Mitsubishi Motors North America (MMNA), which claims to be the fastest-growing Asian brand in the US for a second consecutive year, is the latest US distributor to uproot staff from the Los Angeles area to shift ‘back east’ – and has just confirmed a new headquarters location close to Alliance partner Nissan in the Cool Springs district of Franklin, Tennessee, a suburb of Nashville.
Nissan moved from the L.A. area to Tennessee – the state is also home to its original US assembly plant in Smyrna – several years ago while Toyota shifted most staff from its Torrance HQ (south of LAX airport) to Plano in north east Dallas, Texas. It also has a plant in the same state building trucks outside San Antonio. MMNA previously operated from Cypress, east of Long Beach (and west of Disneyland on Katella Avenue).
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The company has signed a long term lease, and will occupy the top two floors of the greenfield-developed Northside at McEwen building when it is completed in early spring 2020. The building is at 4015 Aspen Grove Drive, Franklin, TN 37067.
“Our move to Tennessee marks the most visible part of the broad and substantive reinvention of every aspect of our business that is under way,” said president and chief executive officer Fred Diaz in a statement.
“While we cannot wait to move to our permanent home, there is so much ‘great’ happening around the company now and in the near future. With a brave new leadership team, new look dealerships and all new vehicles, the future is indeed bright.”
MMNA will occupy approximately 40,000 square feet in the building, comprised of the entire top – seventh – floor, and approximately half of the sixth floor. Working spaces will be open and airy, flooded with natural light from floor-to-ceiling windows. Walls will be minimised to maintain the bright and open feel, and fixed offices, conference rooms and quiet rooms will be clustered in the central core of the floors, again to maintain clear views and preserve natural light.
Additionally, MMNA will have exclusive external signage rights on the building, and the brand’s three-diamond logo will be clearly visible.
When making the decision to move away from its long-time home in Cypress, the company chose Franklin as its new home because it allows MMNA to focus its efforts on company-wide reinvention and take advantage of the area’s vibrant technology skills, while achieving cost savings through the business-friendly work environment.
Many staff have already relocated. MMNA is currently in temporary facilities in the Spaces Mallory Green building. As part of the move, the company is hiring 150 new people with 50 already on the job.
