Toyota Boshoku recently announced plans to invest more than $50 million to open a manufacturing facility in Athens, Alabama, creating approximately 400 jobs once full production is reached.
The new factory will produce seat systems for vehicles built at Mazda Toyota Manufacturing U.S.A. (MTMUS), a joint-venture assembly plant the automakers are constructing nearly 30 miles away in Huntsville. Toyota Boshoku is one of the first suppliers to announce plans for an Alabama facility to produce parts for MTMUS, which is expected to assemble its first vehicle in 2021.
"When we began our search for a new site to build our production facility, we looked at many locations," said Dr. Shuhei Toyoda of Toyota Boshoku. "After an extensive search, we determined that Athens, Alabama, is the perfect fit. We are grateful for the assistance from the state of Alabama, the city of Athens and Limestone County to make this project a reality."
Construction of the new facility is expected to begin in May 2019. The initial phases of construction on the MTMUS began in November 2018. The automakers plan to invest $1.6 billion in the Alabama facility, where 4,000 workers will produce 300,000 vehicles annually.
A member of the Toyota group of companies, Toyota Boshoku develops and manufactures automotive interior systems and other components. The company currently has manufacturing operations in Japan and other parts of Asia, as well as Europe and the Americas.
Toyota Boshoku America is based in Erlanger, Kentucky, and employs more than 11,000 people in 20 locations through the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil and Argentina. The company’s U.S. manufacturing sites are in Tennessee, Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Kentucky.
For more information, visit www.toyota-boshoku.com.
