Toyota Produces 2 Millionth Car In Canada

Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada Inc. announced the production of the 2 millionth vehicle at their Cambridge, Ontario manufacturing plant, on July 9th.

TMMC employees applauded as President Ray Tanguay drove the Corolla through a celebratory banner as the milestone vehicle rolled off the final assembly line.

The plant has been in operation since November 30, 1988, and currently manufactures a Matrix or Corolla every 60 seconds, and a Lexus RX 330 vehicle every 3 minutes and 30 seconds. When it opened, it was planned that the company would employ 1000 people and build 50,000 vehicles per year in a one million square foot facility.

In 2004, more than 4000 team members will build 280,000 vehicles in the facility that has grown to more than 3 million square feet.

“We’re delighted by the growth and success we have enjoyed in Canada and the Region of Waterloo,” said TMMC President, Ray Tanguay. “We’ve come a long way over the past 16 years and the team we have built in Cambridge is as skilled, dedicated and successful as any automotive organization in the world.”

TMMC produced its millionth car in its 11th year of operation, on September 22, 1999. By comparison, the second millionth took just 5 years.