Toyota ‘looks forward to collaborating’ after Donald Trump’s tweet

After Ford and General Motors, Toyota is the subject of US president-elect Donald Trump’s latest tweet asking the Japanese carmaker to build a plant in the US or pay a ‘big border tax’.

Toyota Motor said will build a new plant in Baja, Mexico, to build Corolla cars for U.S. NO WAY! Build plant in U.S. or pay big border tax.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2017

Toyota reply to the Trump’s tweet comes in a press statement issued yesterday.

“Toyota has been part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. for nearly 60 years. Production volume or employment in the U.S. will not decrease as a result of our new plant in Guanajuato, Mexico announced in April 2015.  With more than $21.9 billion direct investment in the U.S., 10 manufacturing facilities, 1,500 dealerships and 136,000 employees, Toyota looks forward to collaborating with the Trump Administration to serve in the best interests of consumers and the automotive industry. 

- Over the past 30 years, Toyota has produced over 25 million vehicles in the U.S.

- Over the past 20 years, $2 out of every $3 invested in North America has been spent on U. S. facilities 

- Toyota was the smallest importer of vehicles from Mexico to the U.S. in 2016.

- In 2015, Toyota exported more than 160,000 U.S.-built vehicles to 40 countries, helping to establish the U.S. as a global export hub.

- Our manufacturing facilities in Baja, Mexico, established in 2002, support production at our San Antonio, Texas plant, where 3,300 team members produced over 230,000 Tundras and Tacomas in 2016. 

Recent manufacturing expansions by Toyota in the U.S. include:

- $360 million investment in Toyota’s Georgetown, Kentucky plant, adding 750 new jobs

- $150 million investment at its Huntsville, Alabama plant

- $100 million investment in Toyota’s Princeton, Indiana plant, adding 300 jobs

- $90 million investment at its Buffalo, West Virginia plant, adding 80 jobs."