How Toyota supercars are born in American factories – Toyota Camry Factory tour [Documentary]

This huge coil of steel is cut into sheets and stamped into the parts that make up the car body, such as hoods, fenders, and doors. In less than 13 hours of the manufacturing process, this steel coil will be a Toyota car. So, welcome inside the world's largest Toyota factory in Georgetown, Kentucky. If you have a problem with your Toyota, it's probably the fault of one of these employees. However, this car manufacturer is famous for the reliability of its cars. For example, Tesla doesn't stand a chance against Toyota. Anyway, let me know what your experiences with these cars are. Toyota is the largest car manufacturer in the world, producing about 10 million vehicles per year. Well, for now. Right now you're watching the precision assembly of a Toyota Camry engine. The Camry has long been the seventh best-selling car in the United States. This factory is capable of producing 470,000 cars and more than 600,000 engines per year. More than 9,000 employees work in this American factory. In addition to being the first, having started production way back in 1988, the Georgetown manufacturing facility is also the most expensive Toyota plant in the world. The average hourly pay in this factory ranges from about $20 per hour for a production worker to $40 per hour for a tool and dye maker. Workers in this factory most often wear safety glasses and gloves. They can also wear clothes with the Toyota logo if they want, and it suits them. Long-term reliability studies consistently show that the Toyota Camry is one of the most dependable midsize sedans. One of the most frequently reported problems for Camry owners revolves around transmission anomalies. Owners often complain of instances of hesitation when accelerating, an unpleasant experience that affects the smoothness of the ride. You are now watching the bodywork painting process and subsequent quality control in an illuminated LED tunnel. Workers in blue overalls are now checking the bodywork and polishing any imperfections. In Western markets, the Toyota Camry competes with mainstream and more affordable models, while in other export markets in Asia and Latin America, the Camry is seen as a luxury car, where it sells very well, and serves as Toyota's flagship alongside the Land Cruiser. In the United States, except for 2001, the Camry was the best-selling passenger car from 1997 through 2020, and was the best-selling sedan as of 2024. Despite international success, and early success in Japan, the later wide-body models have been a low-volume model in its home market. Currently, this particular factory produces the Toyota Camry, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES, and the 2.5-liter engine. In addition to the assembly of vehicles and engines, many of the plastic parts used at Kentucky Plant are manufactured in the Plastics Workshop. This is how easily the entire front dashboard is inserted into the Toyota, in one piece using the manipulator arm. Car bodies are moved across the factory between the different workstations, either by cranes, special lifts, moving belts, and also by an AGV, which stands for Automated Guided Vehicle. On this main assembly line, the exhaust is attached from below, the wiring is connected, the engine cover is put on, and then the assembly of the radiator and interior of the Toyota Camry continues. Workers on the assembly line now have to bolt on the entire interior of the car, install the gear lever, steering wheel, seats, and other components. On newer production lines, both the front and rear windshield is assembled automatically by a robotic arm. On the older assembly lines, it takes two factory workers to clamp the windshields using a manipulator arm. Windshields are glued with a special extra-strong adhesive. Toyota Motor Corporation reached a cumulative global production volume of 300 million vehicles last year. The model with the highest total production is the Corolla, with the Corolla model line reaching a cumulative global production of 54 million vehicles. Now comes the crucial part of the entire production process, final quality control. Here, the trained workers at this station inspect the paintwork, all the windows, and also the gaps between the body parts. In the event that these employees discover a fault on the car, they must immediately find out where the fault has occurred. In the case of progressive assembly, a minor error can be very costly. This inspection also checks the uniformity of the paintwork on the car, followed by a drivability test on a test track. The average used Toyota Camry sells for $20,000 in the current market, so let me know how much you were able to buy it for. Sales of the Camry ended in late 2023 for the Japanese market, after 43 years as the result of poor sales. Now the finished cars are loaded onto a special train and shipped to dealerships across the United States. But now you're looking at the production of the popular Toyota Highlander at the Indiana plant. The Toyota Highlander is a midsize crossover SUV with three-row seating produced by Toyota since 2000. A total of 130,000 tons of steel are processed here annually. This is a huge amount, from which approximately 28 million parts are produced. Workers at the stations in each car factory work in shifts. They usually work three shifts per day, which is 15 shifts per week. This is how easy it is to assemble the wheels, using a manipulator arm to fit the brake disc and then tightening the bolts. Both front and rear bumpers are easily snapped on by these two workers. The fourth generation of the Toyota Highlander, called Kluger in some countries, is currently in production. Compared to the previous generation, there is increased cargo room behind the third row and support was added for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. With over 7,000 employees, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana is the largest employer in the Evansville area. This factory was built 28 years ago and has since produced millions of Toyota cars. Toyota has 14 giant factories in North America that produce thousands of new cars every day. Once completed and tested, this worker will load the new Toyota Highlanders onto a truck and deliver them to the dealerships, where they will be delivered to their new owners in their garages. This is the Woodstock factory in Ontario, Canada. More than 8,500 employees assemble the latest Toyota RAV4 here. A few years ago, the Canadian-made RAV4 had about 50% of its parts sourced from Japan. Employees here earn an average of $30 to $50 per hour, depending on position and seniority. Bodywork welding in this factory is carried out by these Nachi industrial robots. There are more than 1,000 industrial robots in the car body department, making the work of the people in this workstation easier. RAV4 is Canada's most popular SUV, with more than 58,000 units sold last year. Approximately 35% of female employees work in this factory in Woodstock. This production line produces 1,100 Toyota RAV4 cars per day. That's 410,000 per year. The vast majority of cars from this Canadian factory are destined for export to the United States. The finished car body is now moved to the next workstation using automated belts and feeders. A special sealant is now applied to the designated areas and joints. Some elements of the bodywork must be assembled by trained workers. Robots cannot do this. The bodywork is thoroughly inspected, and bumps are hand-polished. At this point, car company choose a robot, because the part is very well suited to being taken out of the box by a robot. This way, they relieve people of unergonomic, monotonous work, which is then taken over by the machine. And at the same time, they increase the overall efficiency when feeding the parts into the automation process. After painting, the body is transported to the main assembly line at the factory. Here, the wiring and other elements of the car will begin to be assembled. Since this Toyota RAV4 is a plug-in hybrid electric car, now the battery cell is inserted into it, which is located under the seats in the rear of the car. The slow-moving belt guarantees continuous production speed. Employees must complete everything within a fixed time. If they were slower than the prescribed schedule in the long term, they would face training or removal of their bonuses. Employees can easily attach the front and rear windshield of the car in this way. The windows are easily glued on. Different types of brackets, feeders, and manipulator arms help employees to assemble heavier parts of the car, such as seats, wheels, or front dashboard. The production process is like a giant jigsaw puzzle. Piece by piece, the new Toyota RAV4 is slowly but surely being built. Employees can, and in some workstations must, wear safety glasses, earplugs, and protective work gloves. The front and rear bonnet is pre-manufactured in another part of the factory and delivered to the main assembly line already finished in one piece. All four wheels are firmly secured with five massive bolts. Automated pneumatic tighteners are used to tighten the bolts to the required force. Toyota RAV4 come with these bronze-colored wheels with all-terrain tires as standard equipment. Now the Woodstock factory worker will perform the final output quality control. The car will start for the first time and test the lights, horn, wipers, and other steering functions. According to the checklist, dozens of things are checked on the car. The car will also be taken to the dyno, where the wheel alignment and engine performance will be tested. But now you're looking at historic production footage of the third-generation facelift version of the Toyota RAV4. This car was produced from 2005 to 2014. In addition to the factory in Canada, this car was also produced in Japan and China. The third-generation Toyota RAV4 was offered in two versions, a short or a long wheelbase model. For this generation, the RAV4 could be optioned with either front-wheel drive or four-wheel drive in North America and Japan, while most countries only sell the four-wheel drive version. The third-generation RAV4 was equipped with Electric Power Steering System, an optional keyless entry system marketed as Smart Entry and Start System, and nine airbags for the first time. In the interior, the RAV4 used a two-tiered instrument panel, which was designed to improve the feel of roominess. In the Japanese market four-wheel drive Toyota RAV4, between 97 and 98 percent of power was typically distributed to the front wheels until it sensed a loss of traction, then up to 45 percent of power went the rear wheels. The European market model was able to be locked into a 50-to-50 ratio. Toyota RAV4 in its standard European market configuration received four stars for adult occupants, four stars for toddlers, and three stars for pedestrians from Euro NCAP in 2006. Please let me know how you like these retro historical footages almost 20 years old. Although they are not current, I find it fun to see how the production line has changed over so many years. This is the main assembly line of the Toyota Sequoia at Toyota Motor Manufacturing in Texas. This car has truly exceptional power and torque while minimizing fuel costs and carbon footprint. The connection between the car body and the chassis is called the marriage. It is automated in this part of the assembly line. With an impressive 437 horsepower, Sequoia's i-Force MAX hybrid engine ensures that performance is never compromised. Sequoia launches a new chapter of advanced manufacturing at Toyota of Texas where more than 3,900 Toyota employees and 5,300 suppliers are working on its production. On this assembly line, employees assemble the car's interior, connect the wiring, attach the chrome elements, and assemble the front bumper. The all-new Toyota Sequoia lives up to its powerful and legendary namesake thanks to a head-turning new look, luxurious comfort, and the perfect blend of performance and efficiency. It is available in five unique trims that include SR5, Limited, Platinum, TRD Pro, and the new Capstone Luxury trim. This new Toyota Sequoia offers a maximum towing capacity of up to 9,000 pounds, nearly 22% more than the previous generation. This is the manufacturing process at the Georgetown, Indiana factory. Right now, body parts are being pressed for the Toyota Sienna. Welding is performed with high precision because it greatly affects the car's stability. Workers in charge of the works of assembly line are called assemblers. Despite being hybrid only, Toyota claims that the fourth-generation Sienna can still tow the same 3,500 pounds capacity as the third-generation model. After the bodywork has been painted, it's time for another thorough paint check and manual application of sealant. At Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Indiana, employees work in tandem with robots to help increase efficiency. All car parts must be on the main assembly line at the right time and in the right place. The entire assembly line in the factory is monitored from the control center on computer monitors. Everything must run smoothly. Since its debut in 1997, Toyota has sold more than 2.2 million Sienna models. The main reason for the great popularity of the Toyota Sienna is that inside, it is extremely versatile and offers plenty of comfort in the rear seats. Over six million cars have been built here since the factory was established in 1996. Toyota Sienna is also sold in Taiwan, Mexico, and China. In North America, RAV4 is assembled at three facilities, one in Kentucky, and two in Ontario, the last of which is dedicated solely to RAV4. This is again the Georgetown factory in Kentucky, USA. These workers you're watching right now work much of the day on the chassis of a car that is lifted. For this reason, they wear a special harness that acts as a relief for their shoulders. This factory has been upgraded to Toyota New Global Architecture for the production of the new Toyota RAV4. Therefore, there is a higher degree of robotization, and the latest manufacturing processes are being introduced within Toyota. In addition, the Cambridge, Ontario plant also produces transmissions and engines for Toyota. The RAV4 is Toyota's best-selling SUV, and the same high standards for quality that North team members applied to the Corolla are now being applied to this RAV4. Manufacturers suggested retail pricing starts at $29,000 with the LE grade equipped with front-wheel drive. As you can see right now, a large number of employees are needed in the production of engines. It's a highly individualized job that can't be replaced by robots. Once completed, the engines are loaded and transported to the central parts warehouse. From there, they are transported to the main assembly line. On the Toyota RAV4 main assembly line, logistics and smooth operation are the biggest challenges. All components are prepared in specialized areas of the factory and transported to a single location for assembly at the designated time. These workers are then responsible for the quality of all leather and embroidered elements in the car's interior. For example, the sewing workshop is responsible for the preparation of the entire upholstery of the car. A hybrid variant of the RAV4 was announced available alongside the standard petrol variant. It comes standard with four-wheel drive and the hybrid system uses a 1.6 kilowatt hour nickel metal hydride battery pack. Toyota updated RAV4 with new LED projector type headlights, alloy wheels which can be had in either silver or black, USB-C charging ports. The doors are always removed at the beginning of the assembly line and reinstalled last after the interior is finished at the end of production. Just-in-time refers to a system that allocates parts to a vehicle as it travels down the production line. Once the bodywork is complete, the finished chassis is added. This part is called the marriage. The chassis with axle, brake discs and engine is connected almost automatically. The wiring has to be connected manually by employees. In quality control, inspectors go through all parts of the car to ensure that everything has been manufactured without error. In 2016, the Toyota RAV4 went into production as the second model to be produced at the Russian plant. On September 23, 2022, Toyota officially closed this its factory on the territory of Russia. Everyone probably knows the reasons. Before the car is loaded onto the train and sent to its future owners, it is driven around a test track. This is the main assembly line in Texas where the latest Toyota Tundra model is being final assembled. The average lifespan of a Toyota Tundra is between 150,000 to 250,000 miles. But with proper care, many Tundras surpass 300,000 miles. This level of longevity is a testament to the Toyota Tundra's reliability, making it a top choice for drivers who need a durable, long-lasting truck. Last year, over 125,000 Toyota Tundras were sold in the United States and over 13,000 in Canada. In total, more than 200,000 Toyota Tundra vehicles are produced each year at this Texas plant near San Antonio. After being on the market for more than a decade, the Tundra had about 17% of the full-size half-ton market. Tundra has 75% North American parts. It is therefore a truly American product for the most part. When designing the Texas plant, Toyota arranged for 21 key Tundra suppliers to set up factories on the same site to avoid logistical issues. All Tundra engines and transmissions were built in the United States as the last step of the production process, quality control, and test drive. Thousands of cylinder heads are produced daily at this Toyota plant in Missouri. Toyota Motor Manufacturing Missouri uses recycled aluminum for production. Cylinder heads are like the lungs of an engine. They're key to controlling airflow in and out of the cylinders and fuel deployment. More than 1,000 employees make more than 2 million cylinder heads per year. The size of this Missouri plant is 550,000 square feet. Operation, low-pressure casting, core and die casting. Every Toyota factory has a fairly high proportion of women working there. They work at all stages of the production process. Toyota employees work in a variety of positions ranging from production operators, service technicians, and maintenance workers, to specialized positions in electromechanics, IT, and administration. This is the start of production of the latest Toyota Corolla Cross in the United States. By size, the Corolla Cross is positioned between the smaller CHR, with which it shares a platform, and the larger RAV4. It should be mentioned that the Toyota Corolla is the best-selling car of all time. All cars are checked for quality at the end of the production line. The car's paintwork must be of the highest quality and absolutely free of scratches. Please let me know in the comments section whether you prefer the Toyota Corolla Cross or the classic Corolla. The production process for the latest Toyota Corolla SE begins with body welding. These welding robots from Kawasaki are programmed to work with the precision of an inch. They have the advantage of 24-7 operation and do not need to be paid any salary. Body welding is thus one of the cheapest parts of the entire production process and is completely automated. In addition to checking the work, the factory workers soldering some parts that robots can't handle. The plan is a city in itself, but everything runs together smoothly. Two parts per minute, according to the daily working time, results in a total number of parts, which currently make up 1,150 cars per day. The employee tightens all five screws to a predetermined force with a special screwdriver. There is a good mood when installing cables and tightening screws and, in my opinion, it is practically a relaxing activity. There is 134 assembly stations, but if only one assembly station stops, nothing will be built on the body shell afterwards. There will be no paint and no final assembly. A shiny new Toyota Corolla SE now sits in the giant parking lot. Soon it will be taken to the car dealerships. You are now watching the start of the Toyota Corolla production process at the Mississippi plant. The production process starts in the press shop. Here, the steel plates are used to produce the individual body parts. The plant has a production capacity of 170,000 vehicles per year and employs over 2,100 Toyota employees. Now, in its 12th generation, the Toyota Corolla has undergone aggressive changes. Today, the Corolla is known for its sporty styling, excellent fuel efficiency, and affordability. It's clear that the Corolla is not going anywhere anytime soon. Some parts are welded by hand by employees. The 12th generation Toyota Corolla is currently being produced here. After finishing the body of a Toyota Corolla, employees check for bumps and dents. Once the bodywork is completed and checked, the car moves from the welding shop to the paint shop. The dyeing is mainly done by robots, however. Some of the painting is done by factory employees. The body paint is applied in three coats. At the end of the process, a quality control is carried out. Now the Toyota Corolla will move from paint to the main assembly line at this Mississippi plant. Now workers, they usually wear red company t-shirts at this factory, clip the front bumper of the Corolla. Factory workers use various lifting jacks and helpers to lift heavy parts of the car. Toyota strives to create the best possible working environment. Toyota factory workers will provide insulation and connect the wiring. The cars move on a moving conveyor belt across the factory. The car doors are assembled in another part of the factory. They are fitted to the car as the last thing so that workers can easily get inside the car. Employees receive payment bonuses if they complete their work faster, but are penalized if they slow down the production process. The Toyota Corolla is now finished and ready to be transported to its future owner. This is Toyota's first manufacturing plant in North America, Long Beach, California. Today, with the help of more than 350 employees, this factory is a primary supplier of parts for Tacoma trucks and past model service parts. This factory is actually the size of 18 football fields. This shows how big it is. In total, there are 11 pressing plant lines with a tonnage of between 400 and 3,600 tons. Optimization is carried out wherever possible at the Toyota plants. The plant creates stamped parts, steering columns, catalytic converters, weld sub-assemblies, sheet metal and aluminum components. These parts, once completed and packaged, are then transported to other Toyota factories throughout the United States. In 95% of cases, the finished parts are transported by rail. The factory is therefore very well connected to the rail network. Toyota Auto Body California also assembles stamped parts and welded sub-assemblies. The work is divided between employees and robots. Year after year, the percentage of activities that robots can handle is increasing. Over the years, Toyota Auto Body California core capabilities of stamping, welding and painting parts have remained a constant. Each employee has a fixed job description and is perfectly trained in its execution. Every employee must wear an orange safety helmet and safety glasses. However, thanks to strong unions, employees can wear whatever clothes they feel comfortable in, as you can see right now. In 1995, TABC began mass production of the Tacoma, a pickup truck designed exclusively for the North American market. A mid-sized pickup truck in Tacoma suits most people's daily routine of excellent fuel mileage, depreciation and low ownership cost. The fourth-generation Toyota Tacoma has been in production since last year. It is available in both gasoline-powered and gasoline-hybrid. Tacoma-ness means high lift, big tires, slim body and a powerful athletic stance. Toyota Motor Manufacturing Tennessee builds engine blocks for cars, SUVs and trucks assembled in North America. More than 450 member workforce is responsible for bringing cars to life by using aluminum to create thousands of engine blocks and transmission cases and housings every day. Factory workers are trained on how to assemble all the engine components. Their training starts in front of a computer screen, where they must learn their job and then go through a test on the computer. However, the jobs on the production line are designed so that anyone can really do them. So this is Toyota Motor Manufacturing West Virginia. It is Toyota's only combined engine and transmission plant in North America. Additionally, it is the only Toyota manufacturing plant in North America to produce hybrid transaxles. The $2 billion facility employs approximately 2,200 team members under a nearly 2 million square foot facility. The percentage of women in this factory is steadily increasing, so if you are interested, be sure to apply for a job here. Great emphasis is placed on accuracy and flawlessness in this work. In the case of engines, there is no other way. Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama is the only plant to build four-cylinder V6 and twin-turbo under one roof. This factory powers popular Toyota vehicles like the Highlander, Sienna, RAV4, Corolla, Corolla Cross, Tundra, Tacoma, and Sequoia. This plant is located near the town of Hunsville. The facility was built in 2003. Toyota will prepare for assembly of an all-new three-row battery electric SUV with an investment at the Princeton facility that will provide plant infrastructure. Toyota still uses the Katakana character logo as its corporate emblem in Japan, including on the headquarters building. And some special edition models still use the Toyota wordmark on the grille as a nod to the company's heritage. The smart networking of people, machines, and industrial processes is the ticket to a new age. In traditional production, only one car would be assembled at a time. If engine installation takes 20 minutes, hood installation takes 5 minutes, and wheels installation takes 10 minutes, then a car can be produced every 35 minutes. In an assembly line, car assembly is split between several stations, all working simultaneously. When a station is finished with a car, it passes it on to the next. By having three stations, three cars can be operated on at the same time, each at a different stage of assembly. The global economy is currently undergoing the greatest change since the Industrial Revolution. In order to remain internationally competitive, modern factories must be as flexible as possible and highly digitalized. In 2023, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada began production of the fifth-generation Lexus RX luxury SUV. The front spindle grille, found on most Lexuses, was redesigned into a more three-dimensional mass, evolving into a design element Lexus calls spindle body. The grille is smaller and less pointed than before. The A-pillars have also been moved back to emphasize the elongated hood. The fifth-generation RX maintains the same overall length as the former model. Unlike the previous generation, this vehicle comes with only five passenger seating. No seven-passenger seating with the third row is offered. The success of the Lexus RX has been particularly strong in the United States, where it has been the best-selling luxury SUV since its introduction. As one of the earliest luxury crossovers on the market, the RX has inspired similar competitors from rival Marcas. The front fenders are made of aluminum, while the B-pillars are made of 2 gigapascals class hot-stamped steel, which is claimed as a world first in terms of both safety and weight reduction. The mounting points for the rear suspension and its member mounting points have been highly reinforced using short-pitch welding, laser screw welding, and structural adhesives, creating a rigid, high-torsion rear body frame. The Lexus RX is the top-selling Lexus hybrid, with global sales of 335,000 units through March 2016, out of one million Lexus hybrids delivered since 2005. As of April 2015, Lexus had accumulated more than 2.1 million RX models worldwide. The Lexus RX 400 is the top-selling Lexus hybrid, with global sales of 335,000 units through March 2016, out of one million Lexus hybrids sold worldwide. Over the past three years, Lexus has steadily increased sales of the Lexus RX Over 120,000 of these cars were sold last year. For a more linear steering response, highly rigid die-cast aluminum is used for the steering support. Adaptive variable suspension is standard on F-Sport models. Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky began the production of the Lexus ES sedan beginning in October 2015, adding 50,000 vehicles annually and 750 jobs to the facility. Toyota invested $360 million to accommodate the additional work.