Senate Concurrent Resolution 560

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION CELEBRATING THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MISSISSIPPI AUTOMOTIVE MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION AND RECOGNIZING THAT MARCH 1-7, 2015, IS "AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY WEEK" IN MISSISSIPPI.

WHEREAS, the Mississippi Automotive Industry is a vital part of the state's economy; and in 2003, Nissan North America, Inc. assembled its first automobile in the state, a gold Quest minivan; and

WHEREAS, the mission of the Mississippi Automotive Manufacturers Association is to promote the growth and development of the automotive industry in Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, the Mississippi Automotive Manufacturers Association celebrates its 10th Anniversary of serving as a platform for automotive manufacturers as well as suppliers, distributors of parts equipment to manufacturers, companies or organizations involved in manufacturing trends, and/or services to the automotive industry dedicated to increasing corporate investments within the state and building collaborative relationships; and

WHEREAS, shared best practices, networking opportunities scholarships to participating community colleges and university

students studying automotive-related fields, and a founding member

of the Southern Automotive Conference are objectives of Mississippi Automotive Manufacturers Association; and

WHEREAS, nearly 200 automotive supplier companies are located in Mississippi which employ more than 40,000 workers; and

WHEREAS, the Mississippi Automotive Industry has contributed more than $4.1 Billion in investments to the state's economy with the production of more than 3.4 million vehicles over the past decade; and

WHEREAS, Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Mississippi, Inc., produced its first automobile in 2011, a red Toyota Corolla which is the world's best-selling vehicle of all time; and

WHEREAS, Toyota's exports in 2013 totaled more than 130,000 units, a 5-percent increase from the previous year, and an all-time high for the company; and

WHEREAS, Nissan launched in 2012 the first commercial van in the U.S., the Nissan NV and produces a total of 10 model vehicles at the Canton, Mississippi facility; and

WHEREAS, Expansion Solutions named Mississippi among the Top 5 for Advanced Manufacturing Excellence in 2013; and

WHEREAS, 89 international companies from 22 nations are engaged in manufacturing 108 Mississippi plants; and

WHEREAS, 57 Fortune 500 companies have 101 manufacturing plants in Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, Area Development magazine has rated Mississippi as number six for Overall Cost of Doing Business, number three for Competitive Labor Cost and awarded the state with the Silver Shovel Award in 2014 and; it is with great pride that we honor these corporate citizens who contribute in a positive manner to the quality of life in Mississippi:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby celebrate Automotive Industry Week in the State of Mississippi, March 1-7, 2015.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to the Mississippi Automotive Manufacturers Association and the Mississippi Development Authority, and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.