Toyota Tennessee Day: Jackson plant celebrates 20 years of service, manufacturing
Toyota Tennessee celebrated the 20th anniversary of its groundbreaking on Friday with Mayor Scott Conger proclaiming Nov. 3, 2023 as "Toyota Tennessee Day."
One of nine Toyota plants in the U.S., the 450,000-square-foot motor manufacturing plant in Jackson is responsible for producing approximately 1.79 million engine blocks and 729,00 transmission cases each year for every Toyota vehicle in North America.
Following its commitment to community development, Toyota Tennessee President Wes Woods reflected on the "time, knowledge, and resources" Toyota has reinvested in Jackson, noting $2 million invested in local nonprofit organizations.
More: Toyota adds $36 million investment to Jackson plant
More: Toyota adds hybrid product to its production line for vehicles
"In June we announced $100,000 in grants to honor our 20th anniversary to local nonprofits and improve the success of workplace training, address food insecurity, and expand opportunities for students in our school system," Woods said. "Jackson and Madison County have been good to us over the past 20 years."
As part of Toyota's anniversary, local media partners were given an exclusive tour of the manufacturing plant and the state-of-the-art technology being used to revolutionize the automobile industry.
Being a part of the 450-person Toyota Tennessee workforce means being a part of a family, according to 15-year employee John Collins.
"I work with a lot of great team members that, day in and night out, give their hardest and their best to make great engines so we can keep everybody driving and going," he said.
When he first began at Toyota, Collins said he had seldom seen a company "that cared about the employees like they did." Beginning as an inspector before being promoted to an operator, he says his current role as a team leader is something he's proud to be.
Fostering a welcoming and familial environment stems from a corporate culture surrounding the Japanese word "mendomi." The term emphasizes the care of people as if they are family and something that Toyota, a Japanese automaker, strives to emulate in the work environment.
"When you care about a family member, it's more than just how they're contributing to the family, but it's coaching them, it's listening to them, it's caring for their needs, all of those types of things," he said. "Our team members, they have the same type of 'mendomi' care for our community."
Looking toward the next 20 years, Toyota Tennessee has focused on investments at the plant that coincide with the trajectory of hybrid vehicles and their rise in popularity.
"We produce transmission cases and housings for the hybrid vehicle production and we've invested, just last year, about $50 million in that and will continue to do so," Woods said. "We're very excited about that electrification future."
This article originally appeared on Jackson Sun: Toyota Tennessee celebrates 20 years of service at Jackson plant
