Toyota announces manufacturing management changes

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Inc. (TEMA) announced on December 18 the following management changes:

• Mitsuru Kawai is the new president of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama, Inc. His predecessor, Kunihiko Ogura, will take a new role as executive advisor at New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc. in Fremont, Calif.

• Dave Burbidge, currently general manager at Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Indiana, Inc. is promoted to vice president of production control at the TEMA manufacturing office in Erlanger, Ky.

• Jeff Moore has been named vice president of manufacturing at Toyota Motor Manufacturing West Virginia, Inc. and Mike Lutz has been promoted to general manager of administration.

• Hajimi Oba, president of Toyota Supplier Support Center, will retire and will be replaced by Hideshi Yokoi.

• Bob Ried, vice president of administration at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Baja California Inc., will retire and will be replaced by Yoichi Yokohori.

• Luis de la Garza is retiring as vice president of administration at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Texas, Inc. Kirk Kohler, a general manager, will assume de la Garza's role in administration.

Toyota established operations in North America in 1957 and will operate 15 manufacturing plants in North America by 2010. Toyota directly employs over 41,000 in North America and its investment is currently valued at more than $18.6 billion, including sales and manufacturing operations, research and development, financial services and design.