Photo Credit: Toyota
On December 6, 2021, after nearly a decade of building partnerships and readying the site for a major tenant, the Greensboro-Randolph Megasite partners announced a transformative win for the region and state with Toyota’s plans to add 1,750 new direct jobs and indirect jobs by investing $1.29 billion in a next-generation battery production facility on the site.
“The people of this region have long needed a big boost in economic opportunity that could only come from a project as transformational as the one that Toyota will bring to this megasite,” observed Jim Melvin, CEO of the Joseph M. Bryan Foundation. “And it’s only through intense cooperation among a loyal set of partners along with the unwavering support from Governor Cooper, Senator Berger and Speaker Moore that this announcement could have been made.”
This project has been especially noteworthy for the level of cooperation demonstrated among an array of organizations including Randolph County, the City of Greensboro, the Joseph M. Bryan Foundation, and the North Carolina Railroad Company (NCRR), all of which have or will be making major investments in the site’s completion. This partnership gave North Carolina the competitive advantage it needed to land the state’s first automotive battery plant.
“Toyota’s decision to build a facility at the Greensboro-Randolph Megasite validates the strength of this region’s labor force, infrastructure and our ability to build regional partnerships to get things done,” said Brent Christensen, President & CEO of the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce. “This is an exciting time for our region.”
A series of land acquisitions over several years made it possible for the Greensboro-Randolph Megasite Foundation and the Randolph County Economic Development Corporation to ultimately offer a 1,900-acre site. The North Carolina Railroad Company (NCRR) was integral to the site’s success, investing nearly $35 million to purchase more than 60 percent of the land required for the future home of the automotive battery production plant.
“This project is indicative of our knack for collaboration to support rail-related opportunities and our long-term commitment to the future growth and prosperity of the State of North Carolina,” said Carl M. Warren, President & CEO of the North Carolina Railroad Company. “The North Carolina Railroad Company was excited to play a unique role in the site assembly, infrastructure development and recruitment efforts that were ultimately a catalyst for landing this game-changing investment and employment opportunity for the region and state.”
Toyota Motor North America will establish a new company and build an automotive battery plant together with Toyota Tsusho, aiming to start production in 2025. The project includes an investment of approximately $1.29 billion until 2031, which includes funds that will be used to develop land and build facilities, resulting in the creation of 1,750 new direct jobs in the region. The next-generation battery plant will be housed in new facilities planned for the Greensboro-Randolph Megasite, located in the Triad region in northern Rockingham County near U.S. 421. The site will provide easy access to major interstates, an international airport and first-rate rail and intermodal facilities.
“Randolph County and the people of the surrounding region look forward to welcoming the Toyota team to their new home,” noted Kevin Franklin, CEO of the Randolph Country Economic Development Corporation. “Now the important work of readying the region for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity can begin.”
The Greensboro-Randolph Megasite was selected over competitive locations in several other states due to its central location, abundant regional workforce and robust transportation infrastructure, among other factors. The decision amounts to a transformative job creation opportunity for North Carolina’s Triad region, given that the battery plant operation will likely bring roughly 1,750 direct and indirect jobs to the area.
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