Toyota plans expansion of new Woodstock, Ont. plant

Toyota Motor Manufacturing North America (TMMNA) plans to increase the capacity of its Woodstock, Ont. facility to 150,000 RAV4 sport utility vehicles.
As a result, the number of employees at the plant, which is currently under construction, will increase to about 2,000, and total investment will grow to about C$1.1 billion/US$950 million.
The facility, managed by Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada (TMMC) in Cambridge, was announced last June and construction began in October. Production begins in 2008.
“This capacity increase gives us the flexibility to adjust to future
market demand,” said Seiichi Sudo, president of the TMNA. “We are confident in TMMC’s ability to handle this growth.”
Ray Tanguay, president of TMMC, said the expansion is further evidence of the strength of the auto industry.
“This announcement is a vote of confidence by Toyota and the consumers,and demonstrates that auto manufacturing is alive and well in Canada,” he
said. “It is not only good news for our team members, but also for Canada and our suppliers across North America.
“We knew that Toyota’s new plant in Woodstock would bring tremendous benefits to the community and to all of Ontario, and now our great expectati0ns have quickly been exceeded,” said Ontario Economic Development and Trade Minister Joe Cordiano. “Toyota’s continued investment in Woodstock
is a strong vote of confidence in Ontario’s highly skilled workforce, and we are proud of their decision to choose this great province.”
TMMC, which employs 4,300 and builds the Corolla, Matrix and Lexus RX330, has been manufacturing vehicles in Cambridge since November 1988. TMMC built
more than 306,000 units in 2005.
By 2008, Toyota will have the annual capacity to build 1.88 million cars and trucks, 1.44 million engines, and 600,000 automatic transmissions in North
America. The company’s direct employment is 38,000, with a current investment of $16.3 billion. Additionally, Toyota’s annual purchasing of parts, materials, goods and services from North American suppliers totals more than US$26 billion. Toyota’s North American-produced vehicles include the Avalon,
Camry, Corolla, Matrix, Sienna, Solara, Sequoia, Tacoma, Tundra and the Lexus RX330. Toyota begins producing the Camry Hybrid in Kentucky later this year.