A Toyota executive said Mississippi moved ahead of two competing sites in the last two months. This morning company executives and government officials announced the automaker’s decision to put $1.3 billion manufacturing plant at the Wellspring site in Blue Springs, Miss., outside Tupelo and the state’s effort to attract suppliers to the state.
Dennis Cuneo, senior vice president at Toyota North America, said Marion, Ark., and Chattanooga, Tenn., were ahead of Mississippi as late as December.
Cuneo said the available work force because of the declining furniture and textile industries helped push Mississippi to the top.
Toyota manufacturing executive Vice President Ray Tanguay said several factors help propel Mississippi to the forefront..
“On my visits to Northern Mississippi, I have talked with area companies and observed their work force,” 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 work force. “They were definitely the best sales people.
The plant will produce up to 150,000 vehicles a year and employ up to 2,000. The plant is expected to begin operations in 2010. The Highlander SUV will be built at the plant, which will be Toyota’s eighth U.S. manufacturing facility.
Toyota will receive $326 million in incentives from state and local governments. Nissan, which opened a plant in Canton in 2003, received about $350 million in incentives.
“This allows the State to allocate more incentives to potential suppliers. That way many towns and counties will benefit from the jobs created by those suppliers — and we intend to be aggressive in recruiting all of the Toyota suppliers we can to Mississippi,” Barbour said before hundreds at Tupelo High School.
Toyota North America has been the picture of growth the past few years. Its U.S. sales overtook Ford's last year and is threatening General Motors for No. 1. To support its sales growth, it needs new plants. It opened a truck plant in San Antonio, Texas, in November that has a capacity of 200,000 Tundras annually. The $1.28 billion plant went about $430 million over budget.
