BUFFALO, W. Va., Sept. 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As Toyota
Motor Manufacturing West Virginia (TMMWV) celebrates 25 years of
producing engines and transmissions, a keen eye is looking down the
road at the next quarter century and the excitement that exists as
this plant contributes to Toyota's mission of "Mobility for
All."
"The future of this plant is unlimited," said Srini Matam, president of TMMWV. "We are well
positioned for the next 25 years as innovation and advanced
manufacturing lead the way. We continue to build more efficient
engines and transmissions, and we are deeply engaged in hybrid
technologies and robotics."
While supporting Toyota's global mission of "bringing the joy
and freedom of movement to all," this plant in rural Buffalo, West Virginia, has grown and expanded
in the past 25 years.
- The only Toyota plant in North
America that makes both engines and transmissions –
producing nearly 20 million powertrains since 1996.
- The only Toyota plant in North
America to produce hybrid transaxles (for the Sienna and
Highlander).
- The only Toyota plant worldwide that produces under one roof
this stable of engines: ZR 1.8-liter 4-cylinder, GR V-G 3.5-liter
and TNGA 2.5-liter 4 cylinder.
- Since its inception, TMMWV has had 11 expansions.
Coinciding with the 25-year anniversary celebration, The Toyota
USA Foundation awarded a
$189,000 grant to West Virginia University Institute of Technology.
The grant supports a new after-school computer science program
for middle schools in four West
Virginia counties: Putnam,
Kanawha, Fayette and Raleigh.
"This is an investment in our future," said Carolyn Long, WVU Tech campus president. "The
program will help young people see the opportunities ahead and give
them the tools to pursue interests in robotics, cybersecurity, game
development and more. We hope that this will be a model program
that will expand throughout the state."
Shamaya Morris, a production
group leader at TMMWV, said it is a smart investment for the
future.
"The first thing I tell people is that Toyota West Virginia is
an advanced manufacturing facility. We program and set up robots to
work around people and alleviate the burden of heavy lifting and
repetitive motions. We make it safe for the team members on the
floor. We use the brawn behind the robot but need the team member's
brain and cognitive abilities."
Meantime, West Virginia Gov.
Jim Justice points to Toyota's staying power and overall investment
in the Mountain State.
"I could never thank the incredible folks at Toyota Motor
Manufacturing West Virginia enough for all the goodness they've
brought to the town of Buffalo and
our entire state over the past 25 years," Gov. Justice said. "Their
commitment to our communities and our people has been
off-the-charts. Toyota has been a wonderful partner to our great
state and is a shining example of how a global company can truly
thrive in West Virginia. I
congratulate them on a quarter century of success and wish them all
the best in the years and decades to come."
For Matam, the common denominator for the plant's success is the
2,000 team members.
"The ability of our people to adjust and learn new advanced
manufacturing principles is incredible. From our folks on the line
to the engineers and across the board, it's very humbling to see so
many individuals come together to make the best possible engines,
transmissions and transaxles in the world."
And, for Jacob Plasters, a senior engineering manager, it's the
ability to carve out your own personal niche that makes TMMWV
attractive.
"For anyone out there who is graduating from high school or
college and going to join the workforce, my advice is to find your
passion. I'm allowed to follow my passion where I can work as a
team, but also, have continuous improvement which are part of the
Toyota Way — on a day-to-day basis. I have a very fulfilling
career. At Toyota West Virginia, we are moving forward
together."
Media Contact
George Gannon
304-593-8096
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in
the U.S. for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing
sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus
brands, plus our nearly 1,500 dealerships.
Toyota has created a tremendous value chain and directly
employs more than 36,000 in the U.S. The company has contributed
world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than 30
million cars and trucks at our 9 manufacturing plants, 10 including
our joint venture in Alabama that
begins production in 2021.
To help inspire the next generation for a career in
STEM-based fields, including mobility, Toyota launched its virtual
education hub at www.TourToyota.com with an immersive experience
and chance to visit many of our U.S. manufacturing facilities. The
hub also includes a series of free STEM-based lessons and
curriculum through Toyota USA
Foundation partners, virtual field trips and more. For more
information about Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.
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SOURCE Toyota Motor North America