January 17, 2003

First 2004 Sienna minivan rolls off assembly line in Indiana

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Princeton, Indiana - The first all-new Sienna minivan came off the production line at Toyota Motor Manufacturing in Princeton, Indiana on Tuesday. TMMI has doubled employment and production capacity over the last two years in order to build the Sienna, which was previously made in Toyota's Kentucky plant. The U.S.$800 million expansion brings Toyota's total investment in Gibson County to $2 billion and annual production capacity to 300,000 vehicles.

The Sienna joins the Tundra pickup truck and the Sequoia sport utility vehicle at TMMI.

"We've come a long way over the last seven years," said Seizo Okamoto, who has been TMMI's president since ground was broken on the 1,160-acre site in 1996. "Our challenge to bring three quality vehicles to market in such a short period of time was huge. Thanks to our outstanding team members and community support, we did it."

"With ever-increasing global competition, the North American marketplace is of great importance to Toyota worldwide. TMMI plays a vital role in Toyota's North American manufacturing family," said Toyota Motor Corporation Senior Managing Director, Yasihito Yamauchi.

Sienna's move to Indiana allows the Kentucky plant to add the Solara to its Camry and Avalon production. Solara is moving from Canada, to make room for the Lexus RX 330 later this year.

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