Jackson, Tenn. - Production
began today at Bodine Aluminum, Inc. (Bodine), a Toyota subsidiary which
casts aluminum engine blocks.
Tennessee Commissioner of
Economic and Community Development Matt Kisber joined Toyota Motor
Manufacturing North America (TMMNA) president Seiichi Sudo, Bodine
president Bob Lloyd and the company's 50 team members in unveiling the
first block.
Bodine, located on a 200-acre
site in the Airport Industrial Park, will eventually employ 220 and invest
$164 million. Bodine will cast about one million engine blocks annually
and beginning in 2007 will have the capacity to cast 270,000 aluminum
transmission cases and housings annually.
The initial Jackson-made V6
engine blocks are destined for Toyota's engine plant in Kentucky, and then
into the Toyota Camry and Avalon sedans also made in Kentucky.
"Engine blocks, the heart of
Toyota engines known for high quality, durability and efficiency, will be
manufactured by these outstanding team members right here in Jackson,"
Sudo said.
"I hope the people of West
Tennessee are proud that in the future their workmanship will be found in
the majority of Toyotas to be sold on this continent," Lloyd said.
Bodine was founded in 1912
and became a Toyota subsidiary in 1990. The company's two plants in Troy
and St. Louis, Mo., produce aluminum cylinder heads, aluminum cylinder
blocks and other aluminum castings for most of Toyota's North
American-produced vehicles. Bodine employs about 1,100 in its three
facilities.
Toyota has 11 vehicle
manufacturing and parts facilities in North America, and is building new
vehicle plants in San Antonio, Texas and Woodstock, Ontario.
