Remarks by Mr. Masamichi Kogai
Mazda Motor Corporation President and CEO
January 10, 2018
Montgomery, AL
Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen, and thank you for coming today. I’d like to thank Governor Ivey for having us here. Also, I appreciate all of the other state government and community leaders who have joined us today. I wanted to come here myself today to tell the people of Alabama about our plant as soon as possible, and ask for your warm welcome.
It is a great honor to announce that Toyota and Mazda will be building a new vehicle plant here. I’d like to express our sincere appreciation to the people of Alabama and Huntsville for their support. We also want to thank Toyota and all the other parties involved in this process. Without their help, this project could not have gotten off to such a great start.
Mazda is a company with a long history. We were established in 1920, and in two years, we will celebrate 100 years since our founding. We started selling cars in America in 1970, which means that 2020 will also mark 50 years of Mazda in America. 2021, when our plant is due to start operations, will mark the start of another 100 years of Mazda, and our next half century in America. How wonderful to bring this in such a landmark year to start manufacturing and have sales in this great country and to work toward Mazda’s future growth while contributing to the growth of the local community and America at the same time.
Toyota and Mazda will use the full extent of our combined technological capabilities to make this a trend that boasts world-class efficiency and quality levels. We will supply vehicles of the highest quality to people all over America. Mazda makes cars with a clear vision of how we want to inspire people, contribute to society, and help preserve the beauty of the Earth. By making such cars here in Alabama, we hope that over time, our plant will come to occupy a special place in the heart of our employees and the local community. By making this plant a vibrant part of this community, we hope to work, learn and grow together with the people of Alabama and Huntsville.
In closing, let me say thank you once again for the opportunity to build an auto plant here. Alabama and Huntsville have given us a warm welcome. Toyota and Mazda will work hard together, inspire each other and become good corporate citizens of this state. Thank you very much.