Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky celebrated the production of its 13th million vehicle earlier this month. Based in Georgetown, TMMK is the largest Toyota plant in the world.
Since the first vehicle rolled off its assembly line on May 26, 1988 — a white Toyota Camry — the Georgetown plant has been, on average, churning out nearly 1,100 vehicles every day.
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The 13th million Toyota was not a Camry but a RAV4 Hybrid painted in blue, a fitting sign of the times. In 1988, the Camry was well on its way to becoming one of the world’s bestselling cars, and the sedan class was more popular than ever.
Today, the RAV4 is Toyota’s most popular model as well as the bestselling SUV in America, a major feat considering the competitiveness of that growing segment. The RAV4 Hybrid is a relatively new addition to TMMK’s lineup, having begun production as recently as January 2020 after multiple investments totaling $1.5 billion.
Today, Toyota’s Georgetown campus spans 1,300 acres and represents an $8 billion investment that is home to over 10,000 Kentucky-based employees. It also builds engines and will soon reach the 13 million milestone on that front as well.
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Photo: Toyota Motor North America
“On one hand, it’s hard to believe we have produced 13 million vehicles,” said Susan Elkington, TMMK president. “However, when you consider the dedication and skill of our Kentucky team it isn’t so hard to imagine. It’s incredible to think about our customers, their families, and all the places they’ve gone in our 13 million vehicles. Looking forward, we are excited about the future of mobility and being able to take more people, more places.”
TMMK’s milestone is one in a growing list of achievements for the automaker in 2021. Last month, Toyota celebrated the production of 30 million vehicles in North America, and later this year, TMMK will celebrate its 35th anniversary as well as the production of its 10th million Camry.
Kurt Verlin was born in France and lives in the United States. Throughout his life he was always told French was the language of romance, but it was English he fell in love with. He likes cats, music, cars, 30 Rock, Formula 1, and pretending to be a race car driver in simulators; but most of all, he just likes to write about it all. See more articles by Kurt.