“We have put ourselves under pressure to achieve something exceptional and this is not an easy task. But our resilient team can leverage from our strong base that is rooted in the values and principles of our parent company in Japan,” he continued.

Toyota’s journey in New Zealand began in 1966 when TMC awarded a franchise to private owners Cable Price and Wright Stephens. It assembled a variety of “completely knocked down” vehicles in Thames and Christchurch all the way through to the late ’90s.

Local assembly ceased in New Zealand after the government lifted tariffs on imported vehicles.

“When the markets started to open up, TMC took full ownership of Toyota New Zealand and our innovation really accelerated,” Lala shared.

Major developments included the introduction of Toyota Financial Services and Lexus, the launch of the iconic “Welcome to our world” campaign and the establishment of the National Customer Centre.

Toyota is the only car brand in New Zealand that has a national center dedicated to its customers.

“With the introduction of independently owned Toyota stores and Toyota’s continuous innovation, we became a most loved brand, jumping from sixth in the market to No. 1, a position we’ve held on to for a record 33 consecutive years,” he added.

As the economy opened, used car imports started flooding the market and for many years New Zealand was the No. 1 export destination for used cars from Japan.

Toyota New Zealand made the strategic decision to refurbish the used Toyotas entering the country and market them under its Signature Class brand, making it the first Toyota distributor in the world to have a full used-vehicle division.

“We always have our customers at the center of everything we do and we felt that we needed to look after those that have purchased these used Toyota vehicles even if we did not bring them in,” explained Lala.

Connecting to Toyota President Akio Toyoda’s concept of waku doki (heart-pumping excitement), the Toyota Racing Series was introduced in New Zealand. Motorsport was used to inject excitement into Toyota, turbo-charging the brand even further in the country.

In recent years, Toyota New Zealand launched the customer- centric Drive Happy Project to remove the pain points associated with buying a brand-new car and to make the process as efficient and as enjoyable as possible. Upfront, haggle-free prices, “no hard sell, just happy customers” and flexible test drive options are just some of the ways they do this.

Neeraj Lala shares in President Toyoda’s passion and enthusiasm to transition from being a traditional automaker known for cars, trucks and vans to a mobility company focused on exciting future technologies. “We are in a very good place to leverage off the strengths of our parent company. I look forward to leading Toyota New Zealand through these exciting times and to winning the hearts of New Zealanders.”

www.toyota.co.nz

“All kids should have the opportunity to be given enough support in pursuing their dreams. Education and family have always been a cornerstone of Mitsubishi, and we want to continue uplifting the community around us as they are ultimately the ones we rely on for success,” stated Nakamura.

“Indonesia has a young population and we want to play a key role in making quality education readily available to all.”

One of the company’s core activities in turning this vision into a reality includes holding an annual event where staff become an orphans’ parent or guardian for a day.

“We do this so that children who come from broken homes can feel loved and supported, to keep giving them hope for a better life,” added Nakamura.

With a clear plan to help strengthen Indonesia’s economy and expand its operations in the country, Mitsubishi Motors has been increasing exports and production there since building a factory in 2017, specifically for its flagship small Multi Purpose Vehicle (MPV) Mitsubishi Xpander.

“Indonesia’s market holds huge potential for domestic and export growth thanks to the huge demand for our products in the country,” stated Nakamura.

For Mitsubishi Motors, Indonesia has always presented huge potential in the automotive market and it has ultimately been a major contributor for the company’s growth.

As MMKSI inches toward further growth and development, it is targeting other sectors such as in electric vehicles education, as well as infrastructure digitalization and automation, in which to branch out.

“We are changing the game in this dynamic market. By developing an application to more efficiently serve our customers while investing in other vertical support companies, we have an effective and focused growth strategy for moving forward,” concluded Nakamura.

www.mitsubishi-motors.co.id

Mazda Mexico’s business continues to grow as the company saw an increase of 110,000 in its factory unit production, from 140,000 in 2014 due to its improved business efficiency and the increase in its range of manufactured products. Currently, Mazda Mexico’s top-selling car model is the Mazda 3 sedan.

Along with the growth of its manufacturing sector, Mazda Mexico points out that its success is mainly due to the constant support of its clients.

“Positioning our customers as the cornerstone of our business model and catering to their every need, they have become our brand ambassadors,” said Miguel Barbeyto, president of Mazda Mexico.

“They are in the habit of regularly recommending our brand to colleagues and friends due to their level of satisfaction. We even have entire families coming into dealerships to purchase a range of suitable vehicles for each member, which fills my heart with pride.”

According to Barbeyto, who has been with Mazda for 14 years, its long-term solutions, world-class products and excellent customer service are sufficient to sustain the growth of the company.

“We trust that our management concepts and outstanding customer service, which are yielding positive results, will continue to benefit our business.”

“We are proud to have won the JD Power Customer Service Index award for the second year in a row in 2019, as well as the Vehicle Dependability Study this year. As of the moment, we have retained 86 percent of our customers due to our exceptional service in a five-year period and 42 percent in terms of brand loyalty for life.”

Mazda Mexico is committed to further excel in the country’s automotive industry by taking care of its customers and coming up with new ways to give them world-class products.

“Mazda has globally been rebranding itself as a superior and exclusive brand by fascinating our customers and celebrating driving experience with consistency and transparency. Our continuous endeavor is to grow, improve and explore new possibilities,” Barbeyto concluded.

www.mazda.mx

---

            

Along with its goal to be the leading automotive company in Brazil, Honda also took into account the environmental challenges that the industry is facing.

In order to address this concern, Honda formulated solutions and incorporated into its corporate strategy the aim to lessen the environmental impact of its products and operations and promote the efficient use of natural resources in its facilities.

“A major action of Honda Automóveis do Brasil towards this goal is the creation of the Honda Energy Wind Farm, located in the city of Xangri- Lá (RS). It is the first of its kind in the domestic automotive sector and in the Honda Group worldwide, which is capable of meeting all the electricity demands of the automobile factory in the city of Sumaré and part of Honda’s offices in the state of São Paulo,” shared Mizoguchi.

Honda Energy celebrated five years of activities in 2019. During this period, over 600,000 cars were produced with clean and renewable energy. The inauguration of the wind farm is part of Honda’s global goal of halving its carbon dioxide emissions by up to 2050.

Meanwhile, Moto Honda da Amazônia, its motorcycle plant located in the state of Amazonas, remains to be one of the world’s most vertically integrated Honda motorcycle production unit in the world.

In the same state, Honda maintains about 820 hectares of standing forest and 245 hectares of trees from reforestation, comprised mainly of endangered trees.

“Economic development combined with environmental preservation. This is the premise adopted by Moto Honda for conducting its business in the country. The company considers sustainability in all its decisions and daily activities, aiming at the minimum environmental impact generated by industrial production,” Mizoguchi said.

As Honda ushers in a new line of sustainable products, it aims to better serve its clients and maintain its good relationship with them.

“Honda is a company that acts to create new values for mobility and people’s lives. We serve people in Brazil with the joy of expanding the potential of their day-to-day living and it’s our goal to do it sustainably,” Mizoguchi concluded.

www.honda.com.br

---

            

China’s economic progress continues. The government of China has put forward a series of new visions for the future of the country including the “Healthy China 2030”, environmental protection policies and a drive to transform the electric vehicle market.

Simultaneously, the Chinese market and its corresponding consumption trends are changing rapidly; leisure and entertainment markets are growing significantly.

Within this changing environment, Yamaha Motor (China) Co. is facing new challenges. To remain an industry leader, the company is developing products and businesses within the so-called horizontal market, establishing the Yamaha Experience Center and strengthening its cooperation with key industry partners.

Creating exceptional value and contributing to society in a new era

In addition to providing products and services, the company is actively engaging in and supporting rugby, motorcycle, water vehicle and recreational off-highway vehicle sporting events.

Yamaha’s commitment to China will continue to follow the corporate philosophy of “creating value that surpasses customer expectations” and Yamaha will keep striving for further developments in this new era.

www.yamaha-motor.com
www.yamaha-motor.com.cn

---

            

“Our market share and sales volume have consistently increased since 2013,” said Teufl. “The successes we have achieved reflect our commitment to the growing automotive market in the Czech Republic.”

With the popular Vitara, S-Cross, Ignis and Swift models, earlier this year Suzuki was ranked second among Japanese brands in the Czech Republic in terms of registered volume.

“Suzuki’s expertise in 4×4 vehicles is proving to be a huge advantage for us in the Czech Republic — our customers really enjoy the off-road capabilities Suzuki vehicles offer,” said Teufl.

In the Czech market, demand for new vehicles with more advanced technologies is at an all-time high and Suzuki customers can expect more technologically advanced vehicles in the future.

“We will offer ‘mild-hybrid’ vehicles or ‘Smart Hybrid Vehicles by Suzuki’ (SHVS) next year,” said Teufl. “SHVS technology provides better acceleration capabilities and reduces emissions; all at a lower cost.”

“As the automotive market in the Czech Republic is relatively advanced, we will continue to offer our customers new technologies that improve performance, fuel efficiency, connectivity and safety. Suzuki is a ‘way of life’ here and we will continue to play an increasingly important role in driving the Czech Republic’s automotive industry forward.”

www.suzuki.cz

---

            

Honda Automobile (Thailand) Co., Ltd. also attributes its growth to the Thai government’s strong support and close relationships with its business partners. With an eye to the future, Honda Automobile (Thailand) Co., Ltd. is working to fulfill Honda’s Global 2030 Vision of serving people with the joy of expanding their life’s potential. This includes greater inter-regional coordination and collaboration, strengthening the foundation of Honda’s existing businesses and collaboration for open innovation with third parties.

“We attract customers in Thailand by offering a diverse range of models that correspond to their needs and lifestyles,” said Soichiro Takahashi, president and CEO of Honda Automobile (Thailand) Co., Ltd. “Our product development focuses on three areas. The first is performance, with engines that deliver the best performance for a funto- drive experience. Next is safety technology, with innovative safety features such as Honda SENSING. Our third area of focus is environmental, designing vehicles that offer efficient fuel consumption with lower carbon dioxide emissions.”

The company’s dealer network has 227 locations covering all areas of Thailand. Every Honda dealer maximizes customer satisfaction through a range of integrated services, including sales, parts and service, 24-hour roadside assistance, financing and leasing, insurance and certified used cars.

Thai motorists are following the global trend of buying more eco-friendly vehicles. Earlier this year, Honda launched the 10th generation of the all-new Honda Accord and the all-new Honda Accord Hybrid, receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback with almost 5,000 bookings. The Honda Accord sedan has long been recognized in Thailand as a leader in bringing innovative automotive and safety technologies to the market. With several models in all market segments to fully cover customer needs, Honda expects its total unit sales for 2019 to reach 130,000, the same as last year.

Honda Automobile (Thailand) Co., Ltd. is very committed to giving back to society. In 2012, the company established the Honda Khiang Khang Thai Fund. A small portion of the revenue from each Honda product sold in Thailand goes into the fund, which is then used for good causes that benefit Thai society. The fund has contributed to relief efforts for floods, landslides, severely cold temperatures and droughts. The fund undertakes activities in four major areas that are beneficial for people affected by natural disasters, including providing funds contributing materials, building a collaborative network and enhancing knowledge for responding to natural disasters. Over the past seven years, the fund has provided over 237 million Thai baht in support of people and communities in Thailand.

In terms of creativity, the annual Honda Super Idea Contest motivates Thailand’s youth to develop innovative ideas, and the company’s Inspirational Teachers Award is driving educational initiatives across the country.

Honda Automobile (Thailand) Co., Ltd. sees great potential for its business here. “Thailand will always be important to Honda, both as a market and an excellent location for investing in our business operations. We will continue to move forward and grow side-by-side with Thai society by providing quality automobiles that exceed customer expectations and offer a fun driving experience,” concluded Takahashi.

www.honda.co.th

---

            

“I have had the pleasure of working in South Africa for six years so far and I am very pleased with our efforts and the progress we have made. Our growth during this period has been phenomenal; we have doubled our market share and Suzuki has become the fastest growing automotive brand in the country.”

Brand recognition and customer service have been the pillars of the company’s achievements. In back-toback years (2017 and 2018), Suzuki was designated South Africa’s Automotive Brand of the Year by market specialist Lightstone Auto — making Suzuki the first repeat winner.

“The Brand of the Year Award is chosen purely on questionnaire feedback from 7,500 verified owners and fellow South Africans, which is a sure sign that our hard work done on our service levels, vehicle line-up and pricing is welcomed by the market,” Sato said following the award ceremony.

On Aug. 1, Suzuki Auto South Africa launched the Vitara Turbo and the new Swift Sport in South Africa. The new Swift features a 1.4 liter “Boosterjet-engine” with 103 kW and 230 Nm added to the front wheels via a six-speed manual transmission for improved performance.

“We want to attract new customers to the Suzuki brand through our knowledgeable and passionate dealers,” said Sato.

“We have instilled a Japanese culture in South Africa and our dealers are committed to supporting our customers even after a sale is made. In addition to entering a new segment early next year, we will continue to provide affordable and safe transportation solutions to our customers across South Africa and drive our business forward.”

www.suzukiauto.co.za

---

            

“Mitsubishi Corporation was initially involved in trading goods such as automobiles. Later, investment opportunities in the resources sector led to projects in Angola, Mozambique and Gabon. In the 1980s to 2000s, our focus was on infrastructure projects, including airport developments. We helped facilitate official development assistance from Japan that contributed to the economic development of Africa and most importantly, the welfare of the population. With technology and high mobile telephone penetration in recent years, business is changing again, and we are in a strong position to grow our business in line with these developments.”

While 50 percent of Africa’s population does not have electricity at home, mobile telephones have become an economic driver for Africa’s economy.

“Mobile phones are a game-changer in Africa,” said Doida. “Mobile phones are increasingly used for mobile-money transactions and we are looking to make investments in digitalization initiatives and supporting businesses.”

The future of Africa is in the hands of the youth. In Nigeria for example, the average age of the population is 17 years old and the continent’s current population of 1.2 billion is expected to double by 2050. While Africa’s lack of infrastructure has held the continent back in terms of attracting investment, economies are rapidly developing solutions.

“Today, ‘off-grid’ power solutions are a reality and are being implemented with surprising speed,” said Doida. “Africa does not have ‘original’ infrastructure that needs upgrading and building electricity grids is not a priority as African economies can ‘springboard’ toward more efficient and cleaner technologies. Life is quickly improving for many people in Africa and we want to focus on moving forward with the people. Our investments in solar power and alternative energy solutions will benefit the population, businesses and the continent as a whole.”

By realizing the potential of Mitsubishi’s global network and cross-sector expertise, Doida is optimistic about the future of the corporation in South Africa.

“The fifth and current President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa is leading South Africa into the future,” said Doida.

“As a company committed to South Africa as a regional hub for the continent, we can see synergies between Africa and our ‘Asian experience,’ including success stories such as in India, Myanmar and the rest of Southeast Asia. Africa is challenging, dynamic and diverse, and to succeed here, companies and investors need to better understand the continent. There is huge potential here and we will continue to look toward the future as we contribute to the development of the continent.”

www.mitsubishicorp.com

---

            

Leadership

Gardner is responsible for all business operations at Honda Canada Inc., including the Honda and Acura automotive divisions, Honda motorcycle, power equipment, ATV and engine businesses. Celebrating 30 years with Honda this year, Gardner is looking toward the future while celebrations continue.

“Honda planted roots in Canada with a vision of contributing to Canadian society,” said Gardner. “We are proud of our associates, dealers, partners and suppliers who have played an important part in our growth and have helped improve the communities where we live and work. We would like to thank the millions of Canadians who are loyal members of the Honda family. We look forward to growing with you for the next 50 years.”

Manufacturing

To date, Honda Canada total investment exceeds $4.7 billion in Canadian operations and each year sources almost $2.1 billion in goods and services from Canadian suppliers.

Honda of Canada Mfg. (HCM) opened its first plant in Alliston, Ontario, in 1986, with a second plant opening in 1998, offering a present-day total production capacity of approximately 400,000 units annually. Ten years later, an investment of $154 million was made in a third manufacturing facility to produce four-cylinder engines, with an output of approximately 260,000 units each year.

HCM production serves Canada and the United States. Our 4,200 production associates have built more than 8 million cars and light trucks, including the Honda Civic, Canada’s best-selling passenger car for the past 21 years.

Independent Dealer Network

Honda Canada has a national network of more than 600 independent automotive, motorcycle and power equipment dealers, and employs more than 19,000 associates directly and indirectly across the country in manufacturing, sales offices and dealerships.

Contributing to Canadian society

Established in 2005, the Honda Canada Foundation (HCF) was created to support local communities across Canada through various annual philanthropic activities and funding to nonprofit registered charities where Honda customers and associates live, work and play. Each year more than $2 million is disbursed to groups in need and more than 6 million Canadians have benefited from charitable programs funded by Honda Canada and the Honda Canada Foundation.

Environment

Honda Canada has remained committed to sustainability in all aspects of its operations and services. A recent $492 million investment will modernize HCM’s manufacturing facilities and further reduce the company’s carbon footprint.

As early as 1998, Honda Canada achieved ISO 14001 certification and 2007 saw a zero-waste-to-landfill manufacturing benchmark implemented. In 2010, the company’s head office received LEED Gold certification. By supporting the Canadian economy through investment and jobs, playing a role in environmental protection initiatives and acting as a strong community leader, Honda Canada has become a company that Canadians truly appreciate.

For more information, please visit: www.hondacanada.ca

---