San
Anonio, TX - Toyota has announced that it
has chosen a 2000-acre site in San Antonio to build its
sixth North American vehicle assembly plant.
Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Texas, Inc.
will build approximately 150,000 Tundra full size trucks
annually, beginning in 2006. Production at the San Antonio
plant will supplement the Tundra production at Toyota Motor
Manufacturing, Indiana, Inc. (TMMI), which is currently
the exclusive manufacturer of this model.
The new plant will represent an $800 million
investment by Toyota and is expected to bring approximately
2,000 new jobs to Texas and indirectly create work for many
more. Operations at the plant will include stamping, body
weld, plastics, paint, and assembly.
Governor Rick Perry, speaking at a news
conference held at the Westin Riverwalk in San Antonio,
welcomed Toyota's decision to set up operations in Texas.
"This
new plant will mean jobs, paychecks and a higher standard
of living for thousands of Texans while helping Texas to
build a stronger, more diverse economy," said
Governor Perry. "And I believe it will the beginning
of a new economic boom in Texas because companies looking
to prosper in the 21st century will find no better home
than Texas."
Toyota Senior Vice President, Dennis Cuneo
joined Governor Perry at the announcement and helped deliver
the good news.
"Toyota
appreciates the opportunity to do business in the state
of Texas," said Cuneo.
"We
know we will find workers of the highest caliber here who
have the skills, the intelligence, and the enthusiasm to
become an important part of the North American Toyota team.
We are also excited to be a part of the San Antonio community,
and we hope to contribute as a good corporate citizen."
Additionally, Cuneo recognized the contributions
of the team who worked on this project.
"We would like to thank all of the organizations who
have helped to bring Toyota to Texas, from the state and
local officials to the private sector. This has really been
a team effort and we appreciate all of your hard work. The
partnership of all of these groups was instrumental to our
decision, including the creation of a new rail district
to provide competitive rail access for our plant."
Toyota
Motor Corporation President, Fujio Cho and Governor Perry
are slated to join a celebration thanking the team who helped
to bring Toyota to San Antonio on Monday, Feb. 10 at the
Institute of Texan Cultures in San Antonio.
Site
preparation and construction for the plant is slated to
begin later this year. A majority of the hiring will take
place in 2005, closer to start of production.
The
plant is the latest addition to Toyota's increasing manufacturing
investment in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. By 2006, the
automaker will have capacity to build 1.65 million cars
and trucks a year, and 1.16 million engines.
Toyota currently has four vehicle assembly
plants in North America. Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky
manufactures the Camry, Avalon, and, beginning this summer,
Camry Solara. TMMI, located in Princeton Ind., builds the
Tundra, Sequoia, and Sienna. New United Motor Manufacturing,
Inc., a joint venture with General Motors, located in Fremont,
Calif., manufactures the Toyota Corolla and Tacoma, Pontiac
Vibe, and the Toyota Voltz (a right-hand drive version of
the Vibe for export to Japan). Toyota Motor Manufacturing
Canada, Inc., in Cambridge, Ontario manufactures the Toyota
Corolla, Matrix, and beginning in September the Lexus RX
330.
Beginning in 2005, Toyota will begin assembly
of Tacoma pick-up trucks at its new plant in Baja California,
Mexico. Additionally, this plant will build Tacoma truck
beds to be shipped to California for vehicle production
at NUMMI.
Additionally, Toyota has three engine plants
in North America. Toyota Motor Manufacturing, West Virginia,
Inc. and Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc. both
produce four-cylinder and V6 engines. Also, its plant in
Ontario, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada, Inc., assembles
four-cylinder engines. Later this year, Toyota Motor Manufacturing,
Alabama, Inc. will begin manufacturing V8 engines for the
Tundra built at TMMI.
By 2006, Toyota will employ some 35,000
people throughout North America. With today's announcement,
the company's direct investment tops $14 billion with annual
parts and materials purchases from North American suppliers
totaling over $11 billion.