Toyota Motor Corporation has recently started the production of the Camry at its facility in Shushary district in St. Petersburg, Russia. This facility was established in Russia in May 2005. Its initial annual production capacity is 50,000 vehicles with the first full-year production set at 20,000 units. The total investment of Toyota in the plant reached $200 million.

According to Katsuaki Watanabe, President of Toyota, "The reason we have been able to successfully commence production is that a team made up of Russians and Japanese had the enthusiasm to clear numerous obstacles and overcome adversity."

And speaking of Toyota plant, the automaker is planning to build an environmentally-friendly plant in Blue Springs by 2010 that is basing on the news release from Gov. Haley Barbour’s office.

It was on Christmas day that Toyota announced the designation of four production subsidiaries that will serve as model plants for carrying out “sustainable plant” activities with nature as the core theme.

Toyota has three objectives and these are:

• Achieving groundbreaking environmental performance by introducing innovative technology and kaizen (improvement) activities.
• Reducing CO2 by using renewable energy, including biomass and natural energy sources, such as solar power and wind power.
• Contributing to the local community and conserving the environment by planting trees.

The Blue Springs plant will join other environmentally-friendly plants of Toyota in Japan, United Kingdom, France, and Thailand.