The investment will enable the plant to produce new global models under the TNGA Platform
Japanese carmakers Toyota have announced a new £240 million investment at their UK manufacturing plant in Burnaston, Derbyshire.
The investment also includes £21.3 million by way of government support, turning the plant into a facility ready for Toyota’s new Global Architecture (TNGA) Platform.
The money invested by the government will allow for training, research and development, as well as sharpening up on the ‘environmental performance’ at the plant.
Toyota to invest £240m in its Derbyshire manufacturing plant © Copyright Rob Newman and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence
The huge investment of £240m will help to pay for new equipment and the latest in technology and new systems at the facility in Derbyshire, which will ensure it’s capable of producing the newest global models here in the UK.
In 2016, about 180,000 vehicles were made at the plant in Burnaston for global export, including the Toyota Auris hatchback and the Avensis family car.
The face-lift will begin some time in 2017, allowing for the plant to be able to manufacture vehicles on Toyota’s new TNGA Platform, which at present constructs models such as the C-HR Crossover and the latest four-gen Prius.
According to Toyota, the ‘majority’ of their cars will be manufactured on this new platform, some in the UK, by the year 2020.
“We are very focused on securing the global competitiveness of our European plants. The roll-out of TNGA manufacturing capability is part of this plan,” said Dr Johan van Zyl, President and CEO of Toyota Motor Europe.
“Our investment demonstrates that, as a company, we are doing all we can to raise the competitiveness of our Burnaston plant in Derbyshire,” added Dr van Zyl.
Up until now, Toyota have invested more than £2.5 billion in the UK, who also operate an engine manufacturing plant at Deeside, in North Wales. The carmakers currently employ around 3,000 people at their two facilities.
Last year, Toyota was the UK’s fourth largest car manufacturer, producing 180,425 models, beaten only by Jaguar Land Rover, Mini and Nissan respectively.
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