Toyota's TABC Celebrates 30-Year Anniversary, Announces Truck Assembly for Hino Motors in Long Beach

LONG BEACH, Calif., June 6 -- Toyota's longest operating U.S. manufacturing facility, TABC, Inc., marked its 30-year history today with a celebration at the company's Long Beach site.

The occasion was highlighted with an announcement by Japan-based Hino Motors, Ltd. that the company would establish its first U.S. manufacturing operation at TABC beginning in 2004. Hino will assemble medium-size commercial panel trucks to be sold in North America. Annual production the first year will be 4,000 units.

"TABC has experienced good success in its 30-year history," said TABC president Seiji Ikezaki. "The decision by Hino Motors to establish its first U.S. operation here at our plant is a credit to our team members who build top quality products, as well as to the Long Beach community."

This will be the first time a full vehicle has been made at TABC. The Hino truck assembly operation is expected to locate in an existing area of the plant, and the company will invest approximately $3 million for equipment installation.

Hino's truck assembly will be the first vehicle assembly operation to locate in California since the Toyota/General Motors joint venture plant, NUMMI, opened in 1984.

"It is very helpful for us to have a partner like TABC which has years of experience of factory management and has an excellent staff," said Hino Motors Executive Vice President Hiroshi Ginya.

"We are also delighted that our trucks will be assembled in California, which is a very important market for us," he said.

Hino Motors is an affiliated company of Toyota Motor Corporation. The company produces a range of commercial vehicles and supplies trucks and buses to over one hundred countries throughout the world, with especially strong presence in Japan and Asia.

Hino has led the medium and heavy-duty truck market in Japan for 29 consecutive years.

TABC currently produces truck beds, catalytic converters, power steering columns and substrates for Toyota vehicles and employs nearly 600 people at its Long Beach plant.

At today's anniversary celebration, TABC also presented checks for $2,000 each to ten area organizations as a way to thank the community for its part in the company's 30-year success. In addition, the company recognized ten TABC team members who have been with the company since its start up in 1972.