LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Governor
Mitch Daniels announced that the Toyota Camry will be built at Subaru
of Indiana Automotive, Inc. (SIA), directly creating about 1,000
jobs.
The news is
part of a collaborative agreement announced today between
SIA parent Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (FHI) and Toyota Motor
Corporation (TMC), a FHI stakeholder.
About $230
million will be invested to install Camry manufacturing
processes in an existing SIA line capable of producing about
100,000 vehicles annually. Camry production at SIA begins
in Spring 2007.
With this additional
capacity and other expansions underway, Toyota will have North American
annual production capacity of about 2 million cars and trucks by
2008.
Camry production in
Indiana replaces imports and provides Toyota with the ability to
build more of the popular car. Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky
(TMMK), which builds Camry, will support SIA by providing training
on Camry processes. Parts and materials for the Indiana-built Camry
will be sourced and procured by Toyota.
"Toyota and Subaru
are tremendous corporate citizens who have boosted our economy in
Indiana. Now, we will be the first state with Toyota vehicle production
in two different plants," Gov. Daniels said.
"We are pleased to further
boost localization by moving Camry production in Japan to the United States.
It's a win-win situation for Toyota and SIA, and for our suppliers whose
businesses will grow," said Gary Convis, president of TMMK. "This will be
the same high quality and reliability that have made Camry the best-selling
U.S. car. We have the highest confidence in SIA to help us continue to meet
our customers' expectations."
"For over 16 years SIA associates
have been building high quality Subaru vehicles in Indiana," said Tom Easterday,
senior vice president of SIA. "Today's announcement that we will add production
of the Toyota Camry at SIA in 2007 reaffirms that SIA has an outstanding
workforce that is prepared to meet the challenges of a very competitive
automotive market. All associates at SIA look forward to working closely
with Toyota on this project."
Currently, SIA builds the Subaru
B9 Tribeca, Outback, Legacy and Baja. SIA produced about 120,000 Subarus
in 2005. The Subaru B9 Tribeca will move to the production line where the
Outback, Legacy and Baja are currently built to make room for the Camry.
