Toyota Starts Hybrid Vehicle Production in North America
<http://www.japancorp.net/?page_num=1> JapanCorp: Toyota Starts Hybrid Vehicle Production in North America Tokyo, Japan, Oct. 13, 2006 - (JCN Newswire) - TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION (TMC) announced today that it held a line-off ceremony for the Camry Hybrid at Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc. (TMMK) on October 12 (October 13, Japan time), marking the beginning of Toyota hybrid vehicle production in North America. Among those attending the ceremony were United States Senator Jim Bunning, Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher, TMMK President Steve St. Angelo, Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. President Seiichi Sudo and Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. Senior Vice President Don Esmond. At the ceremony, St. Angelo said, "We are proud, excited and honored to be Toyota's first plant in North America to build a hybrid vehicle. It's a great tribute to the tremendous ability and skill level of all of our team members, who have been building the Camry, America's number one selling sedan." TMMK, which invested approximately 10 million U.S. dollars toward production of the Camry Hybrid, will have a Camry Hybrid annual production capacity of 48,000 units. Since the start of sales of the Camry Hybrid in North America in May this year, a total of approximately 23,000 units have been sold as of the end of September. Cumulatively, starting with the Prius in 2000 and including the Highlander Hybrid, the RX400h and the GS450h, approximately 420,000 Toyota and Lexus hybrid vehicles have been sold in North America as of the end of September 2006. Toyota continues to actively introduce new hybrid products, including the LS600h—which is scheduled for market introduction in 2007, to further promote the widespread use of hybrid vehicles. Outline of TMMK Company name Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc. Location Georgetown, Kentucky (U.S.A.) President Steve St. Angelo Establishment January 1986 Start of production May 1988 Product lineup Camry, Camry Solara, Camry Hybrid, Avalon Production capacity 500,000/year Number of employees Approx. 7,000 (As of October 2006) About Toyota Industries Corporation With core-business materials handling equipment and car air-conditioning compressors occupying top world market share, Toyota Industries Corporation is a total equipment maker that is expanding its ventures in vehicles, engines, textile machinery and electronics. Fiscal 2003 sales were 1.16 trillion yen. Toyota Industries Corporation is traded on the Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya stock exchanges. For further information, please visit the Toyota Industries Corporation home page at: www.toyota-industries.com <http://www.toyota-industries.com> Contact Toyota Motor Corporation Public Relations Department http://www.toyota.co.jp/en/index_company.html _____ Oct. 13, 2006, 10:39 (JST) Source: Toyota Industries Corporation Toyota Industries Corporation www.toyota-industries.com <http://www.toyota-industries.com> From the Japan Corporate News Network View <http://www.japancorp.net/company_show.asp?compid=3259> Toyota Industries Corporation 's Company Profile On JCN Network www.japancorp.net <http://www.japancorp.net> Topic: Press release summary Sectors: Trade & Commerce, Auto Copyright © 2006 JCN Network <http://www.japancorp.net> . A division of Japan Corporate News Network KK. All rights reserved. If you believe you have received this news in error or would like to be removed from our mailing list please respond here <https://www.japancorp.net/unsubscribe.asp> (https://www.japancorp.net/unsubscribe.asp) and you will be removed from our mailing list. If you have difficulty viewing our News Alerts in HTML format you can change your settings here <https://www.japancorp.net/changeregister.asp> (https://www.japancorp.net/changeregister.asp).