A three-company joint venture announced plans to create Madison Metal Processing (MMP), a company which will supply steel blanks to Huntsville’s Mazda Toyota manufacturing assembly and other automotive suppliers.

Trial production has begun for the $40 million, 110,000 square foot Madison operation, with full-production slated to begin in mid-2022. The venture’s participating companies are Toyota Tsusho America Inc., Southern Mobility Products and SteelSummit Holdings, a subsidiary of Sumitomo Corp. of Americas.

Steel blanks are the precursor to automotive surface body parts. Madison Metal Processing will supply up to 300,000 vehicles produced at the Mazda Toyota auto assembly plant.

Area Development reports that Kirk Lewis, chairman and president of MMP, says that the company will be the standard for the production of steel products.

“At MMP, we are committed to providing steel solutions that exceed our customers’ expectations,” said Lewis. “Together, with our partners and the added benefit of our collective acumen, MMP will set the bar for quality in every steel product we deliver.”

Gov. Kay Ivey (R-AL) praised the Tennessee Valley venture.

“This collaboration is another exciting development in the growth of the robust supplier network emerging in North Alabama to support the Mazda Toyota Manufacturing auto assembly facility,” said Ivey.

According to the company, the plant will serve as a full-service steel processing service center, and will specialize in blanking and warehousing steel products including hot rolled steel, cold rolled steel, and exposed and coated steel products. MMP believes in the future that it will process as much as 5,000 tons of steel a month.

Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL