Mazda Toyota Manufacturing USA, Alabama’s blockbuster $1.6 billion project in Huntsville, has seen its schedule change due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Instead of vehicle production by spring of 2021, with about 4,000 workers in play, company planners are now saying their goal is later next year.
Mazda Toyota officials had this to say in a statement to AL.com: “On April 9, we informed state and local government officials in Alabama, along with our key suppliers, how the Covid-19 pandemic is impacting our ability to maintain critical equipment delivery schedules, creating labor shortages, and slowing construction. As a result, we will delay the start of production of the Mazda Toyota Manufacturing plant to a time period later in 2021. We are eager to keep the project moving forward and appreciate the ongoing support of all key stakeholders.”
The organization began hiring last January. The two companies announced their selection of Huntsville, ending months of site selection speculation, in January 2018. Alabama landed the project with about $800 million in incentives created jointly by the state, city of Huntsville and Limestone County.
