ROMA (ITALPRESS) – Mazda Motor Corporation has officially launched the completion of the Mazda KD Center, located in the Dejima district of Hiroshima port, with a ceremony. According to a statement, the center will serve as “a logistics hub for the supply of knockdown (KD) components, intended for vehicle assembly, to all Mazda production facilities outside Japan.” Activities will include receiving, storing, and packaging components, as well as loading them into containers for maritime transport. By connecting Hiroshima with Mazda’s production plants worldwide through logistics, “the center will play a significant role in supporting the company’s global production.”
The new facility replaces the former KD center located in the Kaita district of Hiroshima port (Saka-cho, Aki-gun). The national government and the Hiroshima prefecture are developing an international container terminal in the Dejima district, enhancing port capabilities to accommodate larger vessels. Thanks to these upgraded port infrastructures, “the new center will increase the efficiency and reliability of component supply to Mazda facilities outside Japan.”
The new center is also designed “to enhance logistics efficiency and improve the safety and working conditions for operators. The storage and retrieval of components, as well as their palletizing, are automated.” Pedestrian pathways are separated from vehicle routes, and the entire facility is equipped with a zoned air conditioning system. The center further streamlines the entry processes for trucks delivering supplier components. Unloading is managed by operators dedicated to handling with forklifts, helping to reduce operational times and the workload on drivers. During unloading, drivers can take advantage of a dedicated rest area. Additionally, solar panels installed on the roof, with a capacity of 2.2 MW, cover part of the facility’s energy needs.
During the completion ceremony, Kazuhiko Sumi, Managing Executive Officer and CSCO (Chief Supply Chain Officer) of Mazda Motor Corporation, stated: “From Hiroshima, we bring to the world the production competencies we have continuously honed, working in full synergy with overseas plants to deliver value to our customers. This facility is the starting point of that commitment. Every single component shipped from here represents much more than a simple transfer of goods: it will become part of a vehicle capable of meeting customers’ expectations worldwide and reinforcing confidence in the Mazda brand.” Mazda will continue to enhance logistics performance and supply stability, further developing its logistics infrastructure. These initiatives aim to support the company’s production activities globally and ensure an efficient supply of components to production plants outside Japan.
– Photo courtesy of Mazda press office –
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