JATCO Ltd (President & CEO Takashi Hata, Headquartered in Fuji City, Shizuoka, Japan, Capital: 29.9353 billion yen), a manufacturer of automatic and continuously variable transmissions (AT/CVT) announced that JATCO (Thailand) Co., Ltd., its Thailand-based manufacturing affiliate, celebrated a Foundation Stone Laying Ceremony on December 9, 2011.

JATCO Thailand is the third overseas manufacturing base for JATCO, following Mexico and China. It becomes the first CVT manufacturer in the country. Production is slated to begin in the middle of fiscal year 2013 with volume estimated at 500,000 CVT units per year. Projected staff will include 500 employees at the start of production, and be expanded to 1,300 by the end of fiscal year 2014.

The Jatco CVT7 to be produced at this Thai plant has received several awards and it is now the main products for JATCO globally. Launched in 2009, it is now installed such vehicles as the Nissan Juke and March (Micra), and the Suzuki Swift and Wagon R.

JATCO started manufacturing belt CVTs in 1997 and has maintained its leading position in the industry through consistent efforts to cultivate and develop global markets, as well as through commercializing world-first technologies. Currently JATCO is the only manufacturer that has a full lineup of CVTs from mini to 3.5-liter class vehicles. In 2010, JATCO recorded the largest share in global CVT production at 48 percent.

Outline of JATCO’s New Thai Company

Company Name	JATCO (Thailand) Co., Ltd.
Foundation	July 2011
Capital at the Time of Foundation	4.5 billion baht (100% owned by JATCO Ltd)
Registered Address	Chonburi, Thailand
Land Area	160,000 square meters
Investment	20 billion yen
Product	"Jatco CVT7" -CVT with auxiliary gearbox for mini and small FWD vehicles-
Start of Production	Middle of FY2013
Production Capacity (at SOP)	500,000 units/year
Number of Employees	1,300 within FY2014

Note: Amounts in THB are calculated at 2.82 yen per one THB.