Toyota expands Texas campus to open second Tacoma assembly line
Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) plans to invest $3.6 billion to expand its San Antonio manufacturing campus with a second vehicle assembly line to support the Tacoma truck.
An TMNA press release states that the investment will add 2.5 million square feet to Toyota Texas, doubling its size by 2030, to enable Tacoma assembly alongside Tundra, Sequoia, and rear axles. The expansion will also create 2,000 new jobs, according to the release.
TMNA says it will transition Tacoma production from Toyota Motor Manufacturing Baja California (TMMBC) to the expanded Toyota Texas plant over an approximate four-year period.
“Toyota’s continued investment in North America is a testament to our confidence in the region’s workforce, innovation and long-term growth potential,” said TMNA President and CEO Ted Ogawa in the release. “By expanding our San Antonio plant, we are deepening our commitment to American manufacturing, creating meaningful and sustainable jobs, while advancing our mission to deliver high-quality vehicles that meet the changing needs of customers today and into the future.”
The release adds that following a “highly competitive process,” the expansion highlights Toyota’s commitment to Texas as a vital hub for automotive innovation and manufacturing excellence.
The investment will add another assembly line to the campus at Toyota Texas, which already includes a vehicle assembly line and new rear axle plant that is nearing startup.
TMNA says the new facility will enable increased flexibility for the plant through advanced manufacturing technologies and align with Toyota’s broader North American operations.
“Toyota remains committed to its operations throughout the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, and encourages a quick resolution to USMCA [United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement] to make the North American region globally competitive,” the release states.
For nearly 20 years, Toyota Texas has rolled out trucks and SUVs, assembling more than 197,000 vehicles last year, according to the release. The San Antonio plant is the exclusive home of the Tundra and Sequoia, both assembled on the same production line, and will begin production at its new rear axle facility this fall.
Frank Voss, Toyota Texas president and TMNA group vice president of truck manufacturing, added that the company is proud of Team Texas’s accomplishments over the past two decades.
“The 2,000 acres of South Texas ranchland our plant stands on today was purposefully selected for its ability to scale with vehicle demand, and today marks the first step toward realizing that potential,” he said in the release. “We’re excited to add the beloved Tacoma to our existing award-winning lineup, and we thank the State of Texas, Bexar County, and City of San Antonio for their longstanding support.”
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott notes in the release that the expansion is supported by the Texas Enterprise Fund and JETI program to “deliver economic opportunities to generations of San Antonio families and further cement Texas as the premier destination for world-class advanced manufacturing.”
Toyota’s local workforce will increase to 6,000 team members, supported by 23 on-site suppliers and their employees.
Images
Featured image: Toyota Texas
The second vehicle assembly line at Toyota Texas will be located on the existing campus, pictured in this photo.
Toyota Texas campus with the new rear axle plant in the foreground.
All photos provided by Toyota Motor North America