Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) has held a line-off ceremony today for the first Camry built at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Russia (TMMR) in the Shushary District of St. Petersburg.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
A full line of dignitaries included Toyota president Katsuaki Watanabe who gave Russian Federation president Vladimir Putin a tour of the plant.
The plant is starting at 20,000 units a year but has an eventual target of 50,000.
At the ceremony, Watanabe said, “The reason we have been able to successfully commence production is that a team made up of Russians and Japanese had the enthusiasm to clear numerous obstacles and overcome adversity.
“By steadily building our production and sales in Russia, a market that has great potential, we hope to contribute to the development of the country’s automobile industry, and to the parts industry that supports it, thereby helping to bolster the Russian economy and create employment opportunities.”
TMC established TMMR in May 2005 as its first vehicle production plant in Russia, with plans to start production at the end of 2007.
The 224-hectare site allows room for expansion beyond the 50,000-unit capacity if needed. Total investment was 5bn rubles ($US200m).
TMC plans to donate three Camrys to the city of St. Petersburg.
