Alabama
Governor Ivey Announces Toyota Alabama to Expand Production, Creating 350 New Jobs – Office of the Governor of Alabama
Governor Kay Ivey announced today that Toyota is expanding the production capabilities at its Huntsville engine factory with a $282 million investment project that will create more than 350 high-quality jobs with long-term stability.
The growth project pushes the total investment in Toyota Alabama to more than $1.7 billion and affirms the automaker’s commitment to reinvesting profits in its U.S. operations.
“Toyota has been a critical partner within Alabama’s growing auto industry for over two decades, launching multiple expansions that have increased the Huntsville facility’s production capabilities and its superb workforce,” said Governor Ivey. “This new investment project will build on the great legacy of Toyota’s Alabama engine plant and create even more new opportunities for the area’s citizens.”
Toyota’s Huntsville plant has grown into an engine powerhouse since production began there in 2003, and this venture adds new lines for drivetrain products.
“Thanks to our Alabama team members’ daily commitment to quality and continuous improvement, we know they can rise to the challenge of all-new production lines,” said Jason Puckett, Toyota Alabama president. “The new lines will further increase the plant’s flexibility and reaffirm Toyota’s commitment to our team and community.”
Toyota Alabama is the company’s largest engine producer in North America, employing over 2,000 team members who assembled more than 770,000 engines in 2023.
“I’ve been a part of building high-quality Toyota engines for eight years, and I’m excited for the opportunity to bring new products to our plant,” said Marcus Calhoun, a Toyota Alabama team leader. “Toyota was my first job in manufacturing, and now I lead my own team. I’m ready to help both current and future team members learn the skills they’ll need for this project.”
Toyota Alabama currently supplies engines to seven Toyota vehicle plants in North America. The Huntsville-assembled engines power the Corolla, Highlander, RAV4, Sequoia, Sienna, Tacoma and Tundra, as well as the Corolla Cross, which is assembled at the Mazda Toyota Manufacturing USA plant in Huntsville.
“Toyota Alabama has a long track record of success, and we’re proud of the workforce in Huntsville that has helped make possible all the milestones achieved there,” said Ellen McNair, Secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. “This significant new investment in Alabama will once again help power Toyota’s strategic efforts to prepare for the future in a fast-changing industry.”
Huntsville officials welcomed Toyota’s re-investment in the facility.
“This is great news for Toyota and for the Huntsville community,” said Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle. “The addition of drivetrain products to Toyota Alabama continues the company’s legacy of staying on the forefront of industry needs, which in turn, provides more employment opportunities for North Alabama.”
Mac McCutcheon, chairman of the Madison County Commission, notes that Toyota’s growth project will have a significant economic impact on the Huntsville region. “Toyota is and has been a dependable economic partner for the State of Alabama and Madison County. Toyota provides good-paying jobs for their employees and a workforce that is second to none, and we are excited to support this new project that will create more than 350 new jobs and an investment of $282 million for the State of Alabama and Madison County,” said McCutcheon.
“Thank you, Toyota, for investing in Madison County and providing a better quality of life for the residents in our communities,” he added.
Toyota Alabama is hiring. To learn more, visit https://careers.toyota.com/us/en/toyota-alabama
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TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— A little rain couldn’t dampen Alabama’s party.
Patrick Murphy and the Crimson Tide held a Sweet 16 party inside Rhoads Stadium on Saturday. For the 16th time in Murphy’s 28 seasons as head coach, the Crimson Tide is heading to Oklahoma City for the Women’s College World Series.
Top-ranked Alabama continued its perfect path through the NCAA Tournament, outlasting No. 16 LSU 4-1 after two lengthy rain delays to complete the sweep through the Tuscaloosa Super Regional.
A Sweet 16 celebration is suiting for a Tide team coming of age at the most crucial time of the year. In its five tournament games, the Alabama has backed up its No. 1 billing, maintaining an unblemished record while out scoring its opponents by a combined 31-1.
“This team has just been unbelievably selfless,” Murphy said after the win. “They’ve been full of gratitude. They’ve been competitive. They’ve been hard working, gritty. I mean, all the words you love as a coach–– this has been this team. You don’t want to jinx it or whatever because anybody can beat anybody, you guys all know that, and so I’m thrilled as can be that this group gets to go to the Women’s College World Series.
Alabama was able to recalibrate and shut down LSU after two separate rain delays that totaled around four hours. The Tide spent time during the delay eating softball, watching other softball super regionals around the country and playing intense card games.
But when it came time to head back to the field, it was all business.
For the second game in a row, Alexis Pupillo provided the spark plug for the Crimson Tide offense before the first delay. LSU starter Jayden Heavener held Alabama hitless through the first three innings (despite allowing a run on a walk and three wild pitches in the third), but Pupillo broke up the no-hitter with a solo home run to right field to reclaim the lead for Alabama at 2-1 to open the fourth inning.
The Tide put together a two-out rally later in the frame with three straight hits from Audrey Vandagriff, Ambrey Taylor and Salen Hawkins. Taylor busted out of her hitless streak in the NCAA tournament with a hard double, and Hawkins drove both runners in with a 2-RBI single.
Hawkins came into the NCAA tournament on a eight-game hitless streak but has three big hits for the Crimson Tid ein each of its last three postseason wins.
“I’m been working my butt off,” Hawkins said. “After practice, I go hit with my dad some more. I just wanted to come through for my team. I just wanted to help contribute in some way and just get some runs on the scoreboard.”
Saturday’s game showed that Alabama’s pitchers aren’t just robots as the Tide gave up its first run of the NCAA tournament on an RBI single from LSU’s Tori Edwards in the bottom of the third. Vic Moten dealt with some traffic on the base paths but stepped up in one of the biggest starts of her young career, only allowing the one run over four innings pitched.
“My intangible for the team is bringing energy,” Moten said. “Whenever I pitch, I want to put us in the best position possible.”
After the second rain delay, Alabama junior ace Jocelyn Briski came in to close it out over the final three innings. She did not allow a run, striking out five batters.
LSU didn’t go down without a fight, but behind a raucous Rhoads crowd, the Crimson Tide prevailed. Alabama was picked in the preseason to finish ninth in the SEC and is now headed to Oklahoma City as the top overall seed and one of the favorites to win a national title.
Alabama will face the winner of the Los Angeles Super Regional between No. 8 UCLA and UCF in its opening game at the Women’s College World Series.
This story will be updated.
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