JohnnyC
Long ago TLCA# 2231
In order to sell the Toyota pickup truck lineup to the North American market to circumventing the “chicken tax” (Chicken tax - Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_tax), Toyota teamed up with Long Beach, California-based metalwork facility Atlas Fabricators in 1971. This facility would in turn become Toyota’s first production facility in North America, and makes truck beds for trucks imported from Japan to the United States.
Most information was found either from Toyota global or from saved pdf's and from Toyota USA Museum.
1971: Toyota signs agreement with Atlas Fabricators of Long Beach to begin producing truck beds for pickups. This marks Toyota’s first U.S. production.
1972: Atlas Fabricators of Long Beach begins producing truck beds for pickups. Making Toyota the only import truck with a domestically built cargo body.
1974: Toyota purchases Atlas Fabricators Inc. and renames the Long Beach facilities Long Beach Fabricators, Inc.
1976: Long Beach Fabricators produces its 100,000th truck bed.
1980 Toyota renames Long Beach Fabricators to Toyota Motor Manufacturing, U.S.A. Inc. (TMM).
1983: Toyota and GM begin planning for a joint manufacturing facility using a closed GM plant in Freemont, CA.
1984: Toyota and GM form a joint venture to build vehicles named New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc. (NUMMI) in Freemont, CA.
1984 TMM produces its 1,000,000th truck bed
1985: Toyota selects Scott County, Kentucky for the company’s first wholly-owned US automobile manufacturing plant.
1985: Toyota selects Cambridge, Ontario, Canada for the company’s first wholly-owned automobile manufacturing plant in Canada. Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada, Inc. (TMMC) is established.
1986: Toyota Motor Manufacturing, U.S.A., Inc., (TMM) is established to build vehicles in Georgetown, Kentucky.
Ground is broken for the new $800 million manufacturing plant in Georgetown, Kentucky. Ground is broken for TMMC manufacturing operations in Cambridge Ontario, Canada Toyota Auto Body Incorporated (TABC) Camry Line-Off ceremony
1988: Toyota Motor Manufacturing in Long Beach CA is renamed Toyota Auto Body Inc. (TABC).
1987: Toyota announces plans to build a $300 million powertrain plant at TMM.
1989: TABC produces its 1.5 millionth truck bed
1996: TMM is renamed Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky (TMMK) Toyota establishes Toyota Motor Manufacturing North America, Inc (TMMNA) in Kentucky as headquarters for its various manufacturing plants.
Found some very interesting pictures:
Most information was found either from Toyota global or from saved pdf's and from Toyota USA Museum.
1971: Toyota signs agreement with Atlas Fabricators of Long Beach to begin producing truck beds for pickups. This marks Toyota’s first U.S. production.
1972: Atlas Fabricators of Long Beach begins producing truck beds for pickups. Making Toyota the only import truck with a domestically built cargo body.
1974: Toyota purchases Atlas Fabricators Inc. and renames the Long Beach facilities Long Beach Fabricators, Inc.
1976: Long Beach Fabricators produces its 100,000th truck bed.
1980 Toyota renames Long Beach Fabricators to Toyota Motor Manufacturing, U.S.A. Inc. (TMM).
1983: Toyota and GM begin planning for a joint manufacturing facility using a closed GM plant in Freemont, CA.
1984: Toyota and GM form a joint venture to build vehicles named New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc. (NUMMI) in Freemont, CA.
1984 TMM produces its 1,000,000th truck bed
1985: Toyota selects Scott County, Kentucky for the company’s first wholly-owned US automobile manufacturing plant.
1985: Toyota selects Cambridge, Ontario, Canada for the company’s first wholly-owned automobile manufacturing plant in Canada. Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada, Inc. (TMMC) is established.
1986: Toyota Motor Manufacturing, U.S.A., Inc., (TMM) is established to build vehicles in Georgetown, Kentucky.
Ground is broken for the new $800 million manufacturing plant in Georgetown, Kentucky. Ground is broken for TMMC manufacturing operations in Cambridge Ontario, Canada Toyota Auto Body Incorporated (TABC) Camry Line-Off ceremony
1988: Toyota Motor Manufacturing in Long Beach CA is renamed Toyota Auto Body Inc. (TABC).
1987: Toyota announces plans to build a $300 million powertrain plant at TMM.
1989: TABC produces its 1.5 millionth truck bed
1996: TMM is renamed Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky (TMMK) Toyota establishes Toyota Motor Manufacturing North America, Inc (TMMNA) in Kentucky as headquarters for its various manufacturing plants.
Found some very interesting pictures: