NEW YORK, Jan. 23, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- In its latest corporate ad, Toyota (NYSE:TM) tells the story of a plant that never stopped growing. The print ad launching today, entitled "Story of a Plant," features Toyota Motor Manufacturing, West Virginia (TMMWV), the company's largest engine and transmission plant in North America. The ad, which is the second to feature TMMWV, communicates Toyota's commitment to growth, investment and job creation in the state and in North America, through its manufacturing operations.
Located in Buffalo, WV, TMMWV is among the flagship companies in the state, employing more than 1,000 people. In April, Toyota announced a $120 million expansion of the plant, for a total investment of $920 million since 1996. Among other accomplishments, TMMWV was integral in helping Toyota reach the 10 million mark in North American engine production.
"We are committed to investing in all of the communities where we operate and TMMWV is a perfect example of this," said Dennis Cuneo, senior vice president of Toyota Motor North America, Inc. "Thanks to the hard work of our team members and the community support we've received, we've tripled our investment and employment since start-up," he added.
The ad is headlined "The Story of the Plant that Never Stopped Growing," and discusses the history of TMMWV, including the fact that it has expanded five times in nine years. The ad includes photos of TMMWV, team members on the assembly line, a picture of a "Welcome to Buffalo" highway sign and a note about Toyota's $13 billion investment in its U.S. plants and employment of more than 386,000 (see Note) people.
"The continuously expanding West Virginia plant was such a perfect story about Toyota's growth in America," said Rand Pearsall, Executive Vice President of DCA Advertising, the agency which created the ad. "That's what inspired us to create a storybook design for the ad, right down to the inclusion of a leather cover as a design element."
The ad is running in more than 38 national publications, including USA Today, BusinessWeek, The Economist, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and others.
Toyota Motor Manufacturing, West Virginia currently builds four-cylinder engines for the Corolla and Matrix; V6 engines for the Sienna and Lexus RX330; and automatic transmissions for the North American-built Camry, Solara, Lexus RX 330 and Sienna. Gear production will begin in Buffalo in 2006.
Toyota (NYSE:TM) began operations in North America in 1957. Since then, the company has invested more than $16.3 billion in North American research and development, design, manufacturing, sales and marketing operations, with annual purchasing of parts, materials, goods and services from North American suppliers totaling over $26 billion. The company currently operates 14 North American plants, including two under construction, and directly employs more than 38,000 people. North American-produced vehicles include the Avalon, Camry, Corolla, Matrix, Sienna, Solara, Sequoia, Tacoma, Tundra, and the Lexus RX 330. By 2008, Toyota will have the annual capacity to build 1.83 million cars and trucks, 1.44 million engines, and 600,000 automatic transmissions in North America.
Note: 2005 Center for Automotive Research study. Includes direct, dealer and supplier employees and jobs created through their spending.