M

azda Motor Corporation considers Southeast Asia the world’s new engine of growth and will therefore boost sales in Indonesia by almost three fold from now to 2015, which is a “critical” part of the region.

Takashi Yamanouchi, Mazda Motor Corporation President and CEO, announced on Monday that the company was seeking to grow sales to 30,000 units per year from 9,054 units last year in the company’s second largest car market after Thailand.

“Indonesia is increasingly becoming an important market for our strategic viewpoint,” Yamanouchi told a press briefing during his visit to Jakarta to announce Mazda’s four new strategies to sell 1.7 million units globally by 2016, which includes strengthening its business in emerging Southeast Asian markets.

Car sales, a gross domestic product (GDP) driver for Indonesia’s domestic consumption-reliant economy, grew 56.5 percent in May from the same month last year, the Indonesian Automotive Industry Association (Gaikindo) estimated.

Overall, this year, car sales may only grow between 3 and 5 percent from a record 894,180 units last year, due to new rules requiring higher down payments, according to the industry group.

Mazda, which is among the top 10 car sellers in the country, is upbeat about booking 30 percent sales growth throughout this year to 12,000 units. In June, Mazda booked a record 1,074 units sales.

“In order to further grow our business in Indonesia, we plan to take many actions,” Yamanouchi said during his first ever visit to Indonesia, showing that the country is of greater interest to Mazda.

Mazda, which does not have a production plant in Indonesia, is also looking to add 20 additional showrooms to reach 50 outlets in 2015 through local distributor Mazda Motor Indonesia.

“We have to look at every possibility to drive our business upward. I have to have assurance first that Mazda brand, Mazda product, is clearly accepted in the market before going to phase 2,” said Yuji Nakamine, Mazda Motor Corporation senior managing executive officer, when asked about the possibility to set up a local production factory here. “We are very aggressive with this market.”

Mazda’s sales have been picking up after its separation with Indonesia’s PT Indomobil Sukses International (IMAS) in 2006.

It launched its car-like pick up truck All-New BT-50 Pro on Monday and will launch 8-seater Mazda Biante in September and All-New Mazda 6 sedan with SkyActiv technology, which increases fuel efficiency and engine output, later this year.

“In Indonesia, cars are no longer a transportation mode, but have become an important part of day-to-day lifestyle,” said Mazda Motor Indonesia president director Keizo Okue, citing Mazda 2 hatchback and All-New Mazda CX-5 compact crossover SUV.

All-New Mazda CX-5 sold 1,700 units within a month after its launch, more than triple Mazda’s monthly target.

Other than focusing on strengthening its Southeast Asia business, Mazda’s four-pillar global strategy also includes focusing on SkyActiv technology and manufacturing innovation, which will both boost cost efficiency and also seek partners for various business activities.