Toyota celebrates five millionth Derbyshire-built car

Toyota Manufacturing UK is celebrating the five millionth car to be built at its Derbyshire plant.

The milestone model – a Corolla GR Sport Hatchback hybrid, finished in Scarlet Flare paintwork – recently came off the assembly line at Burnaston.

The achievement highlights TMUK’s status as one of Toyota’s principal European manufacturing centres and a key player in the UK automotive sector.

Since its founding in 1989, it has benefited from more than £2.82 billion of investment, keeping it at the cutting edge of new technologies, skills and production methods.

Darius Mikolajczak, managing director at TMUK, said: “This is a proud moment for everyone at TMUK and symbolic of the commitment to quality, productivity and competitiveness that is at the heart of our business and shared by all our members.

“The milestone of five million cars represents more than just a numerical achievement.

“It also reflects our contribution to the UK economy and our continued investment in making ever-better cars, embracing new technologies and new ways of working, while building strong and mutually rewarding relationships both with our suppliers, our partners and our local communities.”

Parked nose-to-tail, the UK-built Toyotas would form a line almost 14,000 miles long – more than halfway around the world.

Since the first car rolled off the production line at Burnaston – a Carina E – the plant and its products have continued to evolve.

Burnaston was the first Toyota facility outside Japan to make hybrid vehicles and it continues to be a centre of excellence for the technology. Today, 100% of UK production is hybrid.

At the same time, TMUK has been a global trailblazer for the car-maker’s environmental programme, pioneering the generation and use of sustainable energy sources, minimising waste and maximising opportunities for recovering, recycling and re-using parts and materials.

Mr Mikolajczak said: “This would not have been possible without the dedication of all our members, past and present. Their engagement and motivation are second to none and a true credit to our business.”

The UK continues to play a significant role in Toyota’s European operations.

It is here that Toyota built its first European production facilities – establishing TMUK with an engine plant in Deeside, North Wales, and a car factory at Burnaston.

Today TMUK directly employs around 3,000 people and many thousands more indirectly in an extensive supply chain.

The majority of its vehicle production (around 85%) is exported, mostly to the European Union and other European markets.