They are investing $1.6 million in the Alabama plant.
In January 2018, Toyota, Mazda declared plans to build a U.S.-based manufacturing plant . This was after they had agreed on a ” mutually benefiting long-term partnership” May 2017. Initial plans called for a 2021 production start of 150,000 units of each Toyota and Mazda crossover. The opening ceremony will be delayed by the Japanese manufacturers.
Automotive News reports that production will not start until 2021 because of the coronavirus epidemic. According to the leaked document, production will not begin until after 5.5 months at Huntsville’s factory.
“On April 9, state and local officials in Alabama and our key suppliers were informed about how the COVID-19 pandemic was affecting our ability to maintain critical equipment delivery times, creating labor shortages, and slowing down construction,” a Mazda Toyota Manufacturing official statement sent to Automotive News reads. We will therefore delay production at the Mazda Toyota Manufacturing plant until 2021. We are determined to continue the project’s progress and we appreciate all the support from key stakeholders.”
According to our source, construction activities on the site were stopped at least once in the last week due to the governor’s stay at home order. Mazda and Toyota have invested a staggering $1.6 billion in the facility with plans to employ as many as 4,000 people. Toyota will make the factory the 11th in the U.S.