Toyota And Mazda Choose Huntsville, Alabama For U.S. Factory

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Toyota And Mazda Choose Huntsville, Alabama For U.S. Factory

10 Jan 2018, 19:31 UTC · by Mircea Panait
/ Home / News / Industry

A whopping $1.6 billion. That’s how much Toyota and Mazda will invest in setting up a production plant in Huntsville, Alabama. Announced in May 2016, the U.S.-based joint factory will open its doors in 2021 and will see up to 4,000 workers churn out up to 300,000 vehicles per year.
50 photos Located approximately 150 miles from the Tuscaloosa site operated by Mercedes-Benz and 15 miles from Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Alabama, Inc., the Huntsville facility is described by both parties as a “mutually beneficial long-term partnership.” What that means is, Toyota will acquire 5.05 percent of Mazda, whilst Mazda will get 0.25 percent.
Toyota’s 11th manufacturing plant in the United States, and the second in Alabama, will welcome the next generation of the Toyota Corolla to its assembly line. Mazda, meanwhile, announced that it’s working with the North American office “to introduce a totally new and different type of SUV,” a damn cryptic choice of words if you think about it for a minute.
The State of Alabama is, at the present moment, the 5th largest manufacturer of cars of light trucks in the U.S. of A. More than 150 tier 1 and tier 2 suppliers are supporting the industry, translating to something in the ballpark of 57,000 automotive manufacturing jobs in the Cotton State.
“The partnership between Mazda and Toyota will expand innovative automotive manufacturing in Alabama,” said governor Kay Ivey. “Their decision to locate this new facility in Huntsville is a testament to the talented workforce in our state. We are proud that this partnership puts Alabama on the forefront of technology in this dynamic global industry.”
Other than the new production plant, Mazda and Toyota are joined at the hip. First there’s electrification technology the two will share, then there’s the rotary extender engine, but that’s not all. If the wildest of rumors are to be believed, the next-generation Mazda6 is expected to go rear-wheel-drive thanks to the Toyota-developed FR platform. The same backbone is anticipated to help the RX-9 rotary sports car happen.