Daihatsu to up RI output by 50%

Daihatsu to up RI output by 50%

TOKYO: Daihatsu Motor Co. plans to expand automobile
production in Indonesia to keep pace with growing demand, the
Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported in its on Wednesday morning
edition.

By 2008, the automaker plans to increase production capacity
at local subsidiary PT Astra Daihatsu Motor by 50 percent to
150,000 units per year.

ADM produces the U-IMV, a low-price version of Toyota Motor
Corp.'s IMV vehicles. It began producing a U-IMV minivan in
January, which Daihatsu and Toyota sell under their respective
brand names. Sales have been brisk, and ADM expects production
volume in 2004 to jump to 96,000 units, four times last year's
volume.

With minivan sales projected to continue growing in Indonesia,
home to many large families, the plan is to significantly expand
production capacity going forward. -- DJ