Toyota announces European venture

Press, 28 July 1989, Page 37

Toyota announces European venture

The Toyota Motor Corporation has just announced that it will build its European engine plant in Shotton, North Wales. Work will begin in the European summer of next year on a 53-hectare site at the Deeside Industrial Park. The total investment will be about the equivalent of $378 million. Production should begin at the end of 1992, with an initial output of 100,000 engines annually with a 200-strong workforce. Production should rise to 200,000 with an additional 100 workers in the plant. This engine plant is 30 kilometres south of Liverpool and 70 kilometres west of Manchester. It will be about two hours away from Toyota’s planned passenger car. plant at Bumaston, Although Dr Shoichiro Toyoda, the president of Toyota, has been quoted as saying that it is expected that Toyota will become even more of a part of the European Community and its vigorous economy, Honda’s president, Mr Kume, has pitched a bucket of cold water over the Toyota scheme.

Mr Kume reckons it is more difficult for the Japanese to do business in Europe than in the United States, and has voiced his doubts about Toyota’s decision to manufacture cars in Europe without a European partner. Honda and Rover already collaborate in Britain and Mr Kume has said that Honda has no plans to build its own production plant in Europe, carefully disregarding the fact that his company is alreay in the midst of setting up a Honda engine plant in Swindon!