Toyota announces additional investment as plant construction moves forward smoothly

Toyota Motor Corp. announced August 2 plans to invest an additional $50 million in the San Antonio Tundra plant in order to increase production by 50,000 vehicles. This new investment brings the cost of the plant up to $850 million and increases the capacity from 150,000 to 200,000 Tundra full-size pickups. About 2,000 people will be hired to work at the plant where production will begin in late 2006.

Construction of the $800 million Toyota plant is nearly complete, with more than 1,200 people working on the construction site. Buildings are nearing completion with the roofs and lighting installed, and roads and underground utilities are now going in. Next is the installation of fans, pumps and the heating, air conditioning and ventilation for the 1.8 million-square-foot plant. Manufacturing equipment will be installed once the infrastructure is complete.