Activities by Region
North America
More than half a century has passed since Toyota exported its first two Crown samples to the United States in 1957, and almost 30 years since production began in 1984 at New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc. (NUMMI), Toyota's first overseas production site in North America.
During this time, Toyota has overcome numerous challenges, including exhaust gas regulations, trade friction, and a global recession, and in the process has become an integrated corporate citizen of American society.
North America is now home to 11 Toyota manufacturing companies, which in 2002 passed the 10-million-unit milestone for total number of vehicles produced on the continent. Through three distributors and a vast sales network composed of over 1,750 sales companies, over two million Toyota vehicles (Lexus included) are sold in North America each year.
United States
Year
|
Month
|
Events
|
---|---|---|
1957
|
August
|
Two Crown samples exported
|
October
|
Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. (TMS) established in California
|
|
1958
|
February
|
Directly operated companies Toyota Motor Distributors and Toyota of Hollywood established on the west coast
|
March
|
Distribution agreement signed with Service Motor Company (now Servco Pacific Inc.) in Hawaii
|
|
June
|
Dealer agreement signed with Holt Motors in California
|
|
July
|
Crown and Land Cruiser was introduced and sales commenced on the west coast
|
|
1959
|
November
|
Directly operated company Toyota Motor Distributors of New Jersey established on the east coast
|
1960
|
June
|
Tiara RT20L introduced
|
1961
|
March
|
Export of passenger cars suspended on weak sales
|
1965
|
April
|
New Corona RT43L introduced
|
December
|
Distribution agreement signed with Mid-Southern Toyota Distributors in the Midwest
|
|
1967
|
March
|
New York Representative Office opened
|
1968
|
April
|
Corolla introduced
|
October
|
Distribution agreement signed with Southeast Toyota Distributors
|
|
1969
|
June
|
Distribution agreement signed with Gulf States Toyota Distributors
|
Hilux and Cressida introduced
|
||
1970
|
April
|
Distribution agreement signed with Mid-Atlantic Toyota Distributors
|
1971
|
January
|
Distribution agreement signed with New England Toyota Distributors (brought under direct management in March 1978)
|
May
|
Celica introduced
|
|
1972
|
January
|
Hilux truck bed assembly agreement signed with Atlas Fabricators; contract production commenced
|
1973
|
February
|
Mid-Southern Toyota split into three separate companies to strengthen sales in the Midwest (all three brought under direct management in December 1975)
|
May
|
Problems emerge due to vehicle supply shortfall
|
|
October
|
Prices of 1974 models raised in response to first oil crisis
|
|
Calty Design Research, Inc. established
|
||
1974
|
February
|
Toyota acquires Atlas Fabricators (Now TABC, Inc.)
|
1975
|
December
|
Dancer Fitzgerald Sampler (DFS) selected as new advertising agency to represent Toyota
|
Celica Liftback introduced
|
||
Toyota beats VW to become largest importer of passenger cars
|
||
1976
|
March
|
Celica awarded 1976 Import Car of the Year
|
April
|
President's 1000 Club established
|
|
1977
|
February
|
Marketing team sent to Japan to prepare for unveiling of the 1978 Celica
|
March
|
Nationwide 24-hour Toyotathon sales event sets new orders record
|
|
June
|
Toyota Technical Center, USA, Inc. (TTC-USA) established
|
|
1978
|
August
|
Washington Representative Office opened
|
July
|
Prices of 1978 models raised in response to major yen appreciation
|
|
December
|
Toyota achieves triple crown in sales: No. 1 in passenger car, truck, and overall sales
|
|
1979
|
September
|
U.S. Toyota Dealer Meeting held in Tokyo
|
October
|
Front-wheel-drive compact car, Tercel introduced
|
|
New advertising campaign, `Oh What a Feeling!', launched
|
||
1980
|
August
|
Import tariff on truck cab chassis raised from 4% to 25%
|
October
|
Prices of 1981 models raised in response to strong yen and surge in price of oil
|
|
1981
|
April
|
Toyota places self-imposed limits on passenger car exports (1.68 million units a year)
|
October
|
New Supra introduced
|
|
1982
|
October
|
New sales financing company, Toyota Motor Credit Corporation, established
|
November
|
Construction of a new TMS head office building completed
|
|
1983
|
March
|
Camry introduced
|
1984
|
February
|
NUMMI established in joint venture with GM
|
December
|
First Chevrolet Nova produced at NUMMI
|
|
1985
|
January
|
New York Office moves to new office in Manhattan
|
October
|
U.S. Toyota Dealer Meeting held in Tokyo
|
|
1986
|
January
|
Toyota Motor Manufacturing, U.S.A., Inc. (TMM) established in Kentucky (now TMMK)
|
October
|
Sale of Corolla FX vehicles produced at NUMMI commenced at Toyota dealers
|
|
Prices of 1987 models raised in response to strong yen
|
||
December
|
Toyota reaches one million units in annual sales of imported vehicles for the first time
|
|
1987
|
August
|
Creation of a second sales network announced
|
1988
|
May
|
Camry production commenced at TMM
|
1989
|
December
|
5S engine production commenced at TMM
|
|
Lexus LS 400 and Lexus ES 250 released; in Hawaii, Lexus sales
commenced in January 1990 |
|
1990
|
January
|
Toyota acquires Bodine Aluminum, Inc.
|
1991
|
March
|
TTC's Ann Arbor and Torrance campuses expanded; design operations go into full swing at Ann Arbor
|
1992
|
February
|
Toyota Supplier Support Center (TSSC) established within Toyota Motor Corporate Service of North America Inc. (TMCS) to disclose TPS know-how
|
June
|
TTC moves headquarters from Gardener Ann Arbor to Ann Arbor
|
|
1993
|
January
|
New Bodine plant built in Troy, MO; production of cylinder heads and intake manifolds commenced
|
April
|
TTC completes construction of Toyota Arizona Proving Ground (TAPG)
|
|
1994
|
March
|
Production commenced at TMM's second plant
|
1996
|
February
|
Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Indiana, Inc. (TMMI) established
|
May
|
Toyota Motor Manufacturing, West Virginia, Inc.(TMMWV) established
|
|
October
|
Manufacturing headquarters in North America, Toyota Motor Manufacturing North America, Inc. (TMMNA; now TEMA), established
Name changed from TMM to TMMK in conjunction with establishment of TMMNA |
|
1998
|
November
|
L4 engine production commenced at TMMWV
|
1999
|
February
|
Tundra production commenced at TMMI
|
2000
|
|
Sales of Prius hybrid vehicle launched
|
2001
|
May
|
Transmission production commenced at TMMWV
|
June
|
Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Alabama, Inc. (TMMAL) established
|
|
2002
|
July 29
|
Celebration of 10 million units produced in North America held at TMMNA
|
2003
|
January
|
Production commenced at TMMI's second plant (East Plant)
|
March
|
Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Texas, Inc.(TMMTX) established
|
|
April
|
V8 engine production commenced at TMMAL
|
|
May
|
Cumulative sales in Hawaii reaches 300,000 units
|
|
June
|
Scion, Toyota's third marque in the U.S. after Toyota and Lexus, launched; sales commenced at 105 dealers in California;
in Hawaii, Scion brand sales commenced in June 2004 |
|
2006
|
February
|
North American Production Support Center (NAPSC) opens
|
March
|
Toyota announces Camry production arrangement with SIA
|
|
April
|
TMMNA manufacturing headquarters and TTC-USA development operations merged into TEMA, a new North American headquarters for R&D and manufacturing activities
|
|
September
|
Groundbreaking ceremony held at TTC's York Township site
|
|
November
|
Tundra production commenced at TMMTX
|
|
|
Annual sales in Hawaii top 20,000 units for the first time
|
|
2007
|
April
|
Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Mississippi, Inc. (TMMMS) established
|
2008
|
July
|
Toyota announces changes to production structure in North America
|
August
|
Production operations at TMMI, TMMTX, and TMMAL start three-month non-production period until November
|
|
September
|
Toyota dealers faced lower profits and excess inventory following collapse of Lehman Brothers
|
|
2009
|
August
|
Toyota announces termination of Corolla and Tacoma production contract with NUMMI
|
November
|
TMA's New York office changes location
|
|
November 25
|
TMS, working with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), announces the identification of vehicle-based remedies to eight recalled models*
|
|
December
|
Toyota achieves highest sales for a brand three years running, Lexus among luxury brands 10 years running
|
|
2010
|
January 21
|
Toyota announces recall of Corolla and seven other models* due to accelerator pedal entrapment problems
|
February 8
|
TMS announces implementation of hybrid vehicle recall due to ABS defects
|
|
February 24
|
TMC President Toyoda and TMA President Inaba testify before U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
|
|
April 1
|
NUMMI ends 25 years of vehicle production, first started in 1984
|
|
April
|
Recalls for Lexus Series announced (April 19, May 21, July 2)
|
|
April 29
|
Toyota North American Quality Advisory Panel launched ; Panel travels to Japan in May to tour TMC's Quality Management Building, Higashi-Fuji Technical Center, plants, and other facilities to provide advice to Toyota
|
|
July
|
Tacoma production commenced at TMMTX to replace production at NUMMI
|
|
August
|
Toyota announces recall of Corolla and Matrix models due to Electronic Control Module (ECM) defects
|
|
2011
|
August
|
Line-off ceremony held for new Camry at TMMK (simultaneously telecast in four locations with President Toyoda in attendance)
|
Press event held at Pebble Beach for a new Lexus GS model (President Toyoda in attendance)
|
||
Siena production for Korean market commenced at TMMI
|
||
October
|
Camry production for Korean market commenced at TMMK
|
|
November
|
Toyota World Convention held (first time held overseas)
|
|
Corolla production commenced at TMMS
|
- *
- `Camry' `Avalon' `Prius' etc.
Canada
Year
|
Month
|
Events
|
---|---|---|
1964
|
July
|
Distribution agreement signed with Canadian Motor Industries Ltd. (CMI)
|
November
|
Crown and Publica introduced
|
|
1965
|
January
|
Toronto Representative Office opened (closed April 1972)
|
1966
|
May
|
Equity stake in CMI reduced; Mitsui & Co., Ltd. becomes primary shareholder
|
1967
|
June
|
New Corona RT43L introduced
|
1968
|
May
|
Corolla introduced
|
1969
|
September
|
Corolla assembly commenced (ended in November 1975)
|
1970
|
March
|
Hilux introduced
|
September
|
CMI completes construction of new headquarters in Ontario
|
|
1971
|
December
|
Toyota becomes largest importer by total sales
|
1972
|
January
|
Equity stake in CMI acquired (30%)
|
1975
|
August
|
CMI announces layoffs as part of business streamlining program
|
1979
|
September
|
Canadian Dealer Meeting held in Tokyo
|
October
|
Front-wheel-drive compact car, Tercel introduced
|
|
1980
|
January
|
DFS selected as new advertising agency
|
April
|
CMI changes name to Toyota Canada Inc. (TCI; 50% stake)
|
|
1981
|
June
|
Toyota places self-imposed limit on passenger car exports (174,000 units a year)
|
1982
|
September
|
Canadian Dealer Meeting held in Tokyo and Nagoya
|
1983
|
March
|
Corolla introduced
|
Canadian Autoparts Toyota Inc. (CAPTIN) established in British Colombia
|
||
1985
|
February
|
CAPTIN begins production of aluminum wheels
|
1986
|
January
|
Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada, Inc. (TMMC) established in Ontario
|
March
|
Canada Office opened
|
|
1988
|
April
|
Cumulative sales in Canada reached one million units
|
November
|
TMMC begins Corolla production at its South Plant
|
|
1990
|
October
|
Canadian Lexus channel established, sales commenced
|
1995
|
October
|
TMMC begins assembly and production of engines
|
1997
|
August
|
Production operations commenced at TMMC's North Plant
|
December
|
Annual sales in Canada top 100,000 units
|
|
1999
|
June
|
Cumulative sales in Canada reached two million units
|
2002
|
December
|
Annual sales in Canada top 150,000 units
|
2003
|
April
|
Toyota's share of Canadian market breaks 10%成
|
September
|
First overseas production of Lexus-brand vehicles commenced at TMMC
|
|
2006
|
January
|
Cumulative sales in Canada reached three million units
|
2007
|
December
|
TMMC ends engine assembly and production (operations consolidated at TMMWV)
|
December
|
Annual sales in Canada top 200,000 units
|
|
2008
|
October
|
Consecutive streak of new monthly sales records from January to October ends; sales of top-sellers Yaris and Corolla decline
|
November
|
TMMC begins RAV4 production at its Woodstock Plant
|
|
2009
|
November
|
TCI achieves No.1 in sales by volume since its founding
|
December
|
TCI sets new record for monthly market share (15.9%)
|
|
2010
|
January
|
Recalls announced
|
February
|
Prius and Lexus HS recalled
|
|
March
|
TMA President Inaba, TMMC President Tanguay, and TCI President Tomihara testify before Canada's Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities
|
|
October
|
Scion brand launched in Canada; sales commenced
|
|
2011
|
January
|
TCI achieves cumulative sales of four million units
|
November
|
Ceremony for 25th anniversary of establishment held at TMMC
|