Toyota to cease Indiana truck and SUV production for 3 months

[Slowrider5]

Breaking: Toyota to Cease Production in Princeton For 3 Months
Continued challenges in the auto industry are prompting Toyota to cease production at its Gibson County plant for three months, beginning in early August. The company has also announced plans to send all of the Indiana production of the Tundra pick up truck to a plant in San Antonio in 2009. Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana will continue to manufacture the Sequoia SUV and will pick up production of the Highlander SUV next year as well. The company says no layoffs will occur at the Princeton plant, which employs approximately 4,500 workers. Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Indiana, Inc Vice President Administration & Secretary R.J. Reynolds talks about the moves.

More at link: http://www.insideindianabusiness.com...m.asp?ID=30331

[Buick61]

I was just coming here to post this.

Both the Tundra and Sequoia will be out of production from August until November.

Here's TMS' press release (the story is nicely buried under Prius news)

- Production of the Tundra full-size pick-up truck, currently built in Indiana and Texas, will be consolidated at the San Antonio plant in Spring 2009.
In addition, Toyota will temporarily suspend Tundra and Sequoia production beginning August 8 due to the declining overall market for full size trucks and SUVs. Production is scheduled to resume in early November. Team members at both facilities, as well as the Huntsville, Ala. plant that builds Tundra and Sequoia engines, will continue to be provided work.

"The truck market continues to worsen, so unfortunately we must temporarily suspend production. But this good news about production mix demonstrates our long-term commitment to our North American operations and to our team members, supplier partners, and communities where our plants are located," said Jim Wiseman, vice president/external affairs for Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America (TEMA). "By using this downturn as an opportunity to develop team members and improve our operations, we hope to emerge even stronger."

http://pressroom.toyota.com/Releases...T2008071034962

[Buick61]

So it's both Texas AND Indiana production of the Tundra that's being suspended.

[neshapop]

Originally Posted by Buick61

So it's both Texas AND Indiana production of the Tundra that's being suspended.

Toyota plans three-month shutdown of Tundra pickup plant in Texas
Published: Thursday, July 10, 2008 | 9:24 AM ET
Canadian Press: Dee-Ann Durbin, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

DETROIT - Toyota Motor Corp. is planning significant changes to its U.S. manufacturing plants because of the rapid market shift away from trucks and sport utility vehicles.

A Toyota official said Thursday the company plans a three-month shutdown at a plant in San Antonio, Texas, that makes the Tundra pickup.

Along with the inventory-trimming shutdown at the Texas factory, which began producing the full-size pickups in November 2006, the official said Toyota plans to stop making pickups in Princeton, Ind., shifting the Indiana plant to the Highlander SUV.

The official asked not to be identified because a formal announcement from the Japanese automaker wasn't expected until later in the day.

Toyota also plans to start producing the Prius hybrid in the United States at a plant it is building in Mississippi.
http://www.cbc.ca/cp/business/080710/b071023A.html

[NfamousZ24]

Ha I have been hearing ads on the radio saying the Tundra $0 down and a 2 year lease for $236 a month. Sounds a lot like my friend getting that Ridgeline for $100 a month on a 2 year lease.

[jkennedy293]

Seems like GM isn't the only one who got stuck with a ton of trucks and SUVs on their lots. I guess Toyota shouldn't have stuck to that 200,000 unit production goal for the Tundra afterall.

[GM-Joe]

Assemble boring and inferior vehicles (Tundra, Highlander, Sequoia) in a foreign country; what else would be the outcome?

[ericmvest]

Originally Posted by GM-Joe

Assemble boring and inferior vehicles (Tundra, Highlander, Sequoia) in a foreign country; what else would be the outcome?

Your post is a excellent, brief summary of the situation.

[blank disk]

I am glad to hear that

[civilzues]

a good spin would be that Toyota has to stop production for a quarter of the year! hahaha

[Joe in T.O.]

They should shut it down for good.

[AkSean]

Originally Posted by GM-Joe

Assemble boring and inferior vehicles (Tundra, Highlander, Sequoia) in a foreign country; what else would be the outcome?

Yup looks like GM is doing way better.

GM Closing Plants
J.J. Jackson* |

Filed Under Conservative Musings, Economy / Economics, The Economy

GM announced that is will close several plants dedicated to trucks and SUVs amid slumping sales:

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — General Motors is closing four truck and SUV plants in the U.S., Canada and Mexico as surging fuel prices hasten a dramatic shift to smaller vehicles.
CEO Rick Wagoner said Tuesday before the automaker’s annual meeting in Delaware the plants to be closed are in Oshawa, Ontario; Moraine, Ohio; Janesville, Wis.; and Toluca, Mexico. He also said the iconic Hummer brand may be discontinued.

Part of the reason? Rising oil prices. And why are gas prices so high? Think liberals preventing companies from going out and tapping known reserves because they are more worried about having an oil derek in their the path of their yachts. Another part of the reason? So much of the price of GM vehicles is used to pay for bloated union benefits that they are priced too high to be competitive and affordable.

[plane]

Originally Posted by AkSean

Yup looks like GM is doing way better.
...

Yet another lost opportunity for you to pump $99 Tundra lease deals.

[AMERICA 123]

Originally Posted by civilzues

a good spin would be that Toyota has to stop production for a quarter of the year! hahaha

It maybe and probably is worse than that - the Nikkei (Business section) citing Company sources has it as a 6 month stoppage.

Reuters picked it up and reported.

Perian started a thread here yesterday early am with that better report.

Nummi "Prius" Model May Be Stillborn As Toyota Revamps New U.S. Plant To Make Prius

AP doncha' know, always polishes the presentation for Toyota.

AP also polished the dates for USA Prius production, the same other article correctly points out that USA (salable) 'onstream' production will occur in 2011, not 2010.

2010 appears to reference late end of year non salable preproduction.

If that isn't it exactly and fully , then possibly some pipeline building production might get done, 'technically'.

The key point being is that unless revised , it will not contribute to sales for 2010.

[AMERICA 123]

Originally Posted by AkSean

Yup looks like GM is doing way better.

Thank you for noticing and giving credit where credit is due..

You are correct - it's a bigger, faster and better looking program and was announced much sooner.

Also, although it appears Toyota has finally and correctly ascertained that they are going to be hit harder in terms of their capacity/ sales ratio -....well, I'm sure they'll catch all that up eventually as well - just takes longer with Toyota.

Another part of the reason? So much of the price of GM vehicles is used to pay for bloated union benefits that they are priced too high to be competitive and affordable.

Total direct final assembly labor costs are an average of just under ? 6% per vehicle msrp sticker.

Hey AkSean, what did you think of that 20,000 unit loss that Camry and Corolla/Matrix posted from May 2008 to June 2008 ?

I'm glad to see you survived and picked yourself off the floor - both times.

I thought it was especially cruel that Toyota's total numbers knocked you down yet a third time and I thought we mighta' lost you on account of Lexus'es numbers - do you plan on being out of the country when Toyota Motor Europe releases their June and YTD stuff ???