Toyota Australia... GONE!

[321Go]

If there was even a slightest chance of Toyota or Lexus entering the series, it has just evaporated. Toyota will shut all manufacturing in Australia in 2017.

[Chris - Melb]

Originally Posted by 321Go

If there was even a slightest chance of Toyota or Lexus entering the series, it has just evaporated. Toyota will shut all manufacturing in Australia in 2017.

What's local production got to do with involvement in V8 Supercar? Not many Mercedes-Benz, Volvo or Nissan cars come down an Australian production line...

[321Go]

BREAKING NEWS: Toyota will enter the Australian V8SC series in 2018. This news comes after just the company closed down all production in Australia last year.

Hmmm... just can't see it happening. Not. A. Chance.

[Tourer]

Announcement:http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/busi...210-32cl3.html

Not surprising but a very sobering thought that we won't be building cars in Oz any more.

[naca]

Who is the largest manufacturer of cars for motorsports here in australia.

[321Go]

Statement from Toyota

Toyota Australia today announced that it will stop building cars in Australia by the end of 2017 and become a national sales and distribution company.

This means that local manufacturing of the Camry, Camry Hybrid and Aurion vehicles, as well as the production of four cylinder engines, will cease by the end of 2017.

The decision was not based on any single factor. The market and economic factors contributing to the decision include the unfavourable Australian dollar that makes exports unviable, high costs of manufacturing and low economies of scale for our vehicle production and local supplier base.

Together with one of the most open and fragmented automotive markets in the world and increased competitiveness due to current and future Free Trade Agreements, it is not viable to continue building cars in Australia.

Toyota Australia President and CEO, Max Yasuda, was joined by Toyota Motor Corporation President and CEO, Akio Toyoda, as he made the announcement to employees late this afternoon.

“This is devastating news for all of our employees who have dedicated their lives to the company during the past 50 years,” Mr Yasuda said.

“While we have been undertaking the enormous task of transforming our business during the past two years, our people have joined us on the same journey, which makes it even more difficult to announce this decision.

“We did everything that we could to transform our business, but the reality is that there are too many factors beyond our control that make it unviable to build cars in Australia.

“Although the company has made profits in the past, our manufacturing operations have continued to be loss making despite our best efforts.

“Our focus will now be to work with our employees, suppliers, government and the unions as we transition to a national sales and distribution company. Support services will be available to our employees and we will do everything that we can to minimise the impact of this decision on our employees and suppliers.”

Mr Yasuda said approximately 2,500 employees directly involved with manufacturing will be impacted when the plant stops building cars in 2017.
There will also be an impact on the company’s corporate divisions, which will be studied over the coming months to determine what roles and functions will remain in the future.

Mr Yasuda said that Toyota was also committed to providing support to the industry as it prepares for the end of vehicle manufacturing in Australia.

“We will work with our key stakeholders to determine how to provide the best support to our employees, suppliers and local communities during the coming years,” Mr Yasuda said.

“Not only do we need to ensure our local suppliers and employees can plan for their future, we also need to make sure that we continue to produce high quality vehicles and engines for our domestic and export customers.”

Toyota Australia will continue to be involved in its local communities and employ thousands of people both directly and indirectly via its extensive dealership network.

It is the company’s intention to import the Camry and Aurion vehicles beyond 2017, along with the entire range of Toyota passenger and commercial vehicles.



Letter to employees.

[Chris - Melb]

Originally Posted by 321Go

BREAKING NEWS: Toyota will enter the Australian V8SC series in 2018. This news comes after just the company closed down all production in Australia last year.

Hmmm... just can't see it happening. Not. A. Chance.

Kia sponsors the Australian Open tennis and is an importer (and doesn't make tennis rackets or balls at all!).

If Toyota doesn't enter V8 Supercar it won't have anything to do with the fact that they do not manufacturing cars in Australia.

[wnut]

Classic case study:

How to turn a first world economy into a third world basket case economy - well done Australian politicians!

[peckstar]

Originally Posted by wnut

Classic case study:

How to turn a first world economy into a third world basket case economy - well done Australian politicians!

I think you have it backwards, it is third world countries who are building cars now. because they can do it cheaper and bigger.

[wnut]

Originally Posted by peckstar

I think you have it backwards, it is third world countries who are building cars now. because they can do it cheaper and bigger.

Sure like USA, Germany, France, Italy, Japan! All 3rd world!

[peckstar]

Originally Posted by wnut

Sure like USA, Germany, France, Italy, Japan! All 3rd world!

or Thailand Korea India or China

however your point is fair, what do those countries not have in common with Australia, Big populations

Those countries have car companies that are based their, Australia doesn't, (just subsidiaries of those companies). Those countries also have large populations and people that buy those cars, Australia doesnt

Also many USA car workers took a wage hit in the last 5 years, Toyota Australia employees rejected a wage cut this year.

[fomoco]

Originally Posted by wnut

Classic case study:

How to turn a first world economy into a third world basket case economy - well done Australian politicians!

Jut out of curiosity, we have , at the last census , 23 million Aussies:

How many are retired ...........

How many wealthy as...........

How many actually work (pay taxes to run the place) ........

How many are at school (prep to y 12 and full time uni etc) ......

How many are on welfare and will never buy a brand new Falc, Commy or Yota........................

Do some maths , and you will see that to build and sell in a limited market is not smart, and add in the wages and conditions for a small nation , once you have done some maths, and generally, we dont buy a new car every two years.

Dont blame politicians for all our troubles, we pushed industries to the Brink because we demanded to be the highest paid for the lowest consumer base in the world, and blame everyone else when it hits the fan.

Australias consumer base just doesnt support the industries, and *****in and whingeing is not going to change it.

As I said, how many of the 23 mill , work, pay taxes and buy new **** every year?

enough said.

[Trevor]

Originally Posted by wnut

Classic case study:

How to turn a first world economy into a third world basket case economy - well done Australian politicians!

our local market is just too small, about 8 years ago we had a (Government) fleet of about 15 local cars, now we have 2 in the fleet, the rest are imports (diesel powered)

People (businesses) are not buying local cars

[Gaz170]

And then there were none.........

[dsg]

What chance the tariffs go as well....

[Trevor]

big chance, although I saw some bloke on TV last night saying it would only make about a 3-5% reduction in price, I am not sure if that is true though

[peckstar]

Originally Posted by Trevor

big chance, although I saw some bloke on TV last night saying it would only make about a 3-5% reduction in price, I am not sure if that is true though

My understanding is the tarrif is 5%. So that would fit with the above.

[RedZedMikey]

Originally Posted by Trevor

big chance, although I saw some bloke on TV last night saying it would only make about a 3-5% reduction in price, I am not sure if that is true though

When we have a government saying they have no money, why would they kill off an income generating stream for them? I guess by 2017/8 when there are no locals to "protect" we'll see what they do.

Of course, any vehicles imported from US, Thailand and potentially South Korea are or will be duty free anyway.

[wnut]

Originally Posted by dsg

What chance the tariffs go as well....

Hopefully DSG, and they can now remove the restrictions on Japanese secondhand imports, indeed imports from anywhere!

[chavez]

Originally Posted by peckstar

My understanding is the tarrif is 5%. So that would fit with the above.

How it works is that the importer applies for a tariff concession on the basis that there is no locally produced product that can be used as a substitute.

The is happens quite often in the industry I work in, but of course it does not attract the media interest that the car industry does.

[peckstar]

Originally Posted by chavez

How it works is that the importer applies for a tariff concession on the basis that there is no locally produced product that can be used as a substitute.

The is happens quite often in the industry I work in, but of course it does not attract the media interest that the car industry does.

thanks for that,
Thus cars from thailand get an advantage because there is no competition to the hilux etc?

[chavez]

Originally Posted by peckstar

thanks for that,
Thus cars from thailand get an advantage because there is no competition to the hilux etc?

No, Thailand is covered under a free trade agreement which means zero tariff on cars.

The company I work for buys raw materials that come from Thailand (with zero tariff) and the "same" raw materials (different grades) from the Middle East which attracts a tariff to protect the local industry.

The local industry essentially closed down at the end of last year when the Shell refinery in Sydney ceased all operations late last year. So at the moment a number of importers have requested tariff concessions because there is no local industry to protect.

[peckstar]

Originally Posted by chavez

No, Thailand is covered under a free trade agreement which means zero tariff on cars.

The company I work for buys raw materials that come from Thailand (with zero tariff) and the "same" raw materials (different grades) from the Middle East which attracts a tariff to protect the local industry.

The local industry essentially closed down at the end of last year when the Shell refinery in Sydney ceased all operations late last year. So at the moment a number of importers have requested tariff concessions because there is no local industry to protect.

cheers thanks

[DAVID PATERSON]

I'm a Customs Broker but I have nothing to add to this, Chavez has nailed it.