PRINCETON, Ind., Jan. 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Furthering
Toyota's commitment to better serve customers and build vehicles
where they are sold, Toyota Indiana (TMMI) invested an additional
$700 million and added 150 new jobs
to complete the transformation of its plant modernization project,
announced in January 2017.
The project adds 550 new jobs and represents a total new
investment of $1.3 billion, which was
used for retooling, new equipment installation and advanced
manufacturing technologies to further modernize the facility and
meet strong demand for the all-new 2020 Toyota
Highlander. Since 1996, Toyota Indiana's total investment is
approximately $5 billion and total
employment exceeds 7,000. The plant has the capacity to assemble
more than 420,000 vehicles annually.
This new investment is part of a broader commitment from Toyota
to invest $13 billion in its U.S.
operations over a five-year period through 2021. To date, Toyota
has committed approximately $7.1
billion of the announced total; cumulative direct investment
in the U.S. exceeds $28.4
billion.
"Hoosier manufacturers are driving our economy forward, building
the products that power our world every day," said Governor
Eric Holcomb. "For more than 20
years, Toyota has been providing quality career opportunities and
helping train Indiana's future
workforce. I am so grateful that Toyota remains committed to
Indiana, and am thankful for all
they are doing to continue making Indiana the best place to live, work and
play."
"Part of Toyota's tremendous success in North America is building vehicles where we
sell them," said Christopher
Reynolds, chief administration officer, manufacturing and
corporate resources for TMNA. "Our $1.3
billion investment at TMMI is further proof that our Hoosier
workforce is rededicated to producing safer, high-quality vehicles
our customers love to drive."
Today's news was announced at a celebration in Princeton, Ind., where the all-new 2020
Highlander recently began production. In addition to the plant
investment, Toyota Indiana committed $1
million to a new, regional workforce program that will
connect students with career opportunities in advanced
manufacturing while still in high school.
"This program will allow students to get a jump start on their
careers while receiving hands-on training with industry experts and
educators," said Leah Curry, Toyota
Indiana plant president. "By collaborating with our local schools,
we are creating a workforce solution—but, more
importantly—providing greater visibility to student career options
and pathways in the region."
To improve the operational speed, competitiveness and
transformation at its North American vehicle assembly plants based
on platforms and common architectures, Toyota Motor North America,
Inc. will complete the following alignments by 2022.
- Toyota Indiana
(Princeton)
TMMI
will focus on production of mid-size SUVs and minivans including
the Toyota Highlander, Highlander Hybrid and the Toyota Sienna.
TMMI will cease production of the Toyota Sequoia by 2022.
- Toyota Texas
(San Antonio)
Toyota
Texas (TMMTX) will focus on
production of full-size body-on-frame trucks and SUVs. It will
continue to assemble the Toyota Tundra and will begin assembly of
the Toyota Sequoia starting in 2022. TMMTX will cease production of
the Toyota Tacoma by late-2021. Production capacity at TMMTX
remains at 208,000 units annually, and last summer, it announced a
$391 million new investment for
multi-vehicle production capabilities. The facility's total
investment tops $3 billion;
employment is 3,200.
- Toyota Guanajuanto (Guanajuanto, Mexico)
Toyota Motor Manufacturing
de Baja California (TMMBC) has
been assembling Tacomas since 2004. In December 2019, Toyota Motor Manufacturing de
Guanajuato (TMMGT) also began
assembly of the Tacoma; both plants will continue to focus on
production of mid-size trucks. Production capacity at TMMGT remains
at 100,000 units per year; employment is 1,000.
As a result of this production alignment, there will be no
reduction to direct jobs at any of Toyota's facilities across
North America.
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in
the U.S. and North America for
more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable,
next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus
brands. During that time, Toyota has created a tremendous
value chain as our teams have contributed to world-class design,
engineering, and assembly of more than 40 million cars and trucks
in North America, where we have 14
manufacturing plants, 15 including our joint venture in
Alabama (10 in the U.S.), and
directly employ more than 47,000 people (over 36,000 in the
U.S.). Our 1,800 North American dealerships (nearly 1,500 in
the U.S.) sold 2.7 million cars and trucks (2.4 million in the
U.S.) in 2019.
Through the Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights
the way it partners with community, civic, academic and
governmental organizations to address our society's most pressing
mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move,
anything is possible. For more information about Toyota,
visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.
Media contacts:
For Toyota Motor
North America:
|
|
Marjorie
Schussel
|
Victor
Vanov
|
646.932.3754
|
859.801.2592
|
marjorie.schussel@toyota.com
|
victor.vanov@toyota.com
|
|
|
For Toyota
Indiana:
|
|
Ashley
Chatham
|
|
859.473.3709
|
|
ashley.chatham@toyota.com
|
|
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SOURCE Toyota Motor North America