Toyota holds opening ceremony for 3rd Thai plant

TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION (TMC) officially marked the opening today of the Ban Pho Plant of Toyota Motor Thailand Co., Ltd. (TMT), Toyota's automobile production and sales company in Thailand, with a ceremony at the facility. The plant—Toyota's third production base in Thailand—has been in operation since January this year.

Present at the ceremony were Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, TMC Executive Vice President Akio Toyoda and TMT President Mitsuhiro Sonoda. Princess Sirindhorn conducted the unveiling of the corporate logo and planting of a commemorative tree, while Toyoda made the following remarks: "The Ban Pho plant represents the future direction of Toyota in Thailand. We intend to continue contributing to Thai society and to the automobile industry in Thailand."

As a cutting-edge Toyota plant, the Ban Pho Plant, which builds the popular IMV* series Hilux pickup trucks, has incorporated the latest environmental measures and is positioned as a model plant in Asia in terms of its environmental features.

Total investment in the plant is 15 billion baht. The Toyota Ban Pho Plant has an annual production capacity of 100,000 vehicles and will produce Hilux pickup trucks not only for the domestic Thai market, but also for more than 90 other markets worldwide.

*TMC's IMV Project aspires to produce an optimal production and supply network on a worldwide scale. Currently, it includes the production of three pickup truck models as well as minivans and SUVs in nine countries, including Thailand.

For more information, please contact Paul Nolasco/Tomomi Imai at (03) 3817-9161/9150