Dedication, eye toward quality and safety results in 4.3 million
vehicles built past 20 years
Over the past 20 years, Toyota Indiana has built 4.3 million
vehicles. But it isn’t the planning, engineering, problem solving
or high-pace of the assembly line that stands out to Norm Bafunno,
the plant’s president. It’s the people.
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Toyota Indiana leaders and team members
commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Princeton plant. Team
members marked the milestone by donating two Sienna minivans to
local non-profits committed to helping get more people to more
places, on the road and in life. (Photo: Business Wire)
“My first day on the job as president, a team member came up to
me and said she would like to talk about a policy the plant
had. I thought to myself, ‘oh boy, what’s coming
next.’ As it turns out, it wasn’t something she wanted changed
that would benefit her, but, rather, she wanted to donate her
vacation days to another team member whose son was sick and in the
hospital. In a nutshell, that defines who we are.”
Today, the Princeton, Ind., plant celebrates 20 years of
building vehicles. What started as the original plant to make
the Tundra, now boasts the Sienna minivan, Sequoia full-size SUV
and the Highlander and Highlander Hybrid midsize SUV. In addition
to a celebration concert for team members in August and an open
house planned for a later date, two local non-profit groups
received Siennas to mark the anniversary.
These vehicle donations highlight Toyota’s commitment to the
future of mobility—getting more people to more places, on the road
and in life. The Sienna minivans were given to Aurora Inc., an
organization dedicated to preventing and ending homelessness in the
community, and the Gibson County Counsel on Aging, a group that
provides transportation to seniors in need.
“This minivan will help us make an impact in the lives of people
right here in Gibson County by keeping them mobile,” said Michelle
Fry, executive director, Gibson County Counsel on Aging. “Our
service is the only way many of our seniors are able to get out to
vital places such as the doctor, pharmacy and grocery store.”
Since groundbreaking for that original Tundra in 1996, the plant
and its 5,000 team members have plenty to celebrate:
- $4.3 billion investment in the
operation
- 24,058 jobs in Indiana (including
direct, intermediate and spin-off employment)
- 29 top vehicle picks by Consumer
Reports
- 11 J.D. Power Initial Quality Awards
and 16 J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Awards
- 265,000 volunteer hours donated by team
members and $23 million in donations to area groups
- 3 expansions
- Exports of vehicles to 27
countries
“From the first Tundra produced to the current vehicle line-up,
we are proud of the accomplishments of the Toyota Indiana team
members,” said Osamu “Simon” Nagata, Executive Vice President and
Chief Administrative Officer of Toyota Motor North America, Inc.
“It is clear the plant has a long and bright future ahead.”
Orvietta Shannon joined Toyota before the plant opened as a
human resources specialist. It was through this role that she
helped hire the original team and says it was, and still is, like a
family. Twenty years later, Shannon works in Diversity and
Inclusion and says TMMI’s first class team is always thinking about
how to improve the product.
“It really comes down to our culture,” Shannon said. “Our team
members have a special pride in their work and you see it in
everything they do. We talk about continuous improvement, and you
see them constantly going above and beyond to make things
better.”
Bafunno, who started at TMMI 19 ½ years ago as a general
manager, said in addition to the dedicated team members, the
plant’s suppliers and community support played pivotal roles in
helping the facility exceed expectations.
“Toyota Indiana has been a true community partner for twenty
years,” said Lt. Governor Eric Holcomb. “They continue to make
important local investments and provide a top-notch work
environment for more than 5,000 Hoosiers, and we could not be more
proud that they call Indiana home.”
And although TMMI has celebrated many milestones, team members
say it was during the tough times that people saw Toyota’s true
commitment to them. While idle for three months during the 2008
economic downturn, the plant kept all of its workers, setting up
classrooms and teaching them skills needed for the future. Bafunno
said those skills are still used today and help propel the plant
forward. Team members were also given the option to volunteer at
local non-profits and be paid by Toyota.
“Our team members’ capability to adapt and to learn and apply
those skills each day has enabled those results to occur,” Bafunno
says. “It not only helps establish a great reputation, but, also,
really builds a bridge to the future.”
About Toyota Indiana
Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Indiana, home of the Highlander and
Highlander Hybrid midsize SUVs, Sequoia full-size SUV and Sienna
minivan, is located in Princeton, Ind. The company broke ground in
May 1996 and is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Nestled
on 1,160 acres, more than 5,000 Toyota team members are employed at
the 4.2-million-square-foot facility, which has been a zero waste
to landfill facility since 2005.
More than 375,000 vehicles were produced at Toyota Indiana in
2015, and more than 66,000 units were exported to more than 27
countries.
To date, Toyota Indiana has donated more than $23 million to
nonprofit agencies in the Tri-State and paid more than $119 million
in local property taxes.
Those interested in taking a tour of the plant may call the
Visitors Center at 888-696-8211 or go online at
www.tourtoyotaindiana.com to request a reservation. “Like” our
Visitors Center by going to www.facebook.com/tmmivc.
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM), the world's top automaker and creator of the
Prius and the Mirai fuel cell vehicle, is committed to building
vehicles for the way people live through our Toyota, Lexus
and Scion brands. Over the past 50 years, we’ve built more
than 30 million cars and trucks in North America, where we operate
14 manufacturing plants (10 in the U.S.) and directly employ more
than 44,000 people (more than 34,000 in the U.S.). Our 1,800 North
American dealerships (1,500 in the U.S.) sold more than 2.8 million
cars and trucks (nearly 2.5 million in the U.S.) in 2015 – and
about 80 percent of all Toyota vehicles sold over the past 20 years
are still on the road today.
Toyota partners with philanthropic organizations across the
country, with a focus on education, safety and the environment. As
part of this commitment, we share the company’s extensive know-how
garnered from building great cars and trucks to help community
organizations and other nonprofits expand their ability to do good.
For more information about Toyota, visit
www.toyotanewsroom.com.
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Toyota Motor North AmericaKaren JohnstonManager External
Affairs812-215-9103
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