Second Shift Added to Toyota's Mississippi, U.S. Plant

Toyota City, Japan, February 7, 2012―Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) announces that Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Mississippi, Inc. (TMMMS), its vehicle manufacturing plant in Mississippi, United States, added a second shift to its production operations on February 6 (local time). The two-shift operations bring TMMMS to the planned annual production capacity of 150,000 units and employment of approximately 2,000 workers announced in November 2011.

TMC decided to establish TMMMS in February 2007, however plant construction was halted in 2008 due to the financial crisis. Construction was recommenced in June 2010, with the plant beginning production of the "Corolla" on October 10, 2011. TMMMS represents an initial investment of 800 million U.S. dollars.

North America constitutes an important market for Toyota's sustainable growth, and Toyota is continuing to promote still greater localization and autonomy of its operations there, which range from development and production to sales and service.