Toyota celebrates 50 years of production in Malaysia

TOYOTA distributor UMW Toyota Motor reached a historic chapter with its 50 years of local production in Malaysia. Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah and Tengku Permaisuri Selangor Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin Abdul Rahman were among the dignitaries who graced a special anniversary celebration held at the company’s new RM2bil Bukit Raja factory in Klang to mark the achievement.

Also present were Selangor Mentri Besar Amirudin Shari, Japanese ambassador to Malaysia Dr Makio Miyagawa, Toyota Motor Corp Japan CEO (China & Asia Region) Tatsuro Ueda, UMW Toyota Motor deputy chairman Akio

Takeyama and president Ravindran K.

The new plant is capable of producing up to 50,000 vehicles per year and is currently manned by 1,052 employees.

Models produced at the plant are the Vios and Yaris.

The plant is considered a “society-caring”-type as it does not create noise pollution and operates with the latest advanced technologies with high levels of automation and design innovation.

It also makes use of renewable resources such as rain-water harvesting and roof-mounted solar panels - contributing 2.0 megawatts or 5% of total power usage, to help reduce its carbon footprint.

“Our heartfelt thanks to all Toyota customers and Malaysians for your contribution and support over the last 50 years, which has enabled us to be where we are now,” said UMW Toyota Motor chairman Tan Sri Hamad Kama Piah Che Othman.

He said the company would continue to develop local suppliers and increase localisation in its vehicles.

UMW Toyota Motor is a joint-venture between UMW Corp and Toyota Motor Corp.

To mark Toyota’s 50 years production milestone in Malaysia, UMW Toyota Motor presented a Yaris to the Selangor Youth Community for its usage.

assB executive director anuar ani (right) briefing sultan sharafuddin Idris shah (second from right) and Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin (on the sultan’s right) and other VIPs on the scale model of the new Bukit raja factory. sultan sharafuddin Idris shah (centre) being greeted by ravindran upon his arrival at the new factory. With them are hamad Kama Piah (left) and Toyota Motor asia-Pacific president susumu Matsuda (second from right).