Groundbreaking held for joint Toyota, Mazda plant in Huntsville, Ala.
(November 17, 2018) HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — The first shovel of dirt was turned this week on what will become a jointly owned-and-operated automotive production plant that will have the capacity to build 300,000 vehicles a year, beginning in 2021. Mazda Toyota Manufacturing, U.S.A., Inc. (MTMUS) is expected to create 4,000 jobs, with a $1.6 billion investment split by the two companies.
The plant will build Toyota’s Corolla, whose all-new 2020 model was unveiled on Wednesday in California, and Mazda’s yet-to-be revealed crossover model.
“We are proud to be here with Toyota, with whom we share the bond of pride in manufacturing,” said Kiyotaka Shobuda, Mazda’s senior managing executive officer. “We are proud to be breaking ground on a new ‘home’ here in Huntsville — a city that believes in the possibilities of technology and manufacturing, and has striven to realize mankind’s greatest dream.”
The alliance will assure competitiveness in manufacturing, allowing both automakers to respond quickly to market changes and helping to ensure sustainable growth toward the future of mobility.
“It is extremely special to have a partner like Mazda to team up with not only to make the highest-quality cars, but also to create a plant that team members are proud to call their own,” said Jim Lentz, chief executive officer, Toyota Motor North America. “As we’ve seen at our Huntsville engine plant, Alabamians are a proud, talented, hard-working group. We are excited to continue our deep investment in the U.S. and Alabama and see nothing but a bright future.”