehicle project (IMV) series vehicles that include three pickup trucks, a minivan and an sport utility vehicle (SUV).
The Japanese automaker is also planning to export the engines from its global supply base in Thailand to emerging markets that include India among many others, in addition to vehicles sold in local market.
Toyota is also constructing a new facility at Thailand's Gateway industrial park which is expected to begin operations in July 2013 as well as plans to restart a production line at its Thai Auto Works (TAW) facility that would collectively manufacture 88,000 units.
