Car Chute

Toyota City, Jul 19, 2011 (JCN Newswire via COMTEX) –
Focus on enhanced social-contribution activities, strengthened commitment to local manufacturing and electricity-supplying hybrid vehicles

Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) today unveiled an initiative for supporting revitalization of Japan’s Tohoku region (northeastern Japan), which was the region hardest hit by the Great East Japan Earthquake of March 11.

The initiative, under TMC’s Kokoro Hakobu Project, aims to establish a framework for continuous support, reflecting TMC’s desire to bring more than temporary allocations of human resources and material resources to the recovery effort.

While the Kokoro Hakobu Project, which launched in June, has already enabled diverse recovery activities, the new initiative broadens the project with enhanced social-contribution activities, a stronger commitment to Tohoku manufacturing, and the

provision of hybrid vehicles as auxiliary sources of electric power.

Enhanced Social-contribution Activities

The prefectures most affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake, Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima, have each established or are planning to establish educational-assistance funds for children, many of whom lost parents to the disaster. TMC will donate 100 million yen to each such fund (for a total of 300 million yen).

TMC will also donate 3 million yen to funds dedicated to supporting recovery through artistic and other cultural activities. In addition, it will add Tohoku venues to its Toyota Master Players concert series featuring 30 leading musicians from the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and the Vienna State Opera Orchestra and to the Toyota Community Concerts showcasing Japanese amateur orchestras. It will also sponsor other musical events and other activities in Tohoku in the spirit of revitalization.

Strengthened Commitment to Tohoku Manufacturing

TMC announced plans on July 13 for positioning Tohoku as its third production center in Japan, following the Chubu region (central Japan) and the Kyushu region (southern Japan). It also announced that three TMC subsidiaries that operate in Tohoku – Kanto Auto Works, Ltd., Central Motor Co., Ltd. and Toyota Motor Tohoku Corporation – are to begin discussions on consolidation, with the resulting entity specializing in compact vehicles and functioning as a semiautonomous unit that will handle the entire range of vehicle manufacturing, from RD to production, as well as procurement and production related to engines and other vital components.

One of the vehicle models to be produced in Tohoku will be a highly anticipated small hybrid vehicle that will be a core member of TMC’s lineup of environment friendly vehicles.

With an understanding that developing human resources is essential to quality manufacturing, and to strengthen manufacturing in Tokoku, the new company will have a technical school on its premises that will provide one year of training to graduates of Tohoku technical high schools and employees of Toyota-related companies in the region. Student recruiting is

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Toyota Motor Europe today announced plans to manufacture full hybrid Auris, at its UK-based facility in Burnaston, Derbyshire. Production of Toyota’s first European-built full hybrid will kick-off at Toyota Motor Manufacturing (UK) Ltd (TMUK) in mid-2010. Engines will be produced at TMUK’s facility in Deeside, North Wales. The announcement, which coincided with a site visit by UK First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Business, Innovation & Skills Rt. Hon. Lord Mandelson, underlines Toyota’s commitment to expand its offering of low-emission hybrid vehicles to customers in Europe.

‘With today’s announcement, Toyota has taken a significant step forward in ensuring that full hybrids become more accessible to a wider range of customers. Such efforts are crucial if we are to see more low-carbon vehicles on European roads,’ said Tadashi Arashima, CEO and President, TME.

‘Our decision to produce a full hybrid in the UK reflects both our confidence in the quality and commitment of the TMUK workforce and the strength of our long-standing partnership with the UK Government. Today’s announcement is positive for Toyota, our UK suppliers and the local communities here,’ he added.

Business Secretary Lord Mandelson said: ‘This is a welcome and forward-looking investment in Britain from a world class manufacturer. As part of our low carbon industrial strategy we set out to make Britain the best place in the world to develop low carbon vehicles. These commitments, backed by the formidable skills of the UK automotive workers enable companies like Toyota to invest with confidence in low carbon car production in the UK. It demonstrates that the UK’s car industry is already making the low carbon transition.’

The Toyota Auris hit the European market place in spring 2007. Since then, it has sold over 370,000 vehicles. Under the new Toyota Optimal Drive technology, Auris now comes equipped with a 1.33-litre dual VVT-i engine and Toyota’s Start&Stop technology, reducing CO2 emissions by 17% (135 g/km) and improving fuel consumption by 19% (48.7 mpg combined cycle).

TMUK started production in 1992 as Toyota’s first manufacturing company in Europe and today employs around 4,100 workers. The plant has produced over 2.5 million vehicles to-date, including the Carina E, Corolla, Avensis and Auris, for sale in Europe and export overseas. TMUK represents a total investment of over £1.85 billion and is one of nine Toyota manufacturing companies in Greater Europe.