LONG BEACH, Calif. (March 16, 2022) – Toyota’s presence in Long Beach has been a cornerstone of its North American manufacturing for half a century. Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) today underscored its commitment to the region with a significant $27 million investment in the Toyota Auto Body California (TABC) facility, often recognized as Long Beach Toyota, to dramatically enhance its production capabilities.
“Toyota’s roots in California are very strong,” stated Chris Reynolds, executive vice president, Corporate Resources, TMNA. “This investment in our Long Beach Toyota operation highlights our ongoing dedication to business in the Golden State. We are committed to investing in our facilities across the United States and building vehicles where we sell them.”
This strategic investment will transform the Long Beach Toyota plant by introducing the first coil-fed laser blanking line within TMNA. This advanced technology significantly broadens the plant’s blanking capabilities to process both steel and aluminum on a single line. The upgrade is projected to substantially increase production capacity, enabling the facility to cut an impressive 5.6 million blanks annually. Crucially, these enhanced capabilities at Long Beach Toyota will play a vital role in supporting the robust production of the Toyota Tacoma at TMNA’s manufacturing plants in Baja, California, and Guanajuato, Mexico.
“This investment is a direct reflection of our team’s unwavering commitment to producing the highest quality components for Toyota vehicles assembled across North America,” said Jim Zehmer, president of TABC, the Long Beach Toyota plant. “We are proud to continue our essential role in Toyota’s ongoing growth and success.”
Beyond the technological advancements and expanded production capacity, the $27 million investment at Long Beach Toyota also brings positive impacts to the workforce. The investment will facilitate the transition of 25 variable employees at the TABC Long Beach facility to permanent positions within Toyota, demonstrating Toyota’s commitment to its employees in Long Beach.
Established in 1972, the Long Beach Toyota plant, TABC, holds the distinction of being Toyota’s oldest manufacturing facility in North America. For decades, it has been a critical supplier, specializing in stamping and welding parts for the popular Toyota Tacoma and producing service parts for numerous past model Toyota vehicles manufactured in North America.
With this latest announcement, the total investment in the Long Beach Toyota facility now stands at a substantial $485 million. Currently employing over 350 individuals, Long Beach Toyota continues to be a vital manufacturing hub for Toyota and a significant contributor to the Long Beach community.
