Prius to become American Made - Toyota to build plant in Mississippi

Furthermore, as a response to a rapid fluctuation in truck-market demand, TMC announces that operation of the Tundra and Sequoia production line at TMMI, the Tundra production line at TMMTX and the Tundra and Sequoia engine production lines at Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Alabama, Inc. (TMMAL) is to be suspended for approximately three months from early August through to November. During this non-production period, employees are to mainly be assigned to participate in "continuous improvement"activities and training. TMC intends to use the opportunity presented by this period to cultivate its employees, with a long-term aim to further increase the productivity of its vehicle production plants in North America.

TMC, based on its philosophy of "making where sold", and from a long-term perspective, intends to - by solidifying its R&D, procurement, production and sales functions - further strengthen the ability of its production structures to flexibly respond to fluctuations in market demand and achieve a stable supply structure on a global scale...

Toyota Announces Changes in North American Production; Prius to Be Built at Mississippi Plant - MarketWatch

 

Here is the chance everyone has been waiting for.

This is the opportunity of a lifetime for the best and the brightest of our country that want to be a part of an epochal change in transportation to join in actually making the most advanced vehicle in the world. Right here at home. In the middle of Middle America.

Til now we have had to wait for our 'allocation' from the builders in Japan. Now we have to chance to actually join in and build them to our heart's desire.

The Tundra has always been built in NA, the Sequoia has always been built in NA, the vast majority of the No 1 auto model in NA has been built in NA for the past 20 years, the vast majority of the best compact in the market has been built in NA for at least 20 years. I have no problem believing in our own expertise and capabilities.

 

I understand that all radios in the Mississippi-built Prius will be set to "Duelling Banjos."

 

I definitely like it from a carbon footprint standpoint, and I know American auto workers can build a good product with proper management and quality controls in place.

I would think the exchange rate must be killing Toyota, hopefully this will help things a bit and encourage them to ramp production higher?

Rob

 

You benefit from a stronger US economy. With US auto production, more of the money you pay stays in the US.

I've worked in the automotive, aerospace, and Ag industries and worked in or visited factories in 15 countries. The American worker is just as good as a Japanese worker or a Chinese worker. In manufacturing it is not the worker but the production system that matters. The Toyota Production System is the world's gold standard, studied and copied by everyone. The TPS turns the worker into a robot. They have a specific task to do and their work is checked at least once. The TPS also strives to error proof work. Some examples would be making a part such that is physically can't be assembled incorrectly or designing an assembly so it only uses on bolt.

With the rise in transportation cost, you will see the current outsourcing trend reverse. Commodity parts will continue to be made in low-cost-countries, but the assembly of large items will happen in the local market.

 

Itr has to be true. It's in the NY Times....
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/11/business/worldbusiness/11toyota.html?hp

 

Great news - no more 6.1% duty when importing a Prius to Canada - more savings ahead (assuming the Loonie keeps its value till then).

 

Camrys have been built in the USA for nearly a decade, and until the recent transmission problems on the V6 model, they've had a stellar reliability record. The recent problems are confined to the V6 model - the four cylinder model is still recommended by CR, as is the hybrid. To conclude that the quality problems are due to the Camry being built in the USA (the majority of hybrid Camrys are built in the USA, btw) - well, I'm not sure how anyone other than the truly clueless would come to that conclusion.

 

But there's a carbon footprint when making a new production plant, isn't there?

 

As posted by Priusenvy, Toyota's Camry V6 model does have a reliability problem. Consumer Reports still recommends the 4 banger. Given that almost all of the components of any Camry are made in Japan, it seems like someone has a bias here. All you have to do look at the problems with GM and Ford to see that it is the management that is so poor. When American workers are given a good product, good components, and a sincere expectation of quality (vs. quantity), they make fine vehicles.

 

Isn't it ironic that a Prius owner, of all people, would prejudge a car that hasn't even been built yet, from a factory that hasn't even been completed yet?

 

That's good news! Maybe the local dealers will get their shipments early

 

I noticed that two of the naysayers don't even own a Prius.

 

Your concern regarding possible quality/reliability issues with an American-made Prius is certainly valid. I bought a new Camry in '97 and I made it a point to get a "J-car" (made in Japan), since the difference in build quality & repair history was apparent even then.

 

It's the poor design and poor parts fit that make a bad car...not the automated assembly plant. Americans are just as capable as the Japanese of performing assembly tasks. All of my Japanese "built in America" cars have been works of art. Now if you said Ford or GM were designing the new Prius...well, no sale.

 

The plant was already being built, so that was a sunk (carbon) cost. It's just being converted to produce a car that can't be kept in stock rather than one with lower sales. You could make a case either way, I think, but it's always a consideration.

Maybe they'll design the plant to meet LEED Gold standards, with gray-water reclamation, wind turbines, daylighting and all the goodies that can be done today. I don't know that it's ever been done for an auto-manufacturing plant, but there are more buildings meeting LEED standards all the time.

There are even some auto *dealerships* out there doing it, so you never know:

Mungenast to build area's first LEED car dealership - St. Louis Business Journal:

 

in the oficieel pres realise toyota says " Prius hybrid sedan " SEDAN??
so the gen 3 wil be on the market at around 2011?

 

I understand what Toyota is trying to do, but it is no secret that one of the reasons why Toyota has become so successful is a direct result of their quality control and attention to detail. I am feeling that starting to slip with the American assembled models.

I don't want to see the Prius become the next victim of the typical American worker that lacks many of the positive traits that the Japanese culture provides. I refuse to support people that produce sub-par quality of work.

Hopefully Toyota has their systems and procedures in check. The typical American worker could use a mentor when it comes to honor and dedication.

 

The Japanese do have a sense of community that would never suggest that their coworkers produced a sub-par product. They would admit it internally and then keep working until they got it right. Here we just blame the other guy/gal and do nothing about the problem.

The Japanese have a great product, but like everyone they make mistakes, like with the transmissions they make for the V6 Camry and ship over here. From all accounts they have fixed the problem so the quality of the American-worker assembled Camry should improve.

 

I am biased. I don't want an American or Mexican made vehicle. They cost me too much money. I don't care what the production problem is, some of the fault lies in the individual work ethic, from management to assembly.

I just can't afford another $25,000 lemon.