| Isuzu Motors Ltd. has mothballed its plan to | | | | |
| build light commercial truck plant which was | | | | Gov. Bob Riley met with Isuzu leaders on a |
| reported to be destined for Pinson. | | | | trip to Japan in October, and said that the |
| | | | talks were "enthusiastic" and "very |
| Isuzu President Susumu Hosoi told Kyodo News | | | | positive." |
| agency Wednesday that the company is worried | | | | |
| the subprime mortgage crisis will hurt the | | | | Isuzu's truck sales in North America |
| U.S. economy, and that the concerns are | | | | increased about ten percent to 27,000 in |
| serious enough to put the company's plans for | | | | 2006, and the automaker said its goal was |
| a North American plant on hold. | | | | 50,000. Nearly all of Tokyo-based Isuzu's |
| | | | vehicles sold in the U.S are imported from |
| "Our projections for the U.S. market down the | | | | Japan. |
| road are not very good, and we can't see | | | | |
| sufficient volume" of sales coming from | | | | The plant has been the subject of much |
| there, said Hosoi. | | | | discussion. In September, Automotive News |
| | | | reported Isuzu has delayed breaking ground on |
| Last year, the automaker purchased a | | | | the Pinson plant because it was considering a |
| 300,000-square-foot warehouse on Pinson | | | | site in Mexico. In April, Nikkei, a Japanese |
| Valley Parkway for $8 million. Individuals | | | | newspaper reported Isuzu planned to build in |
| familiar with the state and local efforts to | | | | Pinson and produce 5,000 trucks a year. |
| recruit Isuzu said that the company planned | | | | |
| to build light commercial trucks and employ | | | | The maker of Isuzu radiator already makes |
| as many as 1,000 people at the site, The | | | | commercial trucks in Japan. The trucks are |
| Birmingham News reported. | | | | equipped with a low cab and boxy cargo area |
| | | | usually used by contractors, delivery |
| It is too early to give up on the project, | | | | services and plumbers. Isuzu also operates a |
| though, said Metropolitan Development Board | | | | commercial truck assembly plant in |
| President Ted von Cannon. Von Cannon, the | | | | Janesville, Wis., in partnership with General |
| head of the partnership that recruits new | | | | Motors Corp. |
| businesses to the area, said last Wednesday | | | | |
| that projects are sometimes delayed because | | | | In the automotive industry, the buzzword is |
| of global economic conditions. "I have not | | | | expansion. Expansion is not limited to |
| been told this is a dead issue," von Cannon | | | | enhancing Mazda floor mats or any auto part |
| added. "We will continue to move forward with | | | | for that matter. It means expansion of reach |
| all projects big and small." | | | | to compete closely in the global arena. |