Toyota to Build new SUV plant in Mississippi

[Tucobkg]

Toyota to build new SUV plant in Mississippi

New facility will create about 2,000 jobs and produce 150,000 vehicles annually, state says.

February 27 2007: 10:10 AM EST


NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Toyota Motor Corp. will build sport utility vehicles in Mississippi, Governor Haley Barbour announced Tuesday, creating roughly 2,000 jobs and making it the automaker's fifth U.S. assembly plant.
The plant, which will be dedicated to building the Highlander sport utility vehicle, will be located just outside of Tupelo, in Blue Springs, Miss., the governor said.
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"We in Mississippi and especially North Mississippi are excited to have been chosen by Toyota as its partner," Barbour said in a prepared statement.
The Toyota plant, which is scheduled to begin production by 2010, will produce approximately 150,000 vehicles every year.
Extreme 'green' cars of the future
Several states were in the running for the new plant, according to Toyota manufacturing executive vice president Gary Convis, who characterized the competition as "tough."
"Governor Barbour and the regional economic development team were very convincing and unrelenting in their efforts to showcase the area's advantages," Convis said in prepared remarks.
The 1,700-acre Blue Springs plant will be Toyota's fifth vehicle assembly plant in the U.S.
The automaker currently operates vehicle assembly plants in San Antonio, Texas, Princeton, In., Georgetown, Ky., and Fremont, Calif.
Toyota took the No. 2 spot in U.S. auto sales in January, speeding past Ford Motor Co. (Charts) and gaining on top U.S. automaker General Motors (Charts).
Toyota (Charts) shares edged lower in Tuesday trade on the New York Stock Exchange.

[fj guru]

I just read this in automotive news.
Toyota is taking over the world!

[FJinWNC]

All the auto manufacturers are getting smart and setting up in the South. It's nice here, affordable compared to other parts of the USA, and will help the foreign manufacturers win over the "I'm not buying it if it's not American made" crowd.

[bandi]

But why the Highlander...

Last april, we were looking at these along with the
other equivalent rigs, and they are so dang'
expensive, chit, all of them were, fords and such...

Thank god we stumbled on FJC, I crawled under it
and checked out its construction for about 15 min.
or so, then crawled out and saw the price... SOLD...

Now why would one buy the Highlander for more
money... I guess the GREEN PEACE Reason I guess...
Better fuel economy... I can't bring myself to get
a lessor vehicle for more money just to make and
tree huggers happy... WOWzaa.. Where did that
come from... ...

[fivestar13]

FJinWNC previously said:

All the auto manufacturers are getting smart and setting up in the South. It's nice here, affordable compared to other parts of the USA, and will help the foreign manufacturers win over the "I'm not buying it if it's not American made" crowd.

+1

I hope that Toyota continues to give Americans more jobs. Someone's gotta do it. The big 3 keep moving jobs north and south and even off-continent.