- Ford is aiming to promote Thailand as a strategic production base in Asia along with China and India. In October 2014, Ford plans to manufacture 180,000 units of Eco Cars annually. Although there is concern over overcapacity due to large-scale investments in Eco Car production, Ford intends to step up automobile launches in Thailand including models in the currently popular SUV segment. Apart from strengthening the local market, the automaker also plans to increase export to other ASEAN countries, Australia, New Zealand and elsewhere in an effort to improve utilisation rate.
- While Ford’s market share in Thailand remained at around 1-3 percent between 2009 and 2013, share rose 0.5 percentage point to 4.4 percent in the first eleven months of 2014 from the same period of 2013 driven by the Eco Sport SUV and Ranger one-top pickup truck, boosting share despite an overall cooling down of the market. Although the automaker's five percent market goal is set for the short to medium term, the planned release of the fully-remodeled Everest in 2015 may enable Ford to realize its goal.
- Ford is currently restructuring its local production structure in an effort to use Thailand as a production hub ofone-ton pickup trucks and small automobiles. Production of the Fiesta was transferred from Auto Alliance Thailand (a joint venture between Ford and Mazda located in Rayong province) to Ford Thailand Manufacturing (FTM) Plant No. 2 in June 2014. FTM's annual production capacity is planned to be increased by 50,000 units prior to the start of Eco Car manufacturing.
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