Toyota invests 750 million in 5 US plants

Toyota Motor Corp. announced on Thursday that it is investing an additional $ 750 million in five US plants that will create nearly 600 new jobs, including the production of two hybrid vehicles for the first time at its Kentucky plant.

This is a new expansion of the Japanese manufacturer in the United States, whose investment for 2021 will now add almost 13,000 million.

The new investment will be in the factories of Alabama, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee and West Virginia. These same facilities were also benefited by an investment of 374 million, announced in 2017, to support the production of its first hybrid propulsion system made in the United States.

Jim Lentz, CEO of Toyota Motor North America, said the latest investment “represents another example of our long-term commitment to manufacture in the places we sell. By increasing our US production, we can better serve our customers and dealers and prepare our factories to succeed in the future by increasing their national production capacity. “

The Toyota plant in Georgetown, Kentucky, will receive an injection of 238 million to produce hybrid versions of the Lexus ES 300 four-door in May and SUV RAV4 as of January 2020, the company announced.

It also includes 288 million to increase its annual capacity to manufacture engines at the plant in Huntsville, Alabama. This factory will create 450 new positions to manufacture four and six cylinder engines. Last year, Toyota and Mazda announced plans to build a 1,600 million joint venture in Huntsville that will eventually employ some 4,000 workers.

Toyota is also investing 62 million in machinery to increase its production of Toyota and Lexus pistons at its Bodine Aluminum factory in Troy, Missouri, as part of its New Global Architecture production strategy to save money.