TOKYO — Masashi Aihara, the manufacturing guru in charge of Mazda's second effort to build cars in America, has no regrets about the company bailing on its first assembly plant in Michigan.
Unlike the Flat Rock factory it once jointly operated with Ford, Mazda's new factory in Huntsville, Ala., not only has a powerful, more compatible partner in Toyota, its shop is union-free to boot.
Both are big bonuses in his book.