A $1.33 billion investment will make Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc. the first plant in North America to begin producing vehicles using Toyota New Global Architecture.
Toyota’s Kentucky assembly plant located in Georgetown, 13 miles north of Lexington and 71 miles east of Louisville, is the automaker’s largest in the world employing 8,200 team members. This represents an all-time high after recently adding over 700 people to support the upcoming launch of the 2018 Camry.
Last year, TMMK produced nearly a quarter of the total number of Toyota vehicles produced in North America, over 500,000. In total, the plant has produced more than one-third, 11 million, of all Toyota vehicles manufactured in North America since 1986.
Today’s announcement adds to the $530 million investment the plant committed to in 2013, in part to support Lexus production, the carmaker said. This brings Toyota Kentucky’s investment in the last four years to approximately $1.86 billion.
“This $1.33 billion investment is part of Toyota’s plan to invest $10 billion dollars in the U.S. over the next five years, on top of the nearly $22 billion Toyota has invested in the U.S. over the past 60 years,” said Jim Lentz, CEO of Toyota Motor North America.
“Toyota New Global Architecture is about exciting, ever-better vehicles for our customers as it will improve performance of all models, including increased fuel efficiency, more responsive handling, and a more stable, comfortable feel while driving,” he added.
“This is the largest investment in our plant’s history and it speaks directly to the quality of our people and our products, as well as the partnerships we’ve forged in the local community and across the state,” said Wil James, president, Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc. (TMMK). “This major overhaul will enable the plant to stay flexible and competitive, further cementing our presence in Kentucky.”
“Toyota is a global icon. This $1.33 billion investment is further proof of their commitment to producing American-made cars that are among the finest quality found anywhere in the world,” said Governor Matt Bevin. “It also serves as a testament to the hard work and dedication of the plant’s current employees, and reaffirms Toyota’s confidence in the advantages of manufacturing in Kentucky. We are grateful that this significant investment further validates the fact that Kentucky is the engineering and manufacturing hub of excellence in America.”
“This major investment further solidifies Toyota’s long-term commitment to its Kentucky plant,” said Secretary Terry Gill of the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development. “Its ripple effects will add to Toyota’s three decades of transformative impact on our communities and for our residents across the Commonwealth. Additionally, this strengthens Kentucky’s status as a top state for auto manufacturing.”
