We All Benefit

A quick thought regarding today’s news that Toyota surpassed GM for the first time ever in global sales during the first quarter:

Toyota currently operates four vehicle assembly plants (with two more under construction) here in the United States. They’ve got facilities in Texas, California, Indiana, and Kentucky. The new $1.3 billion Mississippi Highlander plant is scheduled to go live in 2010. Toyota also runs two engine plants in Alabama and West Virginia.

Bottom line?

Toyota’s created a ton of good jobs here in the U.S. The actual number is somewhere in the neighborhood of 25-30,000 jobs. And that number doesn't include all the additional jobs created in those areas as a direct byproduct of Toyota's hiring. It’s yet another example heralding the benefits of free trade.

The real story is that Toyota is a great example of insourcing—of course made possible by free trade.

Here's a rundown of Toyota's U.S. operations:

Toyota operates FOUR vehicle assembly plants (with TWO MORE under construction) in the U.S.:

• A Kentucky plant produces the Avalon, Camry, Camry Hybrid, and Camry Solara.

• An Indiana plant produces the Tundra, Sequoia, and Sienna.

• A California plant (a joint venture with GM) produces the Corolla and Tacoma and Pontiac Vibe.

• A Texas plant produces the Tundra.

• Toyota will start producing Camrys at Subaru of Indiana Automotive (SIA) this spring in Lafayette, Indiana.

• Toyota will begin construction on its Mississippi Highlander facility this spring

Toyota also operates two engine plants in the U.S.:

• A plant in West Virginia produces four-cylinder and V6 engines and automatic transmissions.

• A plant in Alabama produces V6 and V8 engines.