Toyota holds ceremony that marks the beginning of exports of Etios to Uruguay and Paraguay
Director of Invest SP participates in the event; Production reached 84,000 units with new markets
Investe São PauloOn October 31, the director of Investe São Paulo, Sérgio Costa, participated in the ceremony that marked the beginning of the exports of Etios, produced by Toyota in Sorocaba, to Paraguay and Uruguay.
The two countries will receive the model produced at the automaker’s plant in São Paulo in November, with sales beginning in December. Currently, Etios is sold in Brazil and Argentina.
“We have been working with Toyota for over four years and we will continue making all efforts to help the company find in the State of São Paulo the support to export to all countries in Latin America,” said Costa.
The investment promotion agency of the state has been assisting Toyota since the beginning of the project to bring the company to Sorocaba, in 2008. Investe SP also provides support to other projects of the company in the state, such as the construction of the engine plant in Porto Feliz .
The mayor of Sorocaba, Antonio Carlos Pannuzio also highlighted the work of the agency. “The Government of the State of São Paulo was very wise in creating Investe São Paulo. It is another advantage for the state to be unique. The Agency has already helped bring several projects to our city and I'm sure it will continue to bring,” he said.
Exporting the Etios to Paraguay and Uruguay marks the beginning of a project of Toyota in Brazil, which aims to expand the presence of locally manufactured products to other markets in Latin America.
“There is a huge export potential in Brazil, and Etios is perfect for the Latin American market. It is a small step for Toyota, but a big step for the national automotive industry,” said the CEO of Toyota in Latin America, Steve St. Angelo.
Paraguay and Uruguay will receive the Etios hatchback in its XLS version, while Uruguay will receive the gasoline version, currently exported to Argentina, while Paraguay will have the Flex Fuel version, present in the national market.
“What we see today is a dream come true: the consolidation of Sorocaba as an export platform in Latin America. This is an idea that we had since the beginning of the project,” said the company’s CEO in Brazil, Konji Kondo.
For both countries, the configuration of Etios equipment was adapted in order to suit the preferences of local consumers. With regard to the volume to be exported, Toyota will supply Paraguay and Uruguay according to the demand of their markets.
Toyota plant in Sorocaba
Inaugurated in 2012 to produce Etios, Toyota’s plant in Sorocaba was built entirely following the Eco-Factory concept, where the generation of waste and the impact of harmful emissions to the environment have been minimized to the maximum.
Currently, the plant employs 1,657 employees and has a nominal production capacity of 70,000 units per year. In 2014, due to the success of Etios in Brazil and Argentina and the beginning of exports to Paraguay and Uruguay, Toyota’s plant in Sorocaba should reach a production volume of 84,000 units, proving the successful trajectory of the compact of the brand .
About Toyota
Toyota do Brasil Ltda. has three manufacturing units, in Indaiatuba (SP), São Bernardo do Campo (SP) and Sorocaba (SP), two vehicle distribution centers, in Guaíba (RS) and Vitória (ES), a distribution center of parts in Votorantim (SP), a representation office in Brasília (DF) and a commercial office in São Paulo (SP) and over 5,300 employees. Founded in 1937, Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) is one of the most representative manufacturers of passenger and commercial vehicles in the world. With production in 28 countries and regions and sales in over 160 countries, the company is owner of the brands Toyota, Lexus, Daihatsu and Hino. Toyota holds shares in the Stock Exchanges of Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Fukuoka, and Sapporo (Japan), New York (USA) and London (UK) and currently employs more than 325,000 employees worldwide.