Toyota To Build Lexus Cars In US State of Kentucky

[Purveyor]

AFP - Toyota says it will for the first time start producing Lexus vehicles in the United States, investing $360 million in an assembly plant it runs in Kentucky.

Some 50,000 Lexus ES 350 vehicles a year will be produced at the site for the US market and the first vehicles are expected to roll off the production line in 2015, Toyota Motor Company president and CEO Akio Toyoda said at a press conference Friday in New York.

The move will generate 750 new jobs at the plant in Georgetown, Kentucky, he said. The plant currently makes Toyota Camry, Avalon and Venza cars.

It will the first time that the luxury Lexus ES model sedan is assembled outside of Japan, the company said.

Toyoda said that the move would help reduce the impact of fluctuating exchange rates, as the high price of the Japanese currency against the US dollar has hurt Japanese exports to the United States in recent years.

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http://www.france24.com/en/20130420-toyota-build-lexus-cars-us-state-kentucky

[Initech]

1. Excellent idea but Kentucky has garbage right to work laws.

[yortsed snacilbuper]

2. "Excellent idea but Kentucky has garbage right to work laws"

That's probably why they picked Kentucky, I don't think they like unions!

[aaaaaa5a]

3. I suppose I should applaud this. But toyota is only there because of "first world" cheap labor.

My bet is the median wage for a worker at that plant will be about 12-14 dollars per hour.


There is a BMW plant in Spartanburg SC. Having the plant there was hailed as a great success. Then a report came out that was featured on Morning Joe that showed the average wage was only about 30,000 per year.


Basically, in the current world dominated by corporate greed, we are suppose to celebrate lower class wages as a big event. And I won't even get into health care benefits.

[blueknight]

4. i have several friends who work there

and actually they are very good jobs. and im very PRO UNION. I have been in a union all my life. but these guys make about 24 dollars an hour and have great benefits.

[1gobluedem]

5. With union labor?

If not, not interested.