TOKYO (Kyodo) -- S.S.C, which processes steel sheets mainly for Toyota Motor Corp., said Thursday it will set up a factory in Oshu, Iwate Prefecture, in line with Toyota's strategy of enhancing its group production in northeastern Japan ravaged by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.
S.S.C, based in Aichi Prefecture, selected Oshu as the factory site in light of its geographical proximity to the plants of three Toyota subsidiaries -- Kanto Auto Works Ltd., Central Motor Co. and Toyota Motor Tohoku Corp., it said.
Kanto runs a factory in Kanegasaki, Iwate, Central in Ohira, Miyagi Prefecture, with Toyota in Taiwa, Miyagi.
S.S.C., owned by such companies as Kanpoh Group and Sumitomo Metal Industries Ltd., plans to kick off operation of the factory next June with the capacity to process 7,000 tons of steel sheets a month, it added.