Hino Motors Manufacturing U.S.A. Inc., a subsidiary of Hino Ltd., has rolled out its first American-made truck from parent company Toyota Motor Corp.’s plant in Long Beach, CA.
Yesterday’s opening of the Hino manufacturing facility in the U.S., marks a significant milestone in Toyota’s effort to expand its commercial vehicle arm in the North American market.
Hino expects to produce 2,000 units in 2004, and then ramp it up to 10,000 trucks per year by 2006. Currently there are 75 Hino and plant workers building the medium-duty trucks.
“As our sales volumes increase in North America, so does our commitment to localization here. Commercial truck production is just another step in Hino’s growth in this region,” said Tadaaki Jagawa, chairman of Hino Motors Ltd.
