Mazda posts record year for earnings

MAZDA has achieved its biggest-ever full-year profit result – and once again, it is in part due to Australia’s strong sales performance.

The Japanese car-maker overnight posted a 182 billion yen ($A1.9 billion) pre-tax full-year result for the financial year ending on March 31, based on an 8 per cent rise in worldwide sales to 1.33 million units.

However, last year’s record result is already pailing when compared with the blinder Mazda expects this financial year, with pre-tax earnings predicted to hit 210 billion yen based on sales that are anticipated to grow to 1.42 million units, a 12 per cent increase over last year’s result.

According to the car-maker, its standout performer globally was the new, third-generation Mazda3 hatchback, which launched in Australia early this year.

The financial report says demand for the Mazda3 in the car-maker’s home port “far exceeded the target”, while sales of particularly the diesel-engined CX-5 SUV and the Mazda6 mid-size car remained strong in Japan.

The Mazda6 and CX-5 also sold well in North America, with volumes rising, while demand flattened in Europe. In China, a locally made version of the CX-5 was a strong performer.

While volumes in Australia, which is bundled in with “other” sales regions globally, remained “strong” at 104,000 units, Mazda said it struggled in Thailand where demand was classed as “sluggish”.

Sales globally earned the car-maker 2.69 trillion yen, Mazda said, marking a 22 per cent jump as customers bought more of the car-maker’s vehicles featuring its SkyActiv suite of fuel-saving technologies.

Mazda said in order to meet rising demand for its SkyActiv technologies, the car-maker would ramp up production worldwide.

“Production of the all-new Mazda3 for the US market began at the new plant in Mexico in January as scheduled,” it said.

“The plant will also produce the all-new Mazda3 for other countries in the Central and South America and Europe.

“The company decided to construct an engine machining factory to make SkyActiv engines for the Mazda2 and all-new Mazda3 to be produced at the Mexico plant. It is expected to start operations in October of this year.

“In Malaysia, we have begun construction of a vehicle assembly facility to enhance local assembly, and in Thailand construction of a new transmission plant is proceeding smoothly,” it said.

As well, Mazda said it would be ramping up petrol and diesel engine production in Japan, from 800,000 units a year to a million by the end of this year.

Likewise, transmission production in Japan will increase from 750,000 units to 1.14 million by July this year, it said.

Mazda currently holds the number two spot in the Australian market with a 10.4 per cent share in the first three months of this year, narrowly edging out Holden for the spot behind market leader Toyota.