GS69

Toyota Slowing Indiana Plant Production
Toyota is ramping down production of its trucks and minivan at its Princeton, Indiana plant due to slowing sales, it was reported Friday. The second biggest automaker is quick to assure the move will lead to no layoffs, though temporary workers have been let go since last spring, and last week's reports had Toyota considering moving production of its Tundra full-size pick-up truck from Princeton to a plant in San Antonio, Texas.

"We certainly hope (production) increases very quickly and turns around," said Kelly Dillon, a Toyota spokesperson, in a Detroit News report. "We just basically build based on Toyota sales demand from our customers."

The Princeton plant employs close to 4,500 workers who assemble the Tundra truck, Sequoia SUV and Sienna minivans, sales of which have slowed due to high gas prices and an uncertain economy.

According to Toyota, the Indiana plant is operating at near 80 percent capacity, and while Texas plants are also slowing, the automaker has no plans to consolidate production.

doug_999

The Sequoia missed the mark. Low cost (read cheap looking) interior and no V6 (read better mileage) version. Bring a hybrid out of this thing and it will do better.

SLegacy99

I know that there is alot that goes into engineering hybrid vehicles, but it seems to me that alot of the work would already be done with the Highlander and RX400h. It would seem to me that it wouldnt take more than a model year or two to offer hybrid Sequoias and Tundras. Afterall, the Silverado hybrid is due out shortly after the hybrid Tahoe.

I know that minivan sales are waning, but I also think that offering a hybrid version of the Sienna would increase sales as people are looking for fuel efficient alternatives to SUVs.