A recent study by the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) shows Toyota Motor Manufacturing, West Virginia, Inc. (TMMWV) is making a major impact on the Mountain State through strong jobs numbers, payroll, and capital and philanthropic investments.
CAR, a national think tank, found in 2015 one out of every 150 workers in West Virginia was employed as a result of Toyota manufacturing, sales, logistics or support operations. The study found:
- Direct employees (manufacturing-related and new vehicle jobs) earned $271 million in payroll
- After taxes, their disposable personal income totaled $206 million, meaning that money was available to be spent in the West Virginia economy
- When those direct employees are combined with jobs at companies that supply TMMWV, as well as spinoff positions, Toyota is estimated to support 5,000 jobs in West Virginia
- Since 1996, Toyota has invested $1.2 billion in West Virginia operations
“Toyota continues to invest in facilities across the U.S., which, in turn, has resulted in job growth,” said Dr. Jay S. Baron, president and CEO of CAR. “This study not only looks at the U.S. as a whole, but, also, digs deep into the economies of the 19 states in which Toyota had significant manufacturing or other operations in 2015 – including in West Virginia. For every one employee in Toyota’s U.S. manufacturing-related operations there are an additional 6.1 jobs in the U.S. economy.”
Also, a new community report shows TMMWV has more than 1,600 employees in Buffalo, and produced more than 650,000 four- and six-cylinder engines and more than 740,000 transmissions in 2016. In the two decades since breaking ground, the plant has expanded eight times, including a current $400 million investment to further modernize operations. Once complete, the facility will move from producing the current six-speed transmission to the next generation eight-speed transmission.
Barry Pearson, a 17 year employee at TMMWV, said it’s more than just a good job. “Team members are proud to work for a company that values being a community partner. The amount of investment Toyota has made in education and community service is remarkable.”
Whether team members are logging 5,388 volunteer hours for local organizations in 2016, or the $5.3 million donated to charitable organizations in West Virginia since 1996, Toyota is committed to making the communities where its employees live, work and play the best they can be.
“This is an impressive scorecard that reinforces how valued a partner Toyota has been to West Virginia for more than 20 years,” said Secretary H. Wood Thrasher, W.Va. Department of Commerce. “Continued investment and expansion, such as the recent announcement of an additional $400 million to modernize the plant, make a powerful impact on our people and our communities. We are proud to have Toyota in the Mountain State.”
Investment in America
TMMWV’s expansion is part of Toyota’s plan to invest $10 billion in the U.S. over the next five years in order to make existing plants even more competitive. That investment is on top of $7.1 billion invested in its American facilities since 1996.
In the U.S., CAR found that for every one manufacturing-related Toyota job 6.1 other jobs are supported. National numbers in 2015 were as follows:
- Total employment impact of 470,100 jobs
- U.S. employment supports $32.3 billion in private non-farm payroll income
- Charitable giving totals $700 million to U.S. non-profits since 1996
- Toyota manufactures 12 vehicles in the U.S., as well as engines, transmissions and components
The full report from CAR may be downloaded here.
