Brian Sieber wrote:

http://money.inq7.net/breakingnews/view_breakingnews.php?yyyy=2004&mon=12&dd=
16&file=9

TOKYO--Japanese automaker Mazda Motor Corp. said Thursday it had yet to
estimate operational and financial damage from a fire at a major plant in
Japan that caused the factory and another nearby operation to close.

"We completely shut down our Ujina 1 factory and Ujina 2, which are two of
our main factories," a Mazda spokesman said.

"We do not know when we can resume their operations and how much damage we
will see as a result of the fire," he said.

The fire broke out at around 11:00 pm Wednesday in the paint drying furnace
of Ujina 1 plant in Hiroshima city, 650 kilometers (400 miles) southwest of
Tokyo, before being extinguished after 6:00 am Thursday.

The fire was contained in the factory, but Mazda also closed the operation of
Ujina 2, which is located right next to the plant, the automaker said.

Ujina 1, with an annual production capacity of 268,000 autos, is used to
build the RX-8 sports car, the popular compact cars Demio and Verisa as well
as MPV minivan.

Ujina 2 mainly builds Demio and has the annual production capacity of
236,000. No one was injured in the blaze.

Brian Sieber
President/Art Director
RX Tuner Magazine
brian@rxtuner.com
904.525.7371

That is were the RX8 is assembled. Bad news.

Paul Lamar

Paul,

Yea I just heard an update. Much worst then originally reported.  The rotary
engine line was not damaged but without RX-8 autos to put them into???  This
is terrible news indeed.  Much to many disasters in Japan this year.

Doug in Japan

The Rotary Engine NewsLetter.  Powered by Linux.
ACRE NL web site. http://home.earthlink.net/~rotaryeng/            
Copyright 1998-2004 All world wide rights reserved.