Toyota to Increase Production Capacity in Thailand

Tokyo ― TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION (TMC) announced today that Toyota Motor Thailand Co., Ltd. (TMT), its automobile production and sales company in Thailand, will increase its production capacity. Sales of the IMV (Innovative International Multipurpose Vehicle) series pickup truck have been strong since production started in August of last year and, in response, TMT will construct a new plant in the outskirts of the Bangkok Metropolitan area and increase the production capacity of its Gateway Plant, which manufactures passenger cars.

The new plant in the outskirts of the Bangkok Metropolitan area will begin production of Hilux pickup trucks in early 2007. Production capacity will be around 100,000 vehicles annually. Approximately 41 billion yen will be invested in the new plant, which will employ roughly 2,000 new employees at full production.

In addition, production capacity of the Gateway Plant, which currently produces the Camry, Corolla, Soluna Vios and Wish, will be increased from the current 110,000 vehicles to 200,000 vehicles annually by 2006. Plans call for investment of approximately 7 billion yen in the expansion and roughly 1,500 new employees.

As a result, in 2007, TMT's total production capacity at full operation will increase to approximately 550,000 vehicles annually and TMT will employ a total of 3,500 new employees (including Thai Auto Works (TAW), which produces the IMV series Fortuner).

TMC's IMV Project aspires to produce an optimal production and supply network on a worldwide scale. The manufacture of IMV Project models began successively in Thailand, Indonesia, Argentina, South Africa, India, Philippines and Malaysia starting in August last year. Among these countries Thailand is positioned as a production and export base for pickup trucks, SUVs and diesel engines.