NAGOYA, Japan – A Japan-based automotive industry manufacturer is planning to locate a facility in Charlestown. Magnolia Automotive Services LLC, a subsidiary of Toyota Tsusho Corp., intends to invest $4.4 million into a new operation at the River Ridge Commerce Center and add more than two dozen jobs.

Toyota Tsusho, and its U.S. affiliate Toyota Tsusho America Inc., provide logistics, manufacturing, supply and technical support to Toyota Motor Manufacturing Inc. operations including those located in Columbus, Lafayette and Princeton.

The announcement comes as Governor Mike Pence continues an economic development mission in the Asian nation. He says Magnolia Automotive Services’ plans recognize the state’s job training and talent attraction efforts “when faced with a world of options.”

The Indiana Economic Development Corp. says the center will be a “key” distribution hub and serve over 100 North American Toyota suppliers. It’ll be Magnolia’s first operation outside of the state of Mississippi. President Lorron James says “Toyota has been highly supportive of Magnolia, as well as the entire minority business community, and we are truly honored to have this opportunity as Indiana is a great place to do business.”

Charlestown Mayor Bob Hall calls it a “big win for our community” and says Mayor Jeff Gahan in neighboring New Albany played a big role in landing the deal. He said Gahan kept the region “in the hunt for this project when company leaders were on the verge of going in another direction. Had Mayor Gahan not kept the dialogue going with company leaders, this project could have landed in an entirely other region or state.”

Published by Inside Indiana Business