IN what looks like another triumph for US President Donald Trump, Mazda Motor Corporation and Toyota Motor Corporation have set up new joint-venture company, Mazda Toyota Manufacturing, USA, Inc, or MTMUS for short, that will produce vehicles in Huntsville, Alabama from 2021.

The move follows criticism by Trump a year ago, when he had a go at Toyota for planning to build Corollas in Mexico.

He had earlier urged carmakers to build plants in the US to boost job opportunities.

So Mazda and Toyota clearly had a rethink and announced their US$1.6 billion joint venture would produce 150,000 new Mazda crossovers and a similar number ofย  Corollas with the plant, creating about 4000 new jobs.

โ€œA great investment in American manufacturing,โ€ the President tweeted.

The new plant will be Toyotaโ€™s 11th in the US.

โ€œWe hope to make MTMUS a plant that will hold a special place in the heart of the local community,โ€ MTMUS chief Masashi Aihara said.

โ€œBy combining the best of our technologies and corporate cultures, Mazda and Toyota will not only produce high-quality cars but also create a plant employees will be proud to work at and contribute to the further development of the local economy and the automotive industry.

โ€œWe will make every effort to becoming a best-in-town plant that will be loved by our hometown.โ€

MTMUS will soon begin land preparation and the full-scale construction of the plant will start in 2019.