National Study Finds Toyota Makes Major Impact on Kentucky

$6.67 billion invested over 30 years, nearly 30K jobs supported by automaker statewide

Georgetown, Kentucky  (March 13, 2017) — A recent study by the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) shows Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc. (TMMK) is making a major impact on the Bluegrass State through strong jobs numbers, payroll, and capital and philanthropic investments.

CAR, a national think tank, found in 2015 that every Toyota manufacturing, sales, logistics or support operations job in Kentucky created nearly three more across the Commonwealth.  The study found:

• Direct employees (manufacturing-related and new vehicle jobs) earned $1.8 billion in payroll
• After taxes, their disposable personal income totaled $1.4 billion, meaning that money was available to be spent in the Kentucky economy
• When those direct employees are combined with jobs at companies that supply TMMK, as well as spinoff jobs, Toyota is estimated to support 29,700 jobs in Kentucky

“Toyota continues to invest in facilities across the U.S., which, in turn, has resulted in job growth,” said Dr. Jay S. Baron, president and CEO of CAR. “This study not only looks at the U.S. as a whole, but, also, digs deep into the economies of the 19 states in which Toyota had significant manufacturing or other operations in 2015 – including in Kentucky. For every one employee in Toyota’s U.S. manufacturing-related operations there are an additional 6.1 jobs in the U.S. economy.”

Also, a new community report shows TMMK has 8,000 employees in Georgetown and produced 501,746 new Toyota Camry, Camry Hybrid, Avalon, Avalon Hybrid and Lexus ES350 vehicles in 2016, plus 4- and 6-cylinder engines. Those team members live in 80 Kentucky counties.

Avery Bussell, a TMMK employee for nearly three decades, said the success of the Georgetown plant and the quality vehicles produced there speaks to the dedication of the people who build them. “At Toyota, you don’t have to look far to see people going above and beyond to build a great car. Here, it’s about putting customers first and producing the safest, most reliable vehicles possible.”

Whether its team members logging 1,500 volunteer hours for local organizations in 2016, or the $114 million donated to charitable organizations in Kentucky since 1986, Toyota is committed to making the communities where its employees live, work and play the best they can be.

“This is an impressive scorecard that reinforces how valued a partner Toyota has been to Kentucky for more than 30 years,” said Secretary Terry Gill, Ky. Cabinet for Economic Development. “Continued investment and expansion, such as the addition of Lexus and the new production engineering building in Georgetown, make a powerful impact on our people and our communities. We are proud to have Toyota in the Bluegrass State.”

Additionally, a 250,000 sq. ft. production engineering campus is expected to be completed in 2017. The building will include a state-of-the-art test lab and innovative work space for about 700 employees.

Investment in America

Over the next three years, TMMK will undergo a major plant makeover that will modernize and streamline the production process. It’s part of Toyota’s plan to invest $10 billion dollars in the U.S. over the next five years in order to make its plants even more competitive. That investment is on top of $7.1 billion invested in its American facilities since 1996.

In the U.S., CAR found that for every one manufacturing-related Toyota job 6.1 other jobs are supported. National numbers in 2015 were as follows:

• Total employment impact of 470,100 jobs
• U.S. employment supports $32.3 billion in private non-farm payroll income
• Charitable giving totals $700 million to U.S. non-profits since 1996
• Toyota manufactures 12 vehicles in the U.S., as well as engines, transmissions and components

The full report from CAR may be downloaded here.

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM), the world's top automaker and creator of the Prius and the Mirai fuel cell vehicle, is committed to advancing mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands.  Over the past 50 years, we’ve produced more than 30 million cars and trucks in North America, where we operate 14 manufacturing plants (10 in the U.S.) and directly employ more than 44,000 people (more than 34,000 in the U.S.).  Our 1,800 North American dealerships (1,500 in the U.S.) sold more than 2.8 million cars and trucks (nearly 2.5 million in the U.S.) in 2015 – and about 80 percent of all Toyota vehicles sold over the past 20 years are still on the road today.

Toyota partners with community, civic, academic, and governmental organizations to address our society’s most pressing mobility challenges. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com. 

Connect with us:
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About The Center for Automotive Research

The Center for Automotive Research is a non-profit organization based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Its mission is to conduct research on significant issues related to the future direction of the global automotive industry, organize and conduct forums of value to the automotive community and foster industry relationships. For more information, visit the CAR website: www.cargroup.org.

Contact:
Rick Hesterberg (859) 351-4780
Ashley Chatham (859) 473-3709
Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc.