Isuzu Buying Alabama Land for Plant
April 09, 2007

Isuzu has purchased land in Birmingham, Ala., for a vehicle assembly plant, a company spokesman confirmed Monday. Isuzu paid $7.8 million for the land previously was occupied by a warehouse of Del Monte Foods.

The company spokesman said Isuzu is preparing a full-fledged return to production in the U.S.

Isuzu had a joint venture in Indiana with Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd., the maker of Subaru automobiles, but withdrew in 2003. Fuji bought out Isuzu and became sole operator of the plant.

Last year, Toyota bought a 5.9 percent stake in Isuzu, best known for its diesel technology that Toyota is eager to gain. Earlier General Motors sold its entire 7.9 percent stake in Isuzu. GM uses Isuzu's diesel technology in its Duramax-powered pickup trucks.

Isuzu only sells trucks in the U.S. Though it sells only two models -- the Ascender (a rebadged Chevrolet TrailBlazer built in Janesville, Wis.) and the i-Series pickup -- its sales in the U.S. grew about 10 percent last year to 27,000 units, the company said.

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