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Bodine Aluminum to expand in Tennessee

Jackson, TN - Toyota Motor Manufacturing North America (TMMNA) announced that its subsidiary, Bodine Aluminum, Inc., will boost employment here by 20 to 220 and investment by $40 million to $164 million. The expansion will allow Bodine to cast aluminum cases and housings for additional transmissions announced April 29 at Toyota Motor Manufacturing, West Virginia.

This expansion announcement comes about seven months prior to the beginning of Bodine's engine block casting operations in Jackson. In 2003, Toyota announced that this facility would eventually employ 200 to cast about 1 million engine blocks annually. Bodine will begin casting aluminum transmission cases and housings in 2007, and will reach an annual capacity of 270,000.

Atsushi Niimi, president and CEO of TMMNA, said that Bodine's expansion reflects Toyota's increased North American manufacturing presence. "With the growing demand for Toyota vehicles comes a responsibility to build those vehicles where we sell them. The same is true for parts such as engine blocks and transmission cases and housings," he said. "The effect includes good employment opportunities for the people of west Tennessee."

"This expansion is a testament to the great team members we've hired. We haven't even started production but our business is growing," said Bodine president Bob Lloyd. "We're grateful for the support provided by state and local officials, and the entire community. We have been warmly welcomed."