RANDOLPH COUNTY — Toyota Motor Corp. continues to progress on construction of an electric vehicle battery manufacturing plant that the company announced with fanfare a year ago.
On Dec. 6, 2021, Toyota executives came to the region to say they had picked the Greensboro-Randolph Megasite for the largest economic development project in the Triad and third-largest project in state history. The ceremony a year ago drew Gov. Roy Cooper, other North Carolina government and business dignitaries and leaders from across the region.
The Toyota recruitment finally secured a major automotive project for North Carolina after decades of frustration at losing out to other states. The project also fulfilled the vision of megasite proponents who launched their effort 12 years ago.
A year after the announcement, construction of the first building is underway, said Emily Wilemon-Holland, manager of corporate communications for Toyota North Carolina. Grading continues at the site, and the pad for the second building is being prepped, Wilemon-Holland said.
Toyota announced this past summer an additional $2.5 billion investment and plans for 350 more jobs, which brought the total planned investment to $3.8 billion and job creation to 2,100 workers. Production at the megasite in northeastern Randolph County is scheduled to begin in 2025.
Toyota considered the megasite five years ago for a joint car manufacturing plant with Mazda before picking a site in Alabama. Area economic recruiters previously said that Toyota was impressed by the megasite during the car factory negotiations and came back to the site for the vehicle battery project.
The publicity about the Toyota recruitment has given economic recruiters an opportunity to secure other major employers in the past year and opened doors with other companies for discussion on projects, said Mike Fox, president and CEO of the Piedmont Triad Partnership.
“Since the Toyota announcement last year, the Carolina Core is experiencing unstoppable business momentum with several multi-billion-dollar investments by cutting-edge companies including Boom Supersonic, VinFast and Wolfspeed, among others,” Fox said.
Boom Supersonic has announced its project for Piedmont Triad International Airport, while VinFast and Wolfspeed have committed to Chatham County.
Fox said the opportunities afforded by the Toyota recruitment are paying dividends a year later.
Last week, Fox and N.C. Secretary of Commerce Machelle Baker Sanders visited New York where Fox said national site selection consultants were eager to learn more about the Carolina Core as a place to do business.
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