View of front entrence of MMNA factory

Mitsubishi Motors North America

Mitsubishi Motors North America (MMNA) is the United States based operation component of the Japanese auto maker Mitsubishi Motors Corporation. MMNA's production facility was established here in The City Normal in 1985. The factory currently only produces the Outlander Sport, Mitsubishi's Compact crossover. The vehicle is sold in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, Russia, Ukraine, Lebanon, and additional countries throughout the Persian Gulf, South America, and Central America. There are currently 1,250 employees that work at the Factory .The current max producing capability of the facility is 120,000 vehicles a year.  The factory brings in over 120 million dollars a year to the local economy. The Factory has produced overall in its 26 year history around three and a quarter million vehicles that have been sold in 48 different countries. http://www.pantagraph.com/millions-of-vehicles-built-at-twin-cities-mitsubishi-plant/article_cde2585a-2199-5319-b4db-de93be82f75a.html

History

Mitsubishi Motors North America was established do to issues between them and Chrysler Corporation arouse around 1981. Chrysler who had been the companies U.S. Importer had been selling Mitsubishi's Japanese produced cars in the U.S. , branded under their Chrysler, Dodge, and Plymouth names. Chrysler would import around 110,000 Mitsubishi's a year from the 70s and into the early 80s. Chrysler and Mitsubishi’s issues started when Mitsubishi wanted to create their own sales market and sell their vehicles through their own Dealers. Japanese Auto Makers where only allowed to import a certain number of their vehicles to the U.S. each year, meaning that all vehicles Mitsubishi would bring in to sell at their own dealerships would come out of Chrysler's Import quota.  In October of 1985, Mitsubishi Motors Corp. and Chrysler Corp would come together to establish Diamond Star Motors (DSM). Each company would own 50% stake of DSM and the establishment of a North American Factory for Mitsubishi Motors Corp had begun. This would now allow the Japanese automaker to not be restricted by quotas that they and Chrysler faced when importing their vehicles from Japan. Diamond Star was now able to sell a much higher volume of vehicle in the U.S. Market. When looking for a location for the new plant the State of Illinois and Town of Normal ran strong campaigns and would be selected as the location for the factory. In April of 1986 Diamond Star officially broke ground on the new facility in Normal. The Factory would be located on the very west end Of College Avenue, and around a mile and a half north of West Market and Illinois Rt. 9, and a couple miles south of Interstate 74. Laying right in front of the road now Called Mitsubishi Motorway. In June of 1986 Diamond Star had officially hired its first employee. In March of 1988 the Factory was finally completed 2 months ahead of schedule. Then in September of that same year the Factory would begin production of their first car the Mitsubishi Eclipse. The Eclipse was to be branded into three different companies and names but all 3 different vehicles were built on the same platform. The other two were the Plymouth Laser, and the Eagle Talon. In the First year 2,206 of the vehicles would be produced followed by 90,609 in 1989. In October of 1991 Diamond Star would move into new territory when Mitsubishi Corp purchased Chrysler's 50% stake in the Company.  The two companies would continue there ties together on contract bases from here on out. In 1993 Diamond Star added new vehicles to its production. The Mitsubishi Gallant was now being produced in Normal. The Company would also sign contracts with Chrysler to produce the Dodge Avenger, Dodge Stratus, and Chrysler Sebring in Normal which would start in 1995. In addition the second generation of the Mitsubishi Eclipse would now be produced here as well. In July of the same Year Diamond Star was renamed to Mitsubishi Motor Manufacturing of America Inc. or MMMA. MMMA would celebrate there 10 year anniversary in 1995 as well the milestone of producing there 1 millionth vehicle, a brand new convertible called the Spyder Eclipse. The plant continues to produce well into the new millennium and in November of 2000 MMMA announced they would be expanding the Normal Plant for a new SUV they would be producing. In February of 2001 Mitsubishi would hit another Milestone they had produced there 2 millionth vehicle. When 2002 rolled in MMMA name would be getting a second over hall, they would now be Mitsubishi Motors North America or MMNA which the company is still known by today. In January of 2003, Mitsubishi's new SUV would finally Launch the arrival of the Endeavor. This new vehicle now meant MMNA was now producing six different vehicles on one assemble line. Mitsubishi was the fastest growing brand in the United States. This was due to a risky strategy the company took called the 0-0-0 method. This offered consumers zero money down, zero interest, and zero payments for 1 year. the strategy would bring the companies huge growth to a halt when buyers who hadn’t paid any money would be unable to make payments once the time came around and Mitsubishi would have thousands of used cars that’s value had vastly depreciated that they hadn't received a dime for. Mitsubishi had took a 454 Million dollar hit. In 2004 the company would lay off over 1000 of their employees due to the loses. They would only now be one shift of workers instead of the 3 they had for so long bringing the plants max producing capability way down.  http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-11662970.html The Company would continue to struggle for years after this mess. In 2009 there was a high note of hitting the 3 millionth car produced. Things would continue to look dim for MMNA, in 2010 the plant that had once produced 6 different vehicles at a time was now just down to 2 the Outlander Sport and Endeavor. In 2011 the last endeavor was produced and MMNA was down to 1 vehicle. To this day the Factory still only produces the Mitsubishi Outlander sport. With the recent turn in auto sells Mitsubishi sales of the vehicle have been strong. The company hopes to continue to build on strong sells of the Outlander and remain a Strong part of our community into the future. The new company president has pledged they will continue to operate in the U.S. despite slow sales but sees things are starting to pick up for the company. For the future the plant has plans to introduce a new plug in version of the Outlander Sport expected to be seen in show rooms starting in 2015.

Mitsubishi Outlander Sport on the assembly Line 

Facilities

MMNA's Factory located at 100 Mitsubishi Motorway here in Normal, is one of the most advanced in the world. It houses over 400 robots to create Mitsubishi's cars. It is 636 acres in size or 2.4 million square feet, enough to hold 50 football fields. The factory employs 1,250 employees who work in 5 different shops of  Stamping, Plastics, Body, Paint and Trim/Final Assembly. A majority of the Vehicles  56.5% in 2014 produced here are exported over seas. Most are carried by railway intilialy which runs right behind the factory. 

Aerial View of MMNA 

Pop Culture

Cars produced at MMNA here in Normal have even made it to the big screen in Holywood.  The highly sucessful Fast and Furious Movies have featured many Mitsubishi cars including a couple that where made here in Normal. In Fast and Furious the first movie the famous Paul Walker Drives a motified 1995 Eclipse GS that originated in Normal. In the sequal 2 Fast 2 Furios a 2002 Eclipse Spyder GTS is driven by Tyrese Gibson. The movies would be a huge influence on many kids and help create a generation of gear heads. 

Paul Walkers Eclipse from the Fast and Furious

Tyrese Gibsons Spyder Eclipse from 2 Fast 2 Furious