Sichuan FAW Toyota marks relocation of Chengdu plant

Sichuan FAW Toyota Motor (SFTM) recently held a ceremony to mark the relocation of its Chengdu plant to the Chengdu National Economic & Technological Development Zone in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. The launch ceremony also marked the official start of production of the new Land Cruiser Prado.

SFTM is a joint venture between Toyota Motor and FAW.

Speaking at the ceremony, Toyota Motor executive vice president Atsushi Niimi said: "China is a very important market for Toyota, and Chengdu is ranked highly as a core city for China's interior markets. We hope that the new plant will be another example of splendid recovery in the area, which has already bounced back remarkably after the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, thanks to the strong leadership of government officials and the wholehearted efforts of area residents."

The company spent around Yuan 3.6bn (US$527m) in the relocation. The new facility has annual capacity for 30,000 units, compared to 13,000 units at the previous plant. The venture has also taken on 300 additional employees.