The Mitsubishi plant in Normal employs more than 1,200 workers. It will be closing down in November after being in operation since 1988.

In the immediate aftermath of news that Mitsubishi motor company is shutting down its plant in Normal, several organizations, including the Bloomington-Normal Economic Development Council, have pledged to seek out a long-term suitor for the property.

The company has reportedly announced plans to halt productions at its plant on Nov. 30.   More than 1,200 employees are employed at the plant, which is Mitsubishi’s only manufacturing plant in North America.

In addition to working closely with town officials in Normal, Mike O’Grady, BNEDC vice president, said efforts are being made to tap into resources within Gov. Bruce Rauner’s office, as well as the more regionally focused Economically Development Council of Central Illinois.

“As Kyle (Ham, BNEDC’s executive director) said, this is an all hands on deck effort,” O’Grady said. “There are going to be a lot of people involved in this, including some of our state elected representatives.”

From the perspective of the BNEDC, O’Grady said the top priority is to assist displaced Mitsubishi workers — an important gesture, he said, because the company’s announcement was unexpected.

“After that, we will begin searching for a purchaser for the plant,” he said. “There are a lot of skilled, seasoned employees in this area.”

Normal Mayor Chris Koos did not respond to a call and email seeking comment.

Hiroshi Harunari, executive vice president in charge of overseas operations for Mitsubishi, reportedly said the decision to close the plant was unrelated to labor costs and its relationship with the United Auto Workers.

The Normal plant is the only Japanese-owned U.S. auto factory whose hourly workers are represented by the UAW.

Annual production at the Normal plant has dropped to 64,000 vehicles from more than 200,000 in 2002.

Mitsubishi’s sales in the United States have fallen to where the company sold only 82,000 vehicles last year, less than one percent of the total market

The plant in Normal opened in 1988 as a joint venture with its then-partner, Chrysler. Mitsubishi is reportedly ready to begin negotiations with labor representatives to maintain jobs for the plant’s employees.

–McLean County leaders look for solution to Mitsubishi plant closing–