Toyota Motor Corp. said on Dec. 10 it would further reduce production in North America to cope with a slump in the global auto industry. The company plans to suspend part of the production in Indiana and Kentucky for up to nine days and in Canada for up to 10 days early next year. It will also halt production of its Tacoma and Corolla brands at a plant jointly operated with General Motors in California for 10 days.
"At the plant in Kentucky, all the assembly lines will be suspended for nine days," said Toyota spokesman Hideaki Honma.
The cuts are in addition to plans already announced by Toyota to reduce production at its U.S., Canadian and French factories, and lay off 3,000 temporary workers in Japan.
Toyota has also moved to cut domestic production, including that of the luxurious Lexus brand, and slash management bonuses by 10% as it seeks to cut costs in the face of plunging profits.
Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2008
