Toyota Kicks Off a Milestone Year with a $1 Billion Investment in Kentucky and Indiana

GEORGETOWN, Ky., March 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- It was 1986. Bon Jovi and Madonna filled the airwaves. Halley's Comet whizzed overhead, and the Chicago Bears shuffled their way to a championship. Toyota also took a bold new step into U.S. operations, as it broke ground in Kentucky and set the stage for millions of vehicles rolling off the line, starting with the Toyota Camry sedan.

Today, Toyota celebrated 40 years at its Kentucky plant – the company's largest manufacturing plant in the world. To commemorate the occasion, Toyota announced a $1 billion investment across its Kentucky and Indiana operations, affirming the company's commitment to meet growing customer demand and offer a diverse vehicle line up. The announcement is part of Toyota's November 2025 commitment to invest up to $10 billion in its U.S. plants over the next five years.

"Toyota's investment in the U.S. is for the long-term, tied to our philosophy of building where we sell and buying where we build," said Mark Templin, executive vice president and chief operating officer, Toyota Motor North America. "We have created a tremendous value chain for nearly 70 years. Our teams have contributed to world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than thirty-five million cars and trucks for our customers in the U.S."

The investment includes:

Toyota Kentucky: $800 million to further Toyota's multi-pathway approach to electrification by preparing the plant for its second battery electric vehicle. The investment also allows the plant to increase capacity for the assembly of the Camry and RAV4.

Toyota Indiana: $200 million to increase capacity for the Grand Highlander, one of Toyota's most popular SUVs. With this investment, Grand Highlander joins the assembly of the family-favorite Sienna minivan in the facility's East Plant while continuing assembly alongside the Lexus TX in the West Plant.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear was all smiles celebrating with Toyota team members in the Blue Grass state.

"Kentucky changed for the better 40 years ago when Toyota chose to make Georgetown its New Kentucky Home, and I am proud to say that partnership and success continues today as we celebrate this remarkable milestone together," said Gov. Andy Beshear. "Toyota Kentucky is Toyota's largest vehicle manufacturing plant in the world, producing over 14 million vehicles since its doors opened and benefiting Kentuckians through good jobs and a strong economy. We are grateful to our great Toyota partners and look forward to building on years of success for generations to come."

Additionally, Toyota Kentucky announced millions in new grant funding further solidifying the company's commitment to career readiness and community engagement.

$4 million supporting Driving Possibilities. The grants awarded by the Toyota USA Foundation, supported by additional funds from Toyota Kentucky, will expand STEM learning and resources in Scott and Fayette County Schools. When combined with the original Toyota USA Foundation grants, the total investment in the program is more than $11 million in the Commonwealth.

Driving Possibilities is a national STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) education initiative that brings together community, education leaders, local and national nonprofits, and industry partners. The aim of the initiative is to co-create programs to strengthen communities and prepare young people for future careers. Driving Possibilities is funded by the Toyota USA Foundation, with additional support provided by Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) and Toyota Financial Services (TFS).

$400,000 to support the Manufacturing Engineering program at Eastern Kentucky University, helping to advance the next generation workforce.

A cornerstone of American manufacturing and jobs, Toyota has much to celebrate in 2026. Five of the company's U.S. manufacturing facilities are marking major anniversaries this year including:

Toyota Kentucky – 40 years
Toyota Missouri – 35 years
Toyota Indiana – 30 years
Toyota West Virginia – 30 years
Toyota Alabama – 25 years

ADDITIONAL QUOTES

Kerry Creech: "For Toyota, manufacturing has always been about more than building vehicles, it's about investing in people," said Kerry Creech, president of Toyota Kentucky. "Ensuring customer satisfaction and safety starts with each team member on the production line. Our 10,000 team members are the heart of Toyota. We will continue to invest in them and in our future workforce."

Jason Puckett: "Today's announcement reflects the company's commitment to meeting customer demand and the belief in our team to get it done," said Jason Puckett, president of Toyota Indiana. "For thirty years, Toyota Indiana has led the charge into the future by putting our customers first, delivering quality vehicles, and remaining committed to our values. I'm proud to celebrate this incredible milestone with our 7,300 team members who have helped contribute to decades of quality in the Hoosier state."

About Toyota  

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. for nearly 70 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our nearly 1,500 dealerships.   

Toyota directly employs nearly 48,000 people in the U.S. who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of more than 35 million cars and trucks at our 11 manufacturing plants. In 2025, Toyota's plant in North Carolina began to assemble automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. 

To help inspire the next generation for careers in advanced manufacturing, Toyota launched its in-person tour booking platform and virtual tour experience at www.TourToyota.com allowing guests to schedule a live tour to see several of our U.S. manufacturing facilities in action or visit all plants virtually from anywhere around the globe. 

For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com. 

Toyota USA Foundation

The Toyota USA Foundation is a $100 million endowed private foundation supporting education and community programs for kindergarten through 12th-grade students and their teachers in the United States, with an emphasis on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

Media Contacts:

Toyota Kentucky

Kim Ogle

Kim.Ogle@toyota.com

Toyota Indiana

Stacy Carr

Stacy.Carr@toyota.com

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SOURCE Toyota Motor North America

Driven by People, Powering the Future