When a new collaboration between Toyota and Mazda was announced earlier this month, the initial local reaction included at least a little bit of angst.
The two Japanese automakers said they would join together to construct a $1.6-billion U.S. assembly plant to build the Toyota Corolla and a Mazda crossover vehicle. Since Toyota’s plant in Blue Springs is already making Corollas, there were early concerns the new plant would lead to a slowdown of the Northeast Mississippi one.
As Toyota officials allayed those fears, the mood quickly turned to hope. Mississippi _ and Blue Springs _ were listed on speculative short lists that tried to predict where the new plant, and its promise of 4,000 jobs, would land.
Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant said the state was ready to grow its existing partnership with Toyota, as reported by Daily Journal business editor Dennis Seid.
One advantage Mississippi would have is the 2 million-square-foot plant that began production six years ago. Not only does it already have experience building Corollas _ and proximity to suppliers for making the vehicle _ its 1,700 acre site already has a pad built to match the current plant’s design.
With Toyota in Blue Springs and Nissan having a plant in Canton, Mississippi is developing a track record for automotive manufacturing. A recent study found that automotive-related industries are in 32 counties across the state.
It has been more than 10 years since Toyota first announced its plans to build in Blue Springs, and we’ve already seen a deep impact.
The company employs 2,000 workers at its Blue Springs plant, and some 2,000 more work at one of its many suppliers.
Toyota has made $961 million in total investments. It has donated $3 million to area nonprofit organizations and pledged a $50 million endowment to support public education. Toyota employees also have donated more than 25,000 volunteer hours to area nonprofits.
There is no doubt that expanding Toyota’s commitment to the region would increase these benefits exponentially and be a monumental boost to the local economy.
With so many people already employed by Toyota and its suppliers, and with Mississippi unemployment near record lows, it is legitimate to ask whether the region and state have sufficient workforce to support a new 4,000-personautomotive plant.
While not something our community can’t overcome, this may be the biggest challenge local developers face as they work to sell our region’s viability to the automakers.
Solutions will no doubt include attracting people from outside the state and relying on a robust training infrastructure at local community colleges and colleges _ approaches that also were used in preparing for Toyota’s initial foray into Blue Springs.
So as local leaders begin that pursuit anew, at least they will have a playbook to follow. That paired with our area’s strong history of cooperation puts Northeast Mississippi in as good of position as any other to compete for this project.
Online: http://www.djournal.com/
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