By Brazil Stock Guide – Toyota Motor Corp. (7203.T) said it will gradually resume production at its Sorocaba and Indaiatuba plants in São Paulo state on Nov. 3, following a shutdown caused by severe storms in late September. The company’s Porto Feliz engine facility, however, remains without a restart date.
The resumption will rely on imported engines and parts, mainly from Japan, as Porto Feliz continues to recover from structural damage. Production will initially focus solely on hybrid versions of the Corolla and Corolla Cross, serving both domestic and export markets, according to Valor Econômico. Conventional models will return to the lines in January, with output expected to normalize by February.
“Between November and December we will be producing only hybrid models, so we will have room in the production lines to recover the lost volume. From January onward, when conventional models return, that space will no longer exist. Unfortunately, we won’t be able to recover that volume,” said Evandro Maggio, president of Toyota do Brasil.
Hybrids account for 25% to 30% of Toyota’s sales in Brazil, while conventional models make up the rest. About 7,300 employees from Sorocaba and Indaiatuba are set to return from emergency leave on Oct. 21. At Porto Feliz, where 800 workers are employed, up to 700 will be placed on temporary layoff as the company maintains only a skeleton crew for cleaning and equipment maintenance.
“The structure of the factory is heavily compromised. We have beams and columns very affected by the storm. Luckily, we did not have major damage to the equipment,” Maggio said, noting that machines will be moved temporarily to safe locations while repairs are carried out. He stressed that Toyota will keep its engine plant in Porto Feliz.
The launch of the Yaris Cross, initially planned for late 2025, has been postponed to 2026. Its new engine was set to be produced in Porto Feliz, and Toyota has no alternative production sites for the component. Meanwhile, construction of a second Sorocaba facility continues as part of the company’s plan to transfer operations from Indaiatuba.
Leave a Reply