Filed under: SUVs, Plants/Manufacturing, Toyota
Official: Toyota to build Highlanders in Mississippi
As expected, Toyota officially announced its plans to build the Highlander in northeast Mississippi. The company will invest $1.8 billion in the project and initially employ 2,000 workers. Toyota officials, along with Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour (speaking in photo), made the announcement this morning at a press conference in Tupelo, Miss.
"We in Mississippi and especially north Mississippi are excited to have been chosen by Toyota as its partner," Barbour said at the conference. "Toyota is the world's premiere auto manufacturer and our state will be the best partner the company has."
Plans are for the plant to be up and running by 2009, producing as many as 150,000 gasoline-powered 2010 model Highlanders a year. Hybrid Highlander production will remain in Japan. With an incentive package somewhat smaller than the state offered Nissan in 2003, Toyota will acquire the entire 1,500 acre site that straddles three counties.
[Sources: The Clarion-Ledger, The Commercial Appeal, Sean P. Thompson]
The Clarion-Ledger newspaper quotes Mike Randle of Southern Business and Development as saying Toyota chose the Mississippi site over Arkansas and Tennessee partly because of an agreement between Barbour and Alabama Gov. Bob Riley. Randle said Barbour agreed to support a steel mill locating in Alabama if Mississippi got Toyota. With Toyota's engine plant only a few hours east near Huntsville, Ala., it seems a win-win-win situation for all involved.
Toyota says it will donate $50 million to public schools in Pontotoc, Union and Lee counties, where the site is located. The ten $5 million checks sould help ensure a well-trained workforce and give Toyota a positive image in the communities. The University of Mississippi, 45 miles west of the site, also said it will begin an automotive engineering program to coincide with the building of the plant, further improving the pool of workers from which Toyota can pull.
PRESS RELEASE:
Toyota To Build Highlanders in Mississippi - New Plant to Start Production by 2010; To Employ 2,000 Team Members
February 27, 2007 - TUPELO, Mississippi - Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour joined Toyota (NYSE: TM) officials today to announce that the company has chosen a 1,700-acre site in Blue Springs, Mississippi to build its eighth North American vehicle assembly plant.
The new plant, to be located just outside of Tupelo, will have the capacity to build 150,000 vehicles annually of Toyota's popular Highlander sport utility vehicle. Production is scheduled to begin by 2010.
The new plant represents a $1.3 billion investment by Toyota and is expected to create approximately 2,000 new jobs for the region and indirectly create work for many more. Operations at the plant will include stamping, body weld, plastics, paint, and assembly.
Governor Barbour, speaking at a news conference held in Tupelo, welcomed Toyota's decision to set up operations in Mississippi.
"We in Mississippi and especially North Mississippi are excited to have been chosen by Toyota as its partner," said Governor Barbour. "Toyota is the world's premiere auto manufacturer and our state will be the best partner the company has."
Toyota manufacturing Executive Vice Presidents, Gary Convis and Ray Tanguay, joined Governor Barbour at the announcement to help deliver the good news to local citizens.
Convis addressed Toyota's challenge in balancing rapid growth while maintaining the company's superior quality standards, noting the recent start up of Tundra production in San Antonio and upcoming launch of Camry production at the Subaru plant in Lafayette, Indiana.
"We are excited for the opportunity to do business in Mississippi and are confident the team members here will have a commitment to perform at the highest possible level," he said. "Governor Barbour and the regional economic development team were very convincing and unrelenting in their efforts to showcase the area's advantages," Convis said, while acknowledging that competition among several states for the new plant was tough.
Tanguay also pointed out several factors that led to Toyota's site selection decision.
"On my visits to Northern Mississippi, I have talked with area companies and observed their workforce," said Tanguay. "What I observed were people who are educated, ethical and friendly with a strong work ethic – a perfect match for the Toyota Way." He added that the area's existing companies had high praise for the workforce. "They were definitely the best sales people."
Convis and Tanguay both recognized the contributions of the team who worked on bringing Toyota's fifth vehicle assembly plant to the U.S., citing the team effort put forth by state and local officials and the private sector.
"The partnership of all of these groups was instrumental to our decision, including the creation of a new rail district to provide competitive rail access for the plant," said Tanguay.
"We're honored that Toyota has chosen to invest in our state and grow with Mississippians," said Trent Lott, Senator of Mississippi. "This is a partnership between one of the world's best companies, and a state which has already proven itself capable of attracting the world's top defense, automotive and aerospace jobs."
Mississippi Senator Thad Cochran and Congressman Roger Wicker also participated in the announcement.
Site preparation and construction for the plant is scheduled to begin later this spring. A majority of the hiring will take place closer to the start of vehicle production.
Outline of Toyota Mississippi
Location Blue Springs, Mississippi (outside of Tupelo)Plant overview Vehicle production (stamping, body weld, plastics, paint and assembly)
Product Toyota Highlander
Production capacity 150,000 units/year
Site area 1,700 acres
Investment $1.3 billion
Start of production By 2010
Employment 2,000
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Steve C. 2:12PM (2/27/2007)
Memo to the UAW, Ford, GM, Chrysler and the state of Michigan:
You lost the war.
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Rastus 2:35PM (2/27/2007)
Wow, now I have TWO choices to select from:
An American made Hyundai Santa Fe and an American made Toyota Highlander...
...which one will I buy?
Chevy is out of the picture for me. But I hear they may convert their TrailBlazer plants into making a kick-ass umbrella.
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Mike 2:46PM (2/27/2007)
Wow, Toyota is such a great company!
They are donating 5 mil to local schools (while getting at LEAST that in tax breaks), having a brand new railroad built for them (at the cost of whom?), and the state out of the goodness of its heart is supporting a mill located in another state?
Man, why can't all companies be as good for america as Toyota? /sarc
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Bryan 3:17PM (2/27/2007)
If this was Ford everyone would be whining about making a plant for SUV's/CUV's and crying how they are such pigs and pollute our roads. Highlanders are a joke. Toyota is a joke. It amazes me how many so-called Americans praise another country and stab their own in the back. Get over it. GM, Ford, and Chrysler make good products. Toyota is no longer superior. Do yourself a favor and check out some new models, and look at some future models. This country used to love the automobile, now it is just being filled up with appliances no one cares about much less looks at twice. It is a sad day when people praise the downfall of their own. Ford, GM, and Chrysler is America. Toyota, Honda, and Nissan are not.
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GM WHO? 3:19PM (2/27/2007)
There's two!
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aaron 3:24PM (2/27/2007)
ahahaha check your facts steve C.
as of feb 24
gm has built 593k vehicles in north america, toyota 196 thousand (LESS than honda, and only slightly more than nissan)..
Now look at dealer networks and trickle down and see what the real economic footprint is..
lol.. lemmings..
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Aaron 3:31PM (2/27/2007)
wow should be great news.. In a couple years..
production in North america so far this year:
Gm 593,031
Fomoco 404,519
DCX 380,626
Honda 222,134
Toyota 196,892
Nissan 194,385
toyota has stated their goal is to build 60% of what they sell here on our soil.. and they aren't at that goal, while honda and nissan are what close to 80% now?
Keep it real all you lemmings..
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DarkKnight67 3:33PM (2/27/2007)
I'll be three ... It's dumbasses like Rastus and GM Who that have fouled up this country for everyone. You don't see them going to a Northern state to build these plants, they run south to ensure they have no union problems. They get a huge tax break that is supposedly returned to the state through grants and other donations, while the citizens pay for the cost overruns and other infrastructure expenses that amazingly "appear" as the construction begins/continues.
The supposed green lovers who say that Toyota makes them all warm and fuzzy inside seem to overlook the fact that they will be dumping additional vehicles on the roads that consume gas in greater quantities than their small cars and add to the pollution traffic problems that no one seems to pay for. So, if that's the case, then put me among the people who, as GM Who says, "All the typical dumbasses with this mentality start typing.........................................................................................................................NOW!" because I'm sick of them coming here and dumping on our shores the things they barely bother to sell at home.
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Rastus 3:40PM (2/27/2007)
I did all THAT?!?!
And to think, I HIGHLY underestimated myself.
I deserve a beer for such an accomplishment!!
(...little 'ole me??? unbelievable!)
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porker 3:49PM (2/27/2007)
Thank goodness toyota didn't pick the Chattanooga, TN location for this plant. We probably could not afford to "gain" another round of largess from these frauds.
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Big Rocket 3:56PM (2/27/2007)
#10 (DarkKnight67): "I'm sick of them coming here and dumping on our shores the things they barely bother to sell at home."
The Japanese companies don't sell SUVs in Japan because the Japanese public doesn't want SUVs. They sell them here in America because the American public wants SUVs. What you had imagined to be some evil Japanese agenda, can easily be explained by simple supply and demand.
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Bob 3:58PM (2/27/2007)
Mississippi deserves Toyota. Enjoy the scab wages.
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Gary Z 4:10PM (2/27/2007)
Lemme make sure I get this straight.
There are companies making cars. The public at large makes a decision to buy one car over another. That leads to one company being pretty successful and opening more plants.
People take this personally and start posting, raising Hell, on this site.
Does everyone get this pissed off when one company does better than it's competitors? Do y'all go ballistic on candy bar company sites when Snickers beats out Mars bars or do you stay up all night penning venom because Budweiser is the King of Beers over other brands?
Perhaps, losing focus like this and getting emotionally charged to distraction is the reason imports are coming in our back yard and taking over?
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Chad 4:16PM (2/27/2007)
These vehicles aren't made in the USA, they are assembled in the USA. Nothing for it is made over here. Also, just remember where the profit money goes....OVERSEAS!!
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Realist 4:21PM (2/27/2007)
#19: "if an American were to write Asian speak swapping 'L' and 'R'..."
So what you are assuming is that "GM WHO" is Asian...and the reason you are assuming this is because he likes Japanese cars. And in your very limited view of the world the only people that like Japanese vehicles are Asian.
Snap out of your dream world and look around, you fool! Not everyone who drives Japanese vehicles are Asian. Just live with it.
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dan 4:22PM (2/27/2007)
"Also, just remember where the profit money goes....OVERSEAS!!"
Actually, Toyota is publicly traded, so anyone enjoy their profits.
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Rastus 4:22PM (2/27/2007)
Gary,
You have it correct...to a "T".
You see, it's only the US "Auto Industry" which has such a sense of entitlement. Let me tell you, it runs from top to bottom. It's not just the line workers by any stretch of the imagination.
This so-called "culture" is what's eating them up from the inside-out. And yet, they "blame" external forces (Japan, yen exchange rate, Congress, etc.). It's truly pathetic, isn't it?
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DarkWizard 4:48PM (2/27/2007)
"Also, just remember where the profit money goes....OVERSEAS!!"
Gasp! You mean, profits go back to the corporation that generated them, and don't get split up and doled out to everyone like welfare checks? My God, this is madness!
Seriously, what are you so mad about? As dan pointed out in comment #24, the profits are divided among stockholders, regardless of who they are or where they're from. Same with Ford and GM. If this were a Ford or GM plant, the profits wouldn't be going back to us either, unless we had Ford or GM stock. That's just how corporations work.
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Alain 5:00PM (2/27/2007)
Toyota's headquarters are not located in the United States, therefore it is not an American company, like the apologists so fraudulently claim. It's time for Congress to pass a Clancy-type Trade Reform Act to quash the aggressions committed by the Japanese and facilitate true fair trade. If the Japanese want to hold up our cars at their ports for "quality assurance purposes", why can't we throw that right back at them? Surely that'll save Toyota from having to submit yet another service bulletin.
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brimg87 5:02PM (2/27/2007)
Steve C., some of us live in Michigan and would like our people to be employeed. You act like its no big deal that Michigan is hurting severly.
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