Toyota has announced plans to introduce a new 4-cylinder 1.3-litre petrol engine at its plant in Deeside, North Wales. This news represents an additional investment of £88 million and production of the new engine is scheduled for late 2009.
The announcement was made today by Mr. Tokuichi Uranishi, executive vice president, Toyota Motor Corporation, during a ceremony at the plant attended by Rhodri Morgan AM, Welsh Assembly Government first minister and Ieuan Wyn Jones AM, deputy first minister and minister for economy and transport.
This is the second major investment in engine production at the plant since 2007, and is in addition to the £700 million already invested in the Deeside operation.
“This announcement recognises the quality of the UK workforce and demonstrates Toyota‘s confidence in our UK investment and continued efforts towards local production,” said Mr. Tokuichi Uranishi, Executive Vice President of Toyota Motor Corporation. “This new engine, along with the recent investment here at Deeside, means this plant will have two of the most advanced engine manufacturing lines in the world.”
The Deeside engine plant currently produces fully-assembled petrol engines for Toyota‘s vehicle manufacturing plant at Burnaston, Derbyshire where the Auris and Avensis models are produced. The plant also undertakes casting and machining of engine sets for export to Toyota plants in countries across the world – including Venezuela, Brazil, Turkey, France, South Africa and Japan – for local assembly.
Production began in September 1992 and in February 2007 the plant celebrated the production of its three-millionth engine.
