Toyota has announced that it will partner with the University of Mississippi to open a new manufacturing center about 50 miles outside of Tupelo. Dubbed the Center for Manufacturing Excellence, the new center will cost $22 million, which was included in a $293.9 million incentive package Toyota received from the state for building a new plant in Tupelo.
The new plant will open in May 2010, about the same time Toyota should begin receiving enrollment for the Center for Manufacturing Excellence. The Tupelo plant is slated to produce Toyota’s Highlander SUV at a clip of 120,000 vehicles per year.
According to Automotive News, the center will cover 47,000 square feet and will contain a factory floor and process lines. Toyota selected Tupelo because about one-third of its population already has manufacturing experience.
