Toyota looking at expanding U.S. facilities

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Toyota looking at expanding U.S. facilities

By Rex Crum, MarketWatch

Last Update: 1:54 PM ET Nov. 12, 2005

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) - Toyota Motor Corp. is reportedly looking to building a new U.S.-based manufacturing plant for engines and transmissions in response to continuing demand in America for Toyota cars.


The Wall Street Journal reported that several U.S. states are trying to get Toyota's business, with Michigan pushing especially hard in order to offset job losses from General Motors Corp. Indiana is also said to be in the running for the facility due to ties between Toyota and Fuji Heavy Industries that would utilized a Subaru plant there. See Journal story.

Toyota currently maintains its U.S. manufacturing operations near Cincinnati.

The Journal report said Toyota executives believe the company needs to make more four-cylinder engines, and increase production of transmissions to meet demand in the U.S. market. Toyota currently can build 360,000 transmissions at a West Virginia facility, and is working to increase the plant's production to 600,000 transmissions by 2007.