WEST POINT, MISS– The first phase of the Yokohama Tire plant in West Point is open for business. Today the company held a grand opening celebration.
Governor Phil Bryant, Yokohama president Hikomitsu Noji and workers from the plant gathered today for a dedication of the plant, which served as the grand opening of the first phase of the development in West Point.
A $300 million investment and 500 news jobs went into the first phase. The company isn’t done with West Point, though, as future phases hope to bring more money and more jobs to the area.
“The opening of Yokohama’s manufacturing facility in West Point brings full circle a project that broke ground just two short years ago. I appreciate the Yokohama team, the Mississippi Legislature and state and local officials who have worked hard from day one to expedite this project and create so many jobs for the residents of West Point and the Golden Triangle region,” Gov. Bryant said. “I congratulate Yokohama on this milestone event, and the state of Mississippi looks forward to many more years of partnership with this great company.”
Not only is the Yokohama plant a huge development push for Mississippi, but it’s the first of it’s kind in the United States.
“The grand opening of our first U.S.-built plant is truly a historic day for Yokohama,” said Tadaharu Yamamoto, president of YTMM. “Thanks to Gov. Bryant, the great state of Mississippi, the entire community of West Point, the Golden Triangle Region and the incredible Mississippi workforce, the plant site was developed to a fully operational state-of-the-art facility in record time.”
Yokohama broke ground in West Point two years ago.The company hopes to hire 1500 more people as the different phases develop.
