HUNTSVILLE, Alabama – The groundbreaking for the new Mazda Toyota Manufacturing USA auto assembly plant in Huntsville took place just days ago, but the $1.6 billion, 4,000-worker project is already making a big impact across North Alabama.
Business recruiters in the 13-county region have been working for months to lure suppliers for the facility. Their efforts include readying industrial sites and speculative buildings, along with a digital strategy that is reaching around the globe.
The North Alabama Industrial Development Association (NAIDA) created a microsite that specifically targets companies interested in supplying the Japanese automakers’ operation, which is expected to launch production in 2021 with an eventual output of 300,000 vehicles annually.
NAIDA President and CEO Brooks Kracke said his team went to work right away following the Mazda Toyota plant announcement in January.


