Mitsubishi May Shutter Its Only U.S. Factory: Is A Complete Withdrawal Coming ... - The Car Connection
UPDATE: Mitsubishi has confirmed that the rumors of the Normal, Illinois plant closure are true. There are some very unpleasant rumors floating around the internet -- rumors that, if true, could have serious consequences for nearly 1,000 workers at Mitsubishi's only manufacturing facility in North America. According to Reuters , the Japanese automaker is considering a plan to shutter its plant in Normal, Illinois after the company's contract with union employees expires in August. The outlet cites two inside sources who say that Mitsubishi wants to shift production to Asia to improve efficiency and meet demand in growing Asian markets. According to the report, Mitsubishi will put the Illinois plant up for sale and work with labor reps to find jobs for the 918 employees affected by the move. Elected officials in Normal have received no confirmation or denial about the rumors. The facility opened in 1988, when Mitsubishi was closely aligned with Chrysler (and growing closer ). Production peaked around the year 2000, when Normal churned out more than 200,000 Mitsubishi vehicles. Three years ago, Mitsubishi pulled production from Europe, handing over the reins of its NedCar brand to the VDL Groep. These days, most of Mitsubishi's manufacturing facilities are in Asia, with one outpost in Russia (thanks to a joint venture with Peugeot Citroen), one in Venezuela, and one in Brazil. Source: www.thecarconnection.com
