Toyota Expands

PRINCETON, IND. (WTHI) - Southern Indiana's largest employer announces plans to get even bigger.

Toyota will be adding a new line building a hybrid version of its popular Highlander SUV at its plant in Princeton.

The move will mean 400 new jobs and $400-million in new investments at the plant.

The expansion is in large part thanks to the quality of work produced by Toyota employees in southern Indiana.

State, local and company leaders joined together to announce another major expansion at Toyota.

The company is moving all of its Highlander Hybrid production to the southern Indiana plant.

The move adds hundreds of jobs, and hundreds of millions in capital improvements to the plant.

"It's great," said Gibson County Council President Jeremy Overton. "It seems like every time we get a surprise from Toyota it's been a positive one."

"i'm very excited," said T.M.M.I. team member Glen Fehr. "Very fired up to see the new people come in, the huge investment coming in here means better pay for the surrounding area, competitive jobs, so I'm very excited for the community as well."

Toyota plans on running 50,000 of the hybrid vehicles off the assembly line in Princeton, and they're not just going to be sold in the U.S.

"We're doing export vehicles along with our hybrid vehicle," said T.M.M.I. President Norm Bafunno. "Our export market, Australia, is a right hand drive country, so it's our first experience with that."

The project was coaxed along with some state and local incentives but officials say the key is the company's experience with the workers.

"I think it's the culmination of everything, but at the heart of it is people and the team members that work here," said Bafunno, "and I've got to tell you they are absolutely focused on making sure the product coming out of here is satisfying our customers."

Now the success in the past will help provide an even better future in Princeton.

Toyota officials say they intend to begin hiring late this summer and begin production toward the end of 2013.