Forty years after breaking ground on its first wholly owned U.S. manufacturing plant, Toyota is doubling down on its Kentucky roots with a large new investment aimed at expanding production and preparing for the next generation of vehicles.
The company on Tuesday marked the 40th anniversary of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky — now its largest plant in the world — by announcing a $1 billion investment across its Kentucky and Indiana operations. The move underscores Toyota’s long-term commitment to U.S. manufacturing and comes as part of a broader pledge, announced in November 2025, to invest up to $10 billion in its U.S. plants over the next five years.
Toyota first established its Kentucky footprint in 1986, a pivotal moment that helped anchor its American production strategy. The Georgetown plant would go on to produce millions of vehicles, beginning with the Toyota Camry, and remains a cornerstone of the company’s North American operations.
“Toyota’s investment in the U.S. is for the long term, tied to our philosophy of building where we sell and buying where we build,” said Mark Templin, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Toyota Motor North America. “Our teams have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of more than 35 million vehicles for customers in the U.S.”
The largest share of the new investment — $800 million — will go to the Kentucky plant. The funding will support Toyota’s “multi-pathway” approach to electrification, including preparations to produce a second battery electric vehicle at the facility. It will also expand capacity for two of the company’s top-selling models, the Camry and RAV4.
An additional $200 million will be invested in Toyota’s Indiana plant to boost production of the Grand Highlander SUV. The vehicle will be assembled alongside the Sienna minivan in the plant’s East facility, while production continues in the West Plant with the Lexus TX.
For Kentucky leaders, the anniversary and investment highlight the plant’s continued role as both an economic engine and a workforce hub.
“For Toyota, manufacturing has always been about more than building vehicles — it’s about investing in people,” said Kerry Creech, president of Toyota Kentucky. “Ensuring customer satisfaction and safety starts with each team member on the production line. Our 10,000 team members are the heart of Toyota.”
In addition to capital investments, Toyota announced new funding aimed at workforce development and education across the Commonwealth.
The company will contribute $4 million to its Driving Possibilities initiative, a STEM-focused program designed to expand access to science, technology, engineering, and math education in Scott and Fayette county schools. With the new funding, total investment in the program in Kentucky exceeds $11 million.
Toyota also committed $400,000 to support the Manufacturing Engineering program at Eastern Kentucky University, part of a broader effort to strengthen the pipeline of skilled workers for advanced manufacturing careers.