Toyota opened up its new manufacturing plant in Texas a couple of days prior to assembling its first Tundra. According to a Reuters report, the highly automated facility will produce up to 200,000 pickups a year.
If consumer demand pushes the plant located south of San Antonio to operate at full capacity, which could happen by next spring, a truck will roll off the line an average of every 73 seconds, Toyota spokesman Mike Goss said. From beginning to end a truck will take 20 to 24 hours to complete, he added.
The Texas plant and its 21 onsite suppliers will eventually employ 4,100 people, according to Toyota. The suppliers will provide about 70% of the parts used in the Tundras and 50% of the value of parts in each truck, said Don Jackson, vice president of quality and production for Toyota's Texas arm.
Source: Rueters
