Alabama’s Toyota engine plant announces $282M expansion

(The Center Square) – Toyota is going to spend $282 million to expand production at an Alabama engine plant and add 350 more workers.

The Huntsville facility, the automaker’s largest engine plant in North America, employs 2,000 workers and builds 4-cylinder engines for the Corolla, Highlander, RAV4, Sienna and Tacoma. It is also the carmaker’s sole supplier for a turbocharged V-6 used in the Sequoia and Tundra and the Lexus LS 500 and the LX 600.

Toyota recently recalled 100,000 of the engines in Tundra trucks and 3,500 LX 600 SUVs due to machining debris left in the engine block that could cause knocking.

The plant previously built naturally aspirated V-6s and V-8s.

Production commenced there in 2003 and last year, the facility assembled 770,000 engines.

The news release from Gov. Kay Ivey’s office said the expansion would add new production lines for drivetrain products.

“Toyota has been a critical partner within Alabama’s growing auto industry for over two decades, launching multiple expansions that have increased the Huntsville facility’s production capabilities and its superb workforce,” Ivey said in a release. “This new investment project will build on the great legacy of Toyota’s Alabama engine plant and create even more new opportunities for the area’s citizens.”

According to the release, the project increases Toyota’s investment to $1.7 billion in Alabama, where it also shares a Huntsville vehicle plant with Mazda.

“This is great news for Toyota and for the Huntsville community,” said Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle in a release. “The addition of drivetrain products to Toyota Alabama continues the company’s legacy of staying on the forefront of industry needs, which in turn, provides more employment opportunities for North Alabama.”