WILLIAMSTOWN, W.Va., Sept. 29 WV-Hino-Auto-opening
WILLIAMSTOWN, W.Va., Sept. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Hino Motors Manufacturing
USA, Inc. (HMM), today celebrated the official Grand Opening of its commercial
truck assembly facility in Williamstown. This facility is Hino's first
wholly-owned truck assembly plant in the United States. Approximately 300
guests attended the event, which included an assembly line tour and display of
several Hino trucks equipped for different customer uses. Elected and
business leaders offered congratulatory remarks, including, West Virginia
Governor Joe Manchin; Representative Alan Mollohan; Ambassador Motoatsu
Sakurai, Consul General of Japan; and Shoji Kondo, Chairman of the Board of
Hino Motors Ltd. (Japan). Senator Jay Rockefeller was scheduled to
participate, but unexpectedly needed to be in Washington to participate in
Senate consideration of economic recovery legislation.
"Hino Motors Manufacturing has established an important presence in Wood
County and the Mid-Ohio Valley, and we're glad to have been a partner in that
growth," said Governor Manchin. "We've watched Hino's rapid growth with
pleasure and look forward to a long and mutually rewarding working
partnership."
Senator Jay Rockefeller echoed similar praise from Washington. "I'm
incredibly proud to have helped open the doors for Hino to come to West
Virginia. It was a proud day for Wood County and our entire state when this
company announced it was opening a facility here last year. Since that time,
production has ramped up, approximately 1,000 trucks have rolled off the
assembly line, and the hard working employees continue to impress and amaze
every day. I congratulate Hino on today's grand opening, and I look forward to
supporting its success in West Virginia for many years to come."
HMM-West Virginia assembles Class 4 to 7 commercial trucks. Customers use
Hino Trucks for such purposes as residential/commercial moving, armored car
service, beverage distribution, and wrecker service. The plant started
production in November 2007, and today employs about 105 full-time Team
Members. HMM has invested over $18,000,000 in the West Virginia facility, in
the plant and equipment, to date.
"Hino very much appreciates the support it has received from the State and
the surrounding local communities," noted parent company Chairman Kondo, who
flew in from Tokyo specifically for the event. "Starting an operation with an
empty building is a difficult task. We are fortunate to have good partners in
government and the business community and, most importantly, a great group of
Team Members."
Ceremony attendees also heard compelling, first-hand accounts from three
Team Members of the positive impact that employment with HMM has had on their
lives and families.
Hino announced several important contributions to the area community. Mr.
Yasuo Tanigawa, President of HMM, presented a diesel truck engine to
Washington State Community College, and a "practice training truck" to the
Wood County Technical Center. Mr. Tanigawa explained that the intent of these
contributions is to provide valuable education and skills training to local
students -- a critical component of Hino's corporate social responsibility
initiatives.
In addition to these donations, Chairman Kondo announced the establishment
of a Hino college scholarship program. The scholarship will be awarded
annually to four local high school seniors, in an amount up to one thousand
dollars per year per student, for up to four academic years. The scholarship
program will be administered by the Parkersburg Area Community Foundation.
At the close of the event, several of the dignitaries participated in a
traditional ceremony of breaking the top of a sake keg, called Kagami Biraki,
to symbolize "an opening to harmony and good fortune."
SOURCE Hino Motors Manufacturing USA, Inc.
