Activities by Region

Asia

Southeast Asia boasts a long history in Toyota's overseas expansion. The first distributors and the footholds for sales network expansion were established in the 1950s.

The CKD export range was expanded into Thailand, Philippines, and other countries in the 1960s. Toyota currently has 14 production companies in Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, and other Southeast Asian countries.

Under the Innovative International Multi-purpose Vehicle (IMV) project launched in 2004, Thailand and Indonesia have become global production centers equal to South Africa and Argentina, and exports from the two countries are moving forward. In addition, Toyota vehicles hold the largest share of the market in Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Taiwan, Brunei and Vietnam.

Thailand

Year
Month
Events
1954
August
Single order for 117 fire truck units received
1957
February
Bangkok Sales Office opened (raised to branch in May)
1962
October
Toyota Motor Thailand Co., Ltd. (TMT) established
1964
February
Operations commenced at TMT assembly plant; assembly of Tiara and Stout commenced
1967
January
Bangkok Branch merges with TMT
1969
August
Corolla assembly commenced at Thai Hino Industry Co., Ltd. (transferred to TMT in August 1972)
December
TMT completes General Center (motor pool, parts warehouse, new vehicle inspection line)
December
Toyota achieves No. 1 market share
1970
October
Crown assembly commenced at TMT
1974
April
TMT shares acquired locally (22%)
1975
May
Operations commenced at TMT No. 2 Plant (passenger cars)
July
TMT completes Automotive Training Center completed by TMT
September
Hilux body production commenced
1978
January
Passenger Car New Domestication Law announced (bans import of CBU passenger cars)
February
Toyota Autobody Thailand Co., Ltd. (TABT) established (operations commenced in May 1979)
1980
December
First Domestication Conference held
1981
October
Passenger car engine assembly commenced at TMT
1982
February
Thailand Toyota Association established
October
TMT Engineering Division established
1985
September
Starlet assembly commenced at TMT
1987
June
Joint venture agreement for establishment of Siam Toyota Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (STM), an engine production company, signed
1996
February
Operations commenced at TMT Gateway Plant
1997
January
Soluna launched
July
Asian currency crisis occurs
1998
November
Hilux exports to Australia commenced
2003
March
Toyota Technical Center Asia Pacific Thailand Co. Ltd. (TTCAP-TH) established
2004
August
Hilux Vigo production commenced
2006
July
TMAP established in Thailand
2007
January
Operations commenced at TMT Ban Pho Plant
April
TTCAP-TH and TMAP Thailand merge to establish Toyota Motor Asia Pacific Engineering and Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (TMAP-EM)
2008
June
Start of Camry Hybrid production in 2009 announced
2010
November
Prius line-off ceremony conducted at TMT Gateway Plant
December
Ceremony conducted at TMT Ban Pho Plant to mark cumulative production of five million vehicles in Thailand
2011
October
Operations suspended due to flooding (resumed in November)

Indonesia

Year
Month
Events
1957
June
Exports to Indonesia commenced with one Crown unit
1961

Large order for large trucks and Land Cruiser units for National Police received as part of Japanese war compensations
1963
June
Single order from Indonesian government for 913 large trucks and Land Cruiser units received in conjunction with compensations
1968
October
Jakarta Representative Office opened (closed in December 1971)
1970
May
Large truck and Land Cruiser assembly commenced at PT. Gaya Motor
1971
April
PT. Toyota-Astra Motor (TAM) established
May
Corona assembly commenced at Gaya (assembly terminated in April 1975)
1972
January
Corolla assembly commenced at Gaya
1973
May
New TAM head office building completed
1974
September
Land Cruiser assembly commenced at Multi Astra (MA)
1975
February
Maintenance Training Center completed by TAM
April
Operations commenced at new MA plant; Corolla, Corona, and Dyna assembly commenced
June
Asia Car prototype displayed at Jakarta Fair
1976
December
Toyota Mobilindo (MBD) established
1977
May
Body production commenced at MBD
June
Basic Utility Vehicle (BUV; known locally as the Kijang) assembly commenced at MA
1979
January
Operations commenced at MBD No. 2 Plant
1984
March
PT. Toyota Engine Indonesia (TEI) established (operations commenced in January 1985)
1985
July
Starlet assembly commenced at MA
1986
August
Toyota Utility Vehicle (TUV; known locally as the Kijang) assembly commenced at MA
1987
November
Kijang exports to Brunei commenced
1989
January
TAM absorbs three production and assembly companies to establish new TAM
1998
March
Operations commenced at TMMIN Karawang Plant
2003
August
TAM production and sales split (production transferred to TMMIN)
2004
January
Avanza line-off conducted
September
Kijang Innova (IMV5) production commenced
2006
September
Fortuner (IMV4) production commenced
2008
July
Contracted processing and production of the Avanza commenced
2011
September
Ceremony conducted to commemorate Toyota's 40th year of business in Indonesia

Malaysia

Year
Month
Events
1956
August
Exports to Malaysia commenced with one Land Cruiser unit
1960
September
Distributor agreement signed with Car Motor (cancelled in February 1974)
1967
September
CKD export agreement signed with Borneo Motors (cancelled September 1982)
1968
February
Corona and Corolla assembly commenced by Champion Motor (CM)
1975
April
CM renamed Assembly Services (ASSB)
1978
May
Land Cruiser assembly commenced at Sarawak Motor Industries (SMI)始
1979
January
Distributor agreement signed with Sarin Motor (responsible for the Land Cruiser)
September
Distributor agreement signed with Emastorin Motor (responsible for Hilux; cancelled in April 1984)
1980
March
Kuala Lumpur Representative Office opened
1982
September
Liteace assembly commenced at ASSB
October
Sejati Motor (Sejati) established through joint venture with United Motor Works
October
ASSB acquired by Sejati
1983
February
Sarin Motor placed under Sejati umbrella, renamed Saruti Motors
1987
October
Sejati renamed UMWT
1990
July
T&K Autoparts established
2006
May
Hiace exports to Thailand commenced
2011
April
Cumulative Toyota vehicle production in Malaysia reaches 1 million units

Philippines

Year
Month
Events
1956
January
Exports to the Philippines commenced with one Crown unit
1957
January
Order received for fire trucks for war compensation
1962
June
Tie-up formed with Delta Motor Corporation (DMC) (cancelled in March 1984)
November
Tiara assembly commenced
1967
February
Manila Representative Office opened
1969
April
New assembly plant operations commenced
1971
December
Toyota achieves No. 1 market share
1972
September
Toyota selected for participation in the Philippines' plan for domestication of industry
1973
December
Operations commenced at engine plant
1976
December
Basic Utility Vehicle (BUV; known locally as the Tamaraw) assembly commenced
1981
February
Tamaraw redesigned; assembly commenced
1982
May
Full-scale stamping production commenced
1983
December
Operations suspended because of economic crisis
1988
August
TMP established
1990
August
TAP established
1994
December
First annual triple crown received
1997
January
Operations commenced at Santa Rosa Plant
2002
October
Sales Division moved to G.T. International Tower in the center of Manila
December
Annual triple crown received for first time in seven years
2003
 
Annual triple crown received for second year in a row
2005
 
Innova (IMV5) production commenced
2007
 
Vios production commenced
2009
 
Lexus dealer operation commenced
 
Cumulative sales reach 600,000 units

Taiwan

Year
Month
Events
1949
 
Exports to Taiwan commenced with 20 large truck units
 
Distributor agreement signed with Hotai Corporation (now Hotai Motor)
1960
July
Single order received for 315 Crown and Tiara units to be used as taxis
1968
April
Tie-up formed with Lio Ho Motor Co. (cancelled in January 1973)
1970
October
Mini Ace assembly commenced at Lio Ho Motor
1971
November
Corona assembly commenced at Lio Ho Motor
1983
January
Toyota designated to participate in plan for annual production of 200,000 vehicles; basic joint venture agreement signed with China Steel
May
Taipei Representative Office opened (changed to Taiwan Office in February 1987)
1984
September
Joint venture for annual production of 200,000 vehicles negotiated; project sent back to drawing board
1986
February
Investment plan for joint venture production approved
June
Fengyung Co., Ltd. established as joint venture with Hotai Motor
June
Investment made in Kuozui Motors, Ltd. (22%)
1988
September
Ceremony conducted to mark commencement of operations at Kuozui and Fengyung Plants
1995
March
Operations commenced at Kuozui Kuan Yin Plant
1996
July
Kuozui acquires and absorbs Fengyung
1997
November
Kuozui cumulative production reaches 500,000 units
2003
November
Kuozui cumulative production reaches 1,000,000 units
2004
July
Ceremony conducted to mark 20th anniversary of Kuozui's establishment
2007
August
Ceremony conducted to mark 60th anniversary of Hotai's establishment
2008
April
Kuozui's capital structure changed; made a subsidiary (TMC: 65%, Hotai: 30%, Hino: 5%)
2009
January
Corolla Altis exports through Kuozui to Middle East commenced
2011
September
Cumulative sales of Toyota brand in Taiwan reach 2 million units

India

Year
Month
Events
1957
June
Exports to India commenced with one Crown unit
1983
March
DCM-Toyota Ltd. (DTL) established as joint venture with Delhi Cloth & General Mills Co.
1971
August
Technical support agreement signed with DTL
1984
July
Investment made in DTL (26%)
1985
May
Dyna assembly commenced
1986
September
Engine assembly commenced
1997
October
TKM established
1999
December
Qualis production commenced (operations commenced at No. 1 Plant)
2002
April
TKAP established
2003
January
Corolla production commenced
2004
May
R type transmission production commenced
2005
February
Innova production commenced
2009
August
Fortuner production commenced
2010
December
Etios production commenced (operations commenced at No. 2 Plant)
2011
June
Etios Liva production commenced

Pakistan

Year
Month
Events
1970
April
Land Cruiser assembly commenced at National Motors (assembly terminated in August 1986)
1973
December
Hiace assembly commenced at Awami Autos (assembly terminated in August 1986)
1989
December
IMC established
1990
July
CBU sales commenced at IMC
1993
March
CKD Corolla production commenced at IMC
1996
January
CKD Hilux production commenced at IMC
2000
March
CKD Cuore (Daihatsu brand) production commenced at IMC
2008
June
TMC's investment ratio increased from 12.5% to 25%
October
New stamping plant established at IMC plant
2010
April
Ceremony held for 20th anniversary of IMC
October
CKD production of Hilux Double Cab added at IMC

Southwest Asian countries

Year
Month
Events
1982
July
Land Cruiser assembly commenced at Navana in Bangladesh
2007
April
Ceremony conducted to mark 40th anniversary of establishment of Nepal United Traders Syndicate (UTS)

Other

Year
Month
Events
1950
July
Order received for 1,000 vehicles (4,679 vehicles over two years) for exceptional Korean war demand
1956
December
Crown and Land Cruiser exhibited on First Southeast Asia Exhibition Ship
1958
June
Vehicle order received from Army Procurement Agency of Japan (APA) for use in Southeast Asia (51,000 vehicles over five years)
1966
January
CKD export agreement signed with Shinjin Motors in Korea (cancelled in October 1972)
1973
September
First South Pacific Strategy Conference held
1977
October
First Asia-Oceania Product Deployment Meeting held
1978
January
First Australia-Asia Leading Country Strategy Conference held in Tokyo
1988
October
Six ASEAN countries sign Brand to Brand Complementation (BBC) agreement
1990
July
TMSS (Toyota Motor Management Service Singapore) established in Singapore
1992
January
Formal agreement reached on ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA)
1993
January
Common Effective Preferential Tariff (CEPT) scheme launched in ASEAN
1995
September
TMV established in Vietnam
1996
November
ASEAN Industrial Cooperation (AICO) Scheme launched
2000
March
TMKR established in South Korea
2001
April
TMSS (Singapore) renamed TMAP

Corolla Altis line-off conducted
2002

Camry line-off conducted

Vios line-off conducted
2008
March
Start of sales of Toyota brand vehicles in South Korea in the second half of 2009 announced

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