Area Development
Toyota Boshoku America, the global automotive supplier, plans to invest over $50 million to open a manufacturing facility in Athens, Alabama. The company plans to create around 400 jobs once full production is reached.

The new facility will be located in the Breeding North Industrial Park in Athens. The company is anticipating starting the construction around May 1, 2019.

The initial phases of construction on the MTMUS began in November 2018 at a 2,500-acre site in Limestone County. The automakers plan to invest $1.6 billion in the Alabama facility, where 4,000 workers will produce 300,000 vehicles annually.

The new Alabama factory will produce seat systems for vehicles built at Mazda Toyota Manufacturing U.S.A. Inc., a joint venture assembly plant the automakers are constructing about 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. 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,” said Dr. Shuhei Toyoda of Toyota Boshoku.

“Alabama’s economic development team has been working hard to facilitate the formation of the supply chain for MTMUS, and Toyota Boshoku’s decision to locate in Athens will add momentum to our efforts,” said Greg Canfield, Secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. “We expect to develop a long-lasting partnership with this outstanding company as it creates well-paying jobs in Alabama.”

“Toyota Boshoku is a premier manufacturer of automotive interior systems and a welcome addition to Alabama’s growing constellation of world-class auto suppliers,” Governor Kay Ivey said.

Toyota Boshoku Corp., a member of the Toyota group of companies, develops and manufactures automotive interior systems and other components. Its founding company, Toyoda Boshoku, was established by the founder of Toyota group, Sakichi Toyoda in 1918.

The company’s U.S. manufacturing sites are in Tennessee, Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Kentucky.