That puts it closer to Nissan’s U.S. HQ.
These past few years have been automotive musical chairs, as companies move their headquarters to various parts of the country. Cadillac, for example, moved its headquarters from Detroit to New York, then back to Detroit again. Now, Mitsubishi Motors announced they would move their headquarters to Franklin, Tennessee, just south of Nashville, by the end of 2019.
This moves Mitsubishi away from its current North American headquarters in Cypress, California, where the company has operated since 1988. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bob Rolfe say it will also bring $18.25 million in investment to the region as well as 200 jobs, according to an Associated Press report. Fred Diaz, Mitsubishi Motors North America’s president and CEO, commented on the move in a company statement. “As we drive toward the future, this is the perfect time for us to move to a new home.”
Mitsubishi is aiming to change up how it does business, particularly in the context of its partnership with Nissan and Renault. According to the same statement, “The move is part of an ongoing plan to reinvent every aspect of Mitsubishi Motors in the U.S., from corporate leadership to dealer partners to every touchpoint in a customer’s relationship with their vehicle, and will sharpen the company’s focus on future growth and innovation.” To that end, Mitsubishi claims 80 percent of its leadership team is new to the company or recently promoted to the role.
No lost jobs
While Mitsubishi is moving its headquarters, the company said the 200 jobs in California would move to Tennessee. The company’s parts distribution center, currently located on the California headquarters campus, will move to a new building shared with Nissan in Riverside, California. The 25 employees representing the company’s Western Region operations will relocate to new offices in Orange County, California.
Nissan has a production facility in Smyrna, Tennessee, not too far from Mitsubishi’s new HQ. Nissan also currently holds a 34 percent stake in Mitsubishi.
