If you drive a Toyota, you might be a redneck.


TUPELO, Miss. - Toyota Motor Corp. said Tuesday it will build a $1.3 billion assembly plant in northeast Mississippi to manufacture its Highlander sport utility vehicle.

Production is set to begin by 2010 and employment is projected at 2,000. The company said it expects to build 150,000 vehicles a year.

The plant will be built on a 1,700 acre site at Blue Springs, land that has been promoted for economic development.

Mississippi was chosen in a competition with Tennessee and Arkansas.

The plant will be the second automaker to locate in the state. Nissan Motor Corp. opened its assembly plant north of Jackson in 2003. The 4,000-employee plant produced about 278,000 vehicles last year.

Gov. Haley Barbour and two Toyota manufacturing executive vice presidents, Gary Convis and Ray Tanguay, announced the project in an auditorium at Tupelo High School.

"Toyota is the world's premiere auto manufacturer and our state will be the best partner the company has," Barbour said in prepared remarks.

Tanguay said several factors led to the decision to build in Mississippi over the other proposed sites.

"On my visit to northern Mississippi, I have talked with area companies and observed their work force," Tanguay said in prepared remarks. "What I observed were people who are educated, ethical and friendly with a strong work ethic — a perfect match for the Toyota way."

Lawmakers told The Associated Press that Barbour will call a special legislative session for Friday to address an incentive plan for Toyota.

The site is about 10 miles northwest of Tupelo.

Toyota's U.S. shares fell $1.52 to $135.51 in morning trading on the
New York Stock Exchange after briefly rising to a 52-week high of $138 earlier in the session.

 

Hoo freakin' ray.

 

I wonder what percentage of Toyota cars are made in US vs Japan?

 

And I'm sure the promised incentives, probably higher than what the other states offered, didn't hurt. Or is he really saying the good people of Arkansas and Tennessee aren't educated, ethical, friendly or have a strong work ethic? :blah:

That's all you need to know about the plant's location, really.

 

It's all about tax abatements. Corp.s will build plants where they get the best tax abatements. I live in SE Texas & the refineries & chem plants are always begging fro tax abatements to expand their plants. They usually get 5 - 10 yrs. on the improved or new portions of their plants. Who know what kind of deal Toyota will get.

 

Don't have the exact percentage, but for 2006 Toyota imported more cars than it assembled in the US.

 

Per the WSJ today; the 2006 North American Production Ratio for Toyota (% of cars manufactured in the U.S. compared to % imported into the U.S.) fell to 54% which is not as good a figure as the've enjoyed in recent years. The new plant will give them about a 65% ratio per the same WSJ article.

 

I read about that earlier today before I saw this thread - it'll be only about an hour and 10 minutes from my house.

 

Less than a half our drive from where I sit now.

You haven't seen redneck until you meet someone from "Blue Springs," btw.

But it will give these people somewhere to work since all the furnature factories are either laying people off (as recently as Thursday), shutting down (last month), or just moving to China (every day).

Hopefully Toyota will want to buy some cardboard from me but I doubt they'll need much in an assembly plant, lol.

 

The invasion carries on and she carries a rising sun flag...

 

Sounds like Toyota want to make sure they get all the mileage necessary when it comes to becoming a bigger part of the American landscape. They are playing the public perception game well.

 

Maybe Miss. wasn't the best choice. The Nissan Quest plant certainly hasn't burned up the quality boards now has it?

 

hell the new Tundra adds say " Assembles in the U.S."
Yes it is but what about "made in the U.S." why not say that??


Toyota is as american as american as apple pie..got us hoodwinked.

 

100% True! I bet Toyota will get enough tax concessions over several years that would be equal to the cost of building the plant. Not to mention they will benefit from the lower wages in Miss and not have to worry about unions, pension and high heathcare bills. Its like building vehicles for free when you factor in the yen/Dollar figures on the imported components. This is the free market we have today that allows Toyota to put made in the USA in the door jam and smile for pictures with the Miss state gov.

Not to say the domestic brands couldn't but Miss would need to offer free labor and a free plant for GM or Ford to compete.

 

Well certainly not for "free" but....

Just keep reminding yourself...."the playing field IS level.....the playing field IS level....."

It absolutely amazes me that we have great homegrown automakers and suppliers that are struggling and we can't do anything about it....but we practically beg the overseas competition to build here and give them whatever they want to do so.....