Topic: Toyota will suspend production of Tundra

[UmroAyyar]

Toyota shifts focus to smaller vehicles

DEANNA DURBIN

The Associated Press

July 10, 2008 at 9:18 AM EDT

DETROIT — Toyota Motor Corp. is adjusting its U.S. manufacturing to meet customer demands for smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles.

The Japanese auto maker said Thursday it will start producing the hybrid Prius in the U.S. for the first time at a plant it is building in Blue Springs, Miss. Production will begin in 2010.

The company also says it will suspend production of the Toyota Tundra at its San Antonio truck plant for three months starting Aug. 8 because of declining demand.

Toyota plans to stop producing the Tundra at a plant in Princeton, Ind., this spring. That plant now will make the Highlander SUV.
Toyota

Toyota says workers who build its trucks in San Antonio will stay on the job through the shutdown.


http://www.reportonbusiness.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080710.wtoyota0710/BNStory/Business/home

[unctuous]

Finally they concede defeat.  Leave the trucks to the boys who know how to use them.

[sirAQUAMAN64]

Toyota says workers who build its trucks in San Antonio will stay on the job through the shutdown.

To do what? Are they building something else at that plant - Sequoia or?

[weebl]

Guess GM doesn't belong to the group of "boys who know how to use them" if they had to cut truck production as well.

Do you think before you spew, unctuous?

[UmroAyyar]

I believe Ford's Oakville plant is like that, flexible manufacturing or something. They can build different kind of cars at the same plant. Thats the way to go. If a particular segment isn't doing well, build something that people will buy.

I see no reason why GM can't do that in their plants, needs more investment for sure.

[sirAQUAMAN64]

I just mean if the plant only produces Sequoia in addition to Tundra, even though it's redesigned can't believe it's performing any better in the market these days or enough to support running the plant for three months itself. Does San Antonio produce any other models, or will Toyota just be using the workers as a giant think-tank?

[UmroAyyar]

A bit more detail here. Due to declining market for trucks, they'll consolidate truck production in San Antonio and make Highlanders in Princeton. Feeling the pinch there.


http://www.kansascity.com/438/story/699413.html

[sirAQUAMAN64]

Toyota to build Prius in Mississippi

Tundra and Sequoia production will be idled for three months

Lindsay Chappell
Automotive News
July 10, 2008 - 9:23 am ET

Toyota Motor Corp. today revealed that it has scrambled its manufacturing plans to produce fewer light trucks and more hybrid cars in the United States.

Toyota said it will build the hot-selling Prius hybrid at its Tupelo, Miss., factory in late 2010, scrubbing a plan to make the next-generation Highlander crossover there.

Instead, the Highlander will be added to Toyota's underutilized truck plant in Princeton, Ind. Toyota also will suspend all production of Tundra pickups and Sequoia SUVs from Aug. 8 until November.

Next spring, all Tundra output will be consolidated at the San Antonio plant.

PRESS RELEASE: Toyota to Build Prius in U.S.

Highlander to Indiana; all Tundra to Texas

ERLANGER, Ky., July 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Toyota is responding to changes in consumer demand and improving the production efficiency and stability of its North American operations by adjusting production mix at three plants. The changes include the addition of the Prius hybrid sedan to its North American lineup.

The changes are as follows:

-- Prius will be built at a plant under construction in Blue Springs, Miss. Production is scheduled to begin in late 2010. Prius, which will join the Kentucky-built Camry Hybrid as the second Toyota hybrid built in North America, enables Toyota to better respond to increased consumer demand for hybrid vehicles.

-- The Highlander mid-size SUV, originally scheduled to be built in Mississippi, will now be manufactured in Princeton, Ind., beginning in Fall 2009.

-- 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."

If Tundra and Sequoia are down in TX, wondering what 'work' they will be doing? Anyhow, think it's to be expected efficient Toyota wouldn't continue with 2 Tundra plants in light of the consumer market shift and TX made more sense to keep being developed for Tundra and in the heart of truck country.

[tenpenny]

How come articsteve didn't tell us about this already?

Where's Barrie with his smug told-ya-so.

Seven posts, and those two aren't here yet?

[unctuous]

Guess GM doesn't belong to the group of "boys who know how to use them" if they had to cut truck production as well.

Do you think before you spew, unctuous?

There is a difference between cut and suspend.

[initial_D]

Finally they concede defeat.  Leave the trucks to the boys who know how to use them.

There is an idiotic statement if I ever saw one.

[rrocket]

There is a difference between cut and suspend.

Hmmmm.....Why is GM closing it's Oshawa Ontario truck plant then??

This was just a matter of time (from all manufacturers). Gas too $$$$$.

FWIW, the local minivan plant is also cutting/suspending production with additional shut-down time this summer due to lower demand.

[weebl]

Then there's closing down indefinitely, which GM is doing.  Only a matter of time before all truck manufacturing plants are affected in some way.  Know what you're talking about if you're going to make statements like that, unctuous.  This isn't a discussion on which manufacturer knows trucks best.  You have already shown us your colours in another thread, and most of us don't take too kindly to that here, regardless of what vehicle brand preference.

[Mitlov]

Guess GM doesn't belong to the group of "boys who know how to use them" if they had to cut truck production as well.

Do you think before you spew, unctuous?

Ford, too.  They've announced that they're going to shift some plants that make the F-150 to the new Fiesta.  It's just the way the market is going, for everybody.

[unctuous]

Then there's closing down indefinitely, which GM is doing.  Only a matter of time before all truck manufacturing plants are affected in some way.  Know what you're talking about if you're going to make statements like that, unctuous.  This isn't a discussion on which manufacturer knows trucks best.  You have already shown us your colours in another thread, and most of us don't take too kindly to that here, regardless of what vehicle brand preference.

Some of people on this forum really perpetuate the stereotype that Canadians are uptight.

[tortoise]

...and others perpetuate the notion that not all users of the internet are intelligent.

This news isn't at all surprising.

[unctuous]

Every time I post on this forum I get personally attacked.  Never happens to me on any other forum...

[tenpenny]

Finally they concede defeat.  Leave the trucks to the boys who know how to use them.

Maybe it's assinine statements like the one above, that leads you to being 'attacked'.  If you were, which I don't see, but insult is in the eye of the beholder.

[Snowman]

Every time I post on this forum I get personally attacked.  Never happens to me on any other forum...

Let me help you find the way you came in…......................What part of fack-off don’t you understand?

[unctuous]

Did you know that there's no word in Japanese for 'pickup truck'?