Activities by Region
Oceania
CBU exports to Australia began in the 1950s, and a transition to local assembly was made in the 1960s. Exports were also extended to New Zealand and other South Pacific countries in the 1960s.
Later, the business environment underwent extreme changes, particularly in Australia in the 1970s and 1980s, and operations were developed in response to regulations for the domestication of business.
Toyota currently has one production company and 15 distributors in Oceania.
Australia and South Pacific Countries
Year |
Month |
Events |
---|---|---|
1951 |
October |
Exports to Oceania commenced with one large truck |
1957 |
August |
Tie-up for commercial vehicles formed with B&D Motors (cancelled in July 1959) |
1959 |
July |
Distributor agreement signed with Thiess Sales |
1961 |
August |
Stout, Land Cruiser, and large truck displayed at the Royal Show |
1962 |
November |
CKD export agreement signed with Australian Motor Industries (AMI) |
1963 |
April |
Tiara assembly commenced at AMI (assembly terminated in February 1987) |
July |
Melbourne Representative Office opened |
|
1964 |
February |
Sydney Representative Office opened |
1967 |
February |
Crown assembly commenced at AMI (assembly terminated in July 1980) |
1968 |
July |
Corolla assembly commenced at AMI |
September |
Equity stake in AMI acquired (10%) |
|
1971 |
July |
Thiess Sales renamed Thiess Toyota (Thiess) |
July |
Equity stake in Thiess acquired (40%) |
|
September |
Stake in AMI increased to 50% |
|
1977 |
March |
Toyota Manufacturing Australia (TMA) established |
1978 |
October |
Operations commenced at TMA engine plant; production of 4K engine for Corolla commenced |
1979 |
September |
GM Holden engine used in Corona pursuant to new automobile policy (domestic production rate of 85%) |
1980 |
March |
Thiess placed under direct management |
1981 |
June |
Toyota Australia Marketing Council launched for sales policy conferences by AMI and Thiess |
July |
Operations commenced at TAM stamping plant |
|
1982 |
March |
TMA exports of engine coarse materials to TMC commenced |
June |
Toyota Financial Australia Limited, a sales financing company, established |
|
1985 |
September |
AMI renamed AMI Toyota |
1987 |
February |
Camry assembly commenced at AMI |
1988 |
May |
UAAI, a joint venture with GM established |
1993 |
August |
Export of Australian-manufactured Camry units to Thailand commenced |
1994 |
July |
New Altona Plant established and Corolla production commenced |
1995 |
March |
Camry production commenced at new Altona Plant; opening ceremony conducted |
1996 |
February |
Export of Australian-manufactured Camry units to Middle East commenced |
March |
Joint venture with GM cancelled |
|
1998 |
November |
BPC, a regional holding company for South Pacific distributors, made a wholly-owned subsidiary of Toyota Tsusho Corporation and renamed Toyota Tsusho South Pacific Holdings |
1999 |
December |
TMSA, TMCA, and AMI merge |
2000 |
May |
New TMCA Sydney office completed |
2003 |
June |
Toyota Technical Center Asia Pacific Australia Pty. Ltd. (TTCAP-AU) established |
2004 |
July |
Opening ceremony held for new TMCA office |
2005 |
June |
Opening ceremony held for TTCAP-AU |
2006 |
October |
Aurion production commenced at TMCA |
December |
Trial Agreement with Pickering Motors of the Cook Islands signed |
|
2009 |
December |
Ceremony held to mark 50th anniversary of TMCA's establishment |
December |
Camry Hybrid production commenced at TMCA |
|
2011 |
November |
New Camry production commenced at TMCA |
New Zealand
Year |
Month |
Events |
---|---|---|
1966 |
January |
Tie-up formed with Consolidated Motor Distributors (CMD) |
1967 |
February |
Corona assembly commenced at Steels Motor Assemblies (SMA) |
1968 |
April |
Corolla assembly commenced at Campbell Industries Limited (CIL) |
1977 |
February |
Equity stake in CMD acquired (20%) |
February |
Wellington Representative Office opened |
|
February |
SMA and CIL placed under direct management of CMD |
|
May |
CMD, SMA, and CIL renamed Toyota New Zealand (TNZ), TNZ Christchurch, and TNZ Thames |
|
1983 |
November |
Corolla production commenced at two plants |
1985 |
May |
Corona Wagon produced in Australia introduced (switched to Camry in June 1987) |
1987 |
March |
TNZ placed under direct management |
1992 |
June |
TNZ made a wholly-owned subsidiary |
1996 |
September |
Christchurch Plant closed |
1998 |
October |
Thames Plant closed |
2002 |
May |
Cross-selling of Daihatsu vehicles commenced in Toyota dealer network |