Toyota Plant

[word]

I said months ago that plant would never roll a single truck off the line. Ford is closing down 5 of it's plants making pickups. Toyota built this plant to build full size trucks. I'll be curious to see what they do. Pickup sales are 'less than flat'.

[ZStomp]

Word.

[Extra Stout]

I said months ago that plant would never roll a single truck off the line. Ford is closing down 5 of it's plants making pickups. Toyota built this plant to build full size trucks. I'll be curious to see what they do. Pickup sales are 'less than flat'.
I don't think what you say is totally accurate. The Atlanta plant made Tauruses and Sables, while the Wixom plant made the Lincoln LS and Town Car.

And while the other three plants did produce trucks, only St. Paul had any F-150 production. It failed not because of the F-150, but because it made the antiquated and obsolete Ranger. That also sealed Norfolk's fate. And St. Louis made Ford Explorers.

So out of five plants that have been announced to close, only one made any vehicles in the Tundra's segment.

Meanwhile, F-150 sales are up 5% this year.

I don't think the full-size pickup market is going to grow in the next few years, but the idea that Toyota is going to abandon its brand-new investment is pretty silly.

[Vashner]

Yea they milked that ranger frame for like 20+ years without putting any more money into retooling.

Edit add: Ok for all you nervous about this.

I would not worry. Toyota sales are up. They have the funding. The spent way too much on it so far. They have pre-orders in the books from local dealers.

I am sure they will base it on sales. They already said that they would need to sell. Basic business 101. If they sale.. Toyota SA stays open.

I just open they don't try too keep making the engines bigger and shit like stupid Nissan trucks getting 8 mpg and stuff.

[Mijo]

You don't even need to look up any sales info. Just drive around and observe all of the newer model trucks on the road. Texas is a truck mecca and if you've ever been to other states like California you can see this.

[T Park]

yeah itll never produce a truck.

Are you kidding me??!?!?



If they would bust out a 1 ton Dually with a diesel engine that gets 25 miles to the gallon, I would buy 3.

But, I feel the need to keep buying Chevy.

Brown Chevy has treated me too good.

[Buddy Holly]

The guy starts this thread and then this comes out:

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S.A. hopes for bigger future with Toyota

Web Posted: 04/16/2006 12:00 AM CDT

Sean M. Wood
Express-News Business Writer

Toyota's new San Antonio plant is being considered for a major expansion, according to a report published in the New York Times.

Company officials speaking on the condition of anonymity said they're considering building a new plant in one of four Southern states or possibly expanding the $850 million truck manufacturing facility here.

It's all part of Toyota's push to keep its North American production on pace with its sales here.

Mike Goss, spokesman for Toyota Motor Manufacturing Inc., declined to comment on the report. But he said an expansion of any Toyota facility would depend on how well vehicles were selling.

"Sales drive everything," Goss said. "We've said all along we'll look at the marketplace and then look at a decision about expanding Texas and any other site."

State and local officials have hoped since the plans for San Antonio were announced three years ago that Toyota would not stop at one production line for the Tundra pickup.

San Antonio has room for expansion, they assert, and more suppliers on-site to feed the plant.

Officials even have developed a two-phase incentive plan should Toyota decide it needs more space and more employees. The state has committed to more than $54 million in two phases to reimburse Toyota's training costs.

In the first phase, Toyota has $27.25 million available to train its first 1,800 employees. If it expands the plant, it will have another $27.25 million at its disposal.

But money won't be enough to get Toyota to commit to expanding here, said Mario Hernandez, president of the San Antonio Economic Development Foundation Inc. It will be the plant workers' capabilities that prompts Toyota to move forward.

"We feel this will be one of the most productive work sites for them," Hernandez said.

He wants to see Texas grow on par with Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana, San Antonio's mother plant.

Toyota built nearly 365,000 vehicles there in 2005 with 4,700 employees. The Princeton, Ind., plant produces the Tundra pickup, the Sienna minivan and the Sequoia SUV.

But the San Antonio plant is on 2,000 acres, compared with Princeton's 1,160 acres. And there are 21 suppliers on-site here, which makes this plant unique for Toyota. The Indiana plant has two suppliers on site.

"We've got a massive operation of vendors," Hernandez said. "We want to grow this facility to 10,000 employees with Toyota and vendors."

Toyota already has expanded its plans for San Antonio — now the plant will build 200,000 Tundras annually vs. the 150,000 originally planned, and this week the company said it would also build heavy-duty 3/4-ton and one-ton trucks here.

The carmaker has a reputation for announcing plant expansions before the first vehicle rolls off the line.

Toyota also has new plants under construction in Canada, and a Subaru plant in Indiana is being expanded for Toyota Camrys.

But Toyota will have to increase its North American capacity even beyond that to meet its goal that six of every 10 cars sold in North America are made here.

At its current sales growth rate, it could require capacity for as many as 300,000 more vehicles by the end of the decade.

"We analyze what customer demand is like and make recommendations," said Mike Michels, spokesman for Toyota Motor Sales.

"Ultimately it's consumer demand. If demand continues to be strong, we have to start looking at capacity."

Other sites will fight for that chance to build more Toyotas, said Ramiro Cavazos, director of economic development for San Antonio.

"We might have to compete with other Toyota sites around the country," Cavazos said. "I know they've been very pleased with the workforce here. That's a critical piece."

The first San Antonio-built Tundra is scheduled to roll off the line Nov. 17.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/business/stories/MYSA041606.1A.toyota.34983b9.html

[Buddy Holly]

Not a great day to be a dumbass.

[Horry For 3!]

I am suppose to get a new truck in like a year, I will probably get a Toyota as it is the best made vehicle there is, as for as consumer reports.

[Vashner]

I think Ford screwed up with that new Box truck.. sure it's big but it looks like shit.

Dodge still has not found a new look since the Kenworth 18 wheeler look rip off.

GM don't get me started.. they still have stupid big ugly clunky buttons and stuff for interfaces.