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Toyota picks Mississippi for new vehicle assembly plant

February 27, 2007 — Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour joined Toyota officials to announce today that the car manufacturer has chosen the 1,700-acre PUL Alliance-Wellspring Project megasite near Tupelo for a new automotive assembly plant.

The plant will have the capacity to produce 150,000 Toyota Highlander sport utility vehicles annually. The facility represents a $1.3 billion investment by Toyota and is expected to create 2,000 jobs directly and many more indirectly.

"On my visits to Northern Mississippi, I have talked with area companies and observed their workforce," said Ray Tanguay, a Toyota executive vice president. "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 workforce. "They were definitely the best salespeople."

Tanguay and Executive Vice President Gary Convis both recognized the contributions of the team that worked on bringing Toyota's fifth vehicle assembly plant to the U.S., citing the team effort put forth by state and local officials and the private sector. "The partnership of all of these groups was instrumental to our decision, including the creation of a new rail district to provide competitive rail access for the plant," said Tanguay.

“This is a huge economic-development success for the Tennessee Valley, which continues to confirm that the Valley is a great place to do business,” said TVA Economic Development Senior Vice President John Bradley.

The PUL Alliance-Wellspring megasite had earlier been awarded certification by automotive site location experts McCallum Sweeney Consulting of Greenville, S.C. McCallum Sweeney was selected as an independent source to certify sites in the Tennessee Valley in response to a growing need for large industrial properties appropriate for automotive-manufacturing facilities.

There were many partners on the project team, including the State of Mississippi; the Pontotoc, Union, Lee Alliance; the Community Development Foundation; TVA distributor customers (the City of New Albany Light, Gas & Water, the City of Tupelo Water & Light Department, the Pontotoc Electric Power Association, and the Tombigbee Electric Power Association); the North Mississippi Industrial Development Association; the Three Rivers Planning and Development District; and TVA.

Read more about the Toyota announcement at the Wellspring Project site.