Mazda opens new center in Laguna

The 2.5 hectare center stands as the brand’s commitment to better serve the Philippine market.

MAZDA Philippines president Steven Tan unveils the new CX-8 and CX-30.

Mazda Philippines recently inaugurated its new facility, the Center of Excellence in Cabuyao, Laguna, wherein the facility was built to serve as the company’s pre-delivery center and training hub for customer service.

The 2.5 hectare center stands as the brand’s commitment to better serve the Philippine market. It includes facilities, such as: a smart and green main building utilizing the latest local technologies and innovations, 270 solar panels mounted on the training center’s roof provided by local company NET Solar Inc. Capable of producing up to 145,000 kW per year, this provides renewable energy for daily operations of the entire facility. Moreover; all the structures including the warehouse and logistics hubs are designed to catch rainwater to fill a cistern tank, which has capacity of 135,000 liters. This, in turn, can run enough water in the site for 30 days. Not to mention precast panels were engineered by the country’s top professionals to ensure energy efficiency in the whole area.

A 12, 269sqm covered depot also houses up to 952 vehicles, which includes a washing station and under chassis inspection area.

During the center’s inauguration, the executive board of directors of Bermaz Auto Berhad Malaysia, Bermaz Auto Philippines Inc. (BAP)’s parent company, headed by executive chairman Datu Sri Ben Yeoh Choon San, CEO Datu Francis Lee and chairman Datu Ahmer Hamza were in attendance. While BAP CEO Steven Tan, together with CFO Tan Teck Wah and Susumu Niinai, general manager for ASEAN Business Office of Mazda Motor Corporation welcomed guests from the Cabuyao City Mayor’s Office, represented by the mayor’s brother, Roy Gecolea, the media and business partners.

CENTER of Excellence at Cabuyao, Laguna.

Among all the sites being considered, Cabuyao City was chosen as a strategic location for its proximity to the Port of Batangas, making land-transit of vehicles from the international seaport, to a dedicated warehouse facility more convenient.

Aside from the center’s inauguration, Mazda Philippines also made a surprise unveiling of the new Mazda CX-8, as well as its newest subcompact crossover CX-30.

The Mazda CX-30, in particular, is the brand’s newest option that slips between its models CX-3 and CX-5. It’s a practical offering that is bigger than the former, aspiring to attract buyers yearning for more space in a crossover, yet not as hefty as the latter. It’s gorgeous as any other Mazda vehicle in its lineup with standard variants being fitted with 16-inch wheels and its top-tiers, 18-inchers.

Although the vehicle belongs to the CX lineup, its design and driving dynamics are more akin to the latest Mazda3 as it is powered by a normally-aspirated 2.0L SKYACTIV-G petrol engine mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, producing 138hp at 6,000 rpm and 201N-m of torque at 4,000 rpm.