Isuzu Motors held a ground breaking ceremony for new a production facility in the US state of South Carolina, as the Japanese automaker looks to strengthen its market presence in the North American truck market and replace exports from Japan.

The event, held at the construction site in the town of Piedmont, Greenville County, was attended by around 150 people, including the South Carolina Governor, Henry McMaster, the Japanese Ambassador to the US, Shigeo Yamada, and Isuzu CEO, Masanori Katayama.

The plant, first announced in February, is scheduled to become operational in 2027. Isuzu is investing US$ 280 million in the facility, which will produce battery and diesel-powered N-series and F-series trucks, employing some 700 people by 2028. It will be operated by Isuzu’s wholly owned local subsidiary, Isuzu North America Corporation (INAC).

INAC Chairman and CEO, Noboru Murakami, said that his company “is committed to building not just a factory, but a long-lasting partnership with this community. Together, we will create jobs, drive innovation, and contribute to the future of mobility.”

Isuzu said in a statement: “With the ground breaking ceremony as the first step, the new facility has begun installing vehicle production lines within an existing building. Going forward, while monitoring the adoption of electric commercial vehicles in the US market, the new facility will feature state-of-the-art equipment designed for flexibility and scalability, enabling a variable-model, variable-volume production system that can also accommodate the continued demand for internal combustion engine vehicles. In addition, by transferring production of North America-bound vehicles from Isuzu’s Fujisawa plant to the new facility, the company aims to reach an annual production capacity of approximately 50,000 units by 2030.”