Toyota News: Toyota Investing $748M In North American Plants

[Drew Dowdell]

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Toyota announced today that they will be increasing their plan for a $10 billion investment in North America over 5 years to a $13 billion investment in the same time period.  Part of that will be an additional $749 million investment in plants in 5 states that will add 600 jobs to the roles. 

The changes include adding the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid and Lexus ES Hybrid to vehicle production in Georgetown, KY, adding engine and hybrid transmission capacity in Huntsville, AL and Buffalo, WV respectively, as well as adding casting capacity in Tennessee and Missouri. 

These additions are on top of a $1.6 billion investment into a new joint venture facility with Mazda in Huntsville AL that will add 4,000 jobs. 

Further details of Toyota's expansion can be read in their press release on page 2

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Toyota Solidifies Its Substantial and Growing Investment in U.S.

Company Throttles Up Investments from Original $10 Billion Commitment to nearly $13 Billion Over Five Years with Focus on Advancing Electrification, Creating Hundreds More American Jobs
 

• By 2021, Toyota will now invest nearly $13 Billion in its U.S. operations with plans to add nearly 600 new jobs at American manufacturing plants
• Hybrid versions of the popular RAV4 and Lexus ES to be produced in Kentucky for the first time
• Production capacity increases and building expansions at Toyota’s unit plants in Huntsville, Alabama, Buffalo, West Virginia, Troy, Missouri and Jackson, Tennessee

March 14, 2019

WASHINGTON (March 14, 2019) – For over 60 years Toyota has been growing its manufacturing presence in the United States, and today the company announced it will exceed its 2017 pledge to invest $10 billion over five years with a new commitment to reach nearly $13 billion over the same period.

Part of that commitment is seen today with an investment announcement of nearly $750 million in five different states, with more to come. The new investments include adding the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, the best-selling SUV in the U.S., and Lexus ES 300h hybrid vehicle production at its Georgetown, Kentucky, manufacturing plant; expanding engine capacity at its Huntsville, Alabama, facility; doubling hybrid transaxle capacity at its plant in Buffalo, West Virginia; and a building expansion for additional castings at Bodine Aluminum’s Jackson, Tennessee, facility as well as additional castings at its Troy, Missouri, facility.

“These latest investments represent even more examples of our long-term commitment to build where we sell,” said Jim Lentz, chief executive officer for Toyota Motor North America. “By boosting our U.S. manufacturing footprint, we can better serve our customers and dealers and position our manufacturing plants for future success with more domestic capacity.”

A state-by-state look at the new investments totaling $749 million and 586 new jobs:
 
Alabama
Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama (TMMAL) - $288,000,000
In Alabama, Toyota’s investment will increase annual engine capacity from 670,000 to 900,000 by the end of 2021 to increase product flexibility and better accommodate market demand. New 4-cylinder and V6 engine lines will add 450 new jobs to its Huntsville, Alabama, facility, the largest hiring need in the plant’s history. The investment also includes a building expansion. Overall, the plant represents an investment of $1.2 billion.

Kentucky
Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky (TMMK) - $238,000,000
Toyota’s Kentucky vehicle plant, the company’s largest globally, will begin production of the Lexus ES 300h hybrid in May 2019 with annual capacity of 12,000 units while RAV4 Hybrid production will start January 2020 with an annual capacity of 100,000 units. TMMK’s 8,000 team members also build Camry, Camry Hybrid, Avalon, Avalon Hybrid and Lexus ES models with an annual capacity of 550,000 vehicles. Overall, the plant represents an investment of more than $7 billion.

Missouri
Bodine Aluminum Troy, Missouri - $62,000,000
Investments in Toyota’s Bodine Aluminum plant in Missouri will provide equipment to produce an additional 864,000 cylinder heads for Toyota’s New Global Architecture (TNGA). Bodine’s 900 Missouri team members currently produce more than 3 million cylinder heads a year, which are made for every Toyota and Lexus manufactured in North America. Overall, the plant represents an investment of $455 million.

Tennessee
Bodine Aluminum Jackson, Tennessee - $50,000,000
The Tennessee investment includes a building expansion and equipment to double the capacity of hybrid transaxle cases and housings to 240,000 annually. The investment will also provide equipment to produce an additional 288,000 engine blocks a year for TNGA. The plant’s 300 team members currently produce 1.7 million engine blocks a year, which supply every Toyota and Lexus manufactured in North America, and 580,000 transmission cases and housings. Bodine will add 13 new jobs to its facility in Tennessee. Overall, the plant represents an investment of $365 million.

West Virginia
Toyota Motor Manufacturing, West Virginia (TMMWV) - $111,000,000
The West Virginia investment includes a building expansion and equipment to double capacity of hybrid transaxles from 120,000 units (Start of Production-2020) to 240,000 units annually in 2021. To meet the production demands, TMMWV will add 123 new jobs to its facility in Buffalo, West Virginia. Overall, the plant represents a $1.4 billion investment.

Ongoing Additional Investment
Today’s news builds upon Toyota’s already expansive presence in the U.S., which includes 10 manufacturing facilities. This past year, Toyota announced a joint venture with Mazda to build an additional plant in the U.S. The $1.6 billion joint investment will create up to 4,000 new jobs in Huntsville, Alabama, with production slated for 2021. Meanwhile, Toyota’s Princeton, Indiana, plant is undergoing a $600 million transformation (previously announced) to incorporate TNGA and increase Highlander capacity by 40,000 units annually. With this, Toyota is adding 400-plus people to its team in Indiana. In Blue Springs, Mississippi, Toyota is launching the all-new 2020 Corolla on the TNGA line that included a $170 million investment and an increase of 400 jobs (previously announced). Currently, Toyota employs more than 37,000 Americans.

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[G. David Felt]

Trade war is causing auto makers to decide what markets to build in. I expect a few more announcements like this due to the current climate of DC.

[riviera74]

10 hours ago, dfelt said:

Trade war is causing auto makers to decide what markets to build in. I expect a few more announcements like this due to the current climate of DC.

Yup.  Welcome to the trade wars.  I do not see many winners, but consumers will always be the big losers.

[daves87rs]

Ar least until they change their mind again......