Free Trial

Production begins at new Alabama auto plant; hiring ongoing

This photo combination shows the logo for, from left, Mazda and Toyota. The first vehicles are rolling off the line of a new auto plant in Huntsville, Ala., Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, and the joint venture between Mazda and Toyota is still hiring workers. (AP Photo/File)

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama (AP) — Production has begun at a new auto plant in north Alabama and the companies running the facility continue to hire workers at a brisk pace.

Work on the first 2022 Corolla Cross vehicles began with the press of a button at the Mazda Toyota Manufacturing, a joint venture between Mazda Motor Corp. and Toyota Motor Corp.

In 2018, the Japanese automakers selected Huntsville, Alabama, for the mammoth facility that will eventually have the capability to produce up to 300,000 vehicles per year, split evenly between Mazda and Toyota.

The joint venture on Thursday said it was in the middle of hiring another 1,700 workers and anticipates reaching up to 4,000 employees once production is in full operation next year.

“This is the moment MTM and our North Alabama community have waited for since we broke ground in November 2018,” said Mark Brazeal, a vice president at the facility. “We are excited to see Corolla Cross in dealerships across the U.S.”

More than $2.3 billion has been invested in the plant and the companies last year committed another $830 million to ensure cutting-edge technologies could be worked into its manufacturing processes.

Where Should You Invest $1,000 Right Now?

Before you make your next trade, you'll want to hear this.

MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis.

Our team has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on... and none of the big name stocks were on the list.

They believe these five stocks are the five best companies for investors to buy now...

See The Five Stocks Here

The Next 7 Blockbuster Stocks for Growth Investors Cover

Wondering what the next stocks will be that hit it big, with solid fundamentals? Enter your email address to see which stocks MarketBeat analysts could become the next blockbuster growth stocks.

Get This Free Report
Like this article? Share it with a colleague.

Companies Mentioned in This Article

CompanyMarketRankâ„¢Current PricePrice ChangeDividend YieldP/E RatioConsensus RatingConsensus Price Target
Toyota Motor (TM)
3.7351 of 5 stars
$167.92-4.0%3.67%7.42HoldN/A
Compare These Stocks  Add These Stocks to My Watchlist 

Featured Articles and Offers

Recent Videos

3 Made in America Stocks Under $20 You Need to See!
3 Cheap Growth Stocks Set to Explode This Summer
The Next NVIDIA? Quantum Computing Stocks Set for Explosive Growth

Stock Lists

All Stock Lists

Investing Tools

Calendars and Tools

Search Headlines