Panola County is a great choice for auto manufacturers. Here are the top 5 reasons why your business should be here:
- Strategic Location
Located only 45 minutes south of Memphis, with fast access via I-55 to the Memphis International Airport, the International Port of Memphis, and trucking and railway centers in Memphis, Panola County is strategically located for manufacturing. - Close Proximity to OEMs
Panola County is located within 400 miles of 12 automotive manufacturers in the southeastern United States; 2 of which, Nissan in Canton and Toyota in Blue Springs, are within 200 miles of Batesville. - Shovel-Ready Industrial Property
With over 400 shovel-ready acres located in our Airport Industrial Complex, W.H. Harmon Industrial Complex, and other available sites, we’ve got the site to suit your needs. - Highly-Trained Labor Force
The nearby Center for Manufacturing Excellence located on the University of Mississippi campus, ABET-accredited undergraduate degree programs at nearby universities, and customized workforce training programs at Northwest Community College means workers in Panola County are well-prepared for all levels of manufacturing jobs. - Strong Local Incentives
Panola County offers highly competitive tax exemptions and other local incentives. Read more about local incentives.
Southeastern Automotive Manufacturers
Panola County is located within 400 miles of 12 automotive manufacturers in the southeastern United States; 2 of these are within 200 miles of Batesville. Learn why Panola County is an ideal location for today’s automotive companies.
Toyota Tier 1 Supplier
Toyoda Gosei located in Batesville, is a Tier 1 supplier to Toyota OEM at Blue Springs, Mississippi. This supplier makes plastic-injected interior and exterior components.
There are 198 automotive suppliers in Mississippi – view a map of Mississippi automotive companies (interactive map provided by MDA).
Existing Metal Fabricators in Panola County
| Company | Location | Description | No. of Employees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Batesville Tool & Design, Inc. | Batesville | High Performance CNC Milling Die-Mold, CNC Turning, CNC Wire EDM, CNC Ram EDM | 14 |
| Edge Tool & Design | Batesville | Builds plastic injection molding, precision tooling, general CNC machining | 5 |
| Magnolia Tooling | Batesville | Tool and design; CNC Machining | 8 |
| Thomasville Metal Fabricators (Tier Rack) | Como | Stackable steel storage systems (pallet size or customized) Specialized/customized metal fabricating | 25 |
Center for Manufacturing Excellence
Located in Oxford, Mississippi, at the University of Mississippi, the 47,000-square-foot Center for Manufacturing Excellence provides undergraduate interdisciplinary education in manufacturing. Courses are offered through the schools of Business Administration, Accountancy, and Engineering. Students work together in classes and on the 12,000-square-foot shop floor to develop products and address manufacturing problems.
The Center also offers extension and training programs to Mississippi manufacturing companies and collaborates with K-12 schools and community colleges.
Research and Development
Groups and institutes affiliated with our state universities undertake automotive manufacturing-related research and offer assistance to industries. These include:
- Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems (CAVS) of Mississippi State University located in Starkville
- Mississippi Polymer Institute of the University of Southern Mississippi located in Hattiesburg
- Composite Materials Research Group of the University of Mississippi, located in Oxford
Manufacturing Associations in the State
- The Mississippi Automotive Manufacturers Association acts as a forum for communication and cooperation among automotive manufacturing companies in Mississippi to promote the growth and development of the industry.
- The Mississippi Manufacturer’s Association advocates for and provides support for the manufacturing industry in Mississippi.
Incentives for Manufacturers
The state of Mississippi offers financial incentives to manufacturers expanding or locating to Mississippi. View the list of tax incentives.