Toyota Opens Domestic Parts Plant Instead of Importing

As a bit of good news coming out of the job recession that has plagued the U.S. for the last three years, Toyota announced plans to build a new manufacturing operation in Georgia within the next two years.

Announced as of January 2012, Toyota Corporation will add to its U.S. footprint with the construction of a new factory in Jackson County, Georgia. The $350 million facility will operate as a compressor plant for the company, creating 320 new jobs in the area. By bringing the plan online in the U.S., Toyota will be able to source its vehicle compressors locally rather than having to rely on shipping from manufacturing facilities in Japan.

With the new facility location to be known as the Toyota Industries Compressor Parts America plant, it will be the first Toyota plant with compressor parts completely made inside the U.S. for Toyota vehicles. The operational date of the factory is expected to open in the final quarter of 2013.

It is expected that the factory will feed parts not only to Toyota’s manufacturing facilities, but also to other carmakers such as General Motors, Ford, Chrysler and Kia. By adding to its manufacturing footprint in the U.S., Toyota’s approach will help the company diversify its support facilities into different locations.

This approach can help the carmaker avoid some of the shipping delays that occurred in 2011 after the Japanese tidal wave and related factory shutdowns in Japan.

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