Gov. Patrick Morrisey and Toyota Motor Manufacturing West Virginia President David Rosier talk about Toyota’s latest investment in its Putnam County manufacturing plant Tuesday at the State Capitol Building. (Photo by Steven Allen Adams)

CHARLESTON – Toyota is making a nearly half-billion-dollar investment in its Putnam County manufacturing plant, creating new jobs and new opportunities for downstream manufacturers, while keeping pace with changing technologies.

Gov. Patrick Morrisey and David Rosier, group vice president region 5 for Toyota Motor North America and president of Toyota Motor Manufacturing West Virginia, announced Tuesday afternoon that the company’s Buffalo plant will increase assembly of four-cylinder hybrid-compatible engines, sixth-generation hybrid transaxles and rear motor stators.

“That’s a pretty exciting thing,” Morrisey said. “It further solidifies the commitment that we have to the West Virginia manufacturing sector. That’s really important for West Virginia.”

“What really makes me happy about this is it’s truly an investment in our future,” Rosier said. “There are lots of plants – not only here in the region, but also globally – that also have the ability to make the same kind of components that we do. So, it’s really important for us to be able to compete on a global level, to be able to get investment like this.”

The expansion of operations at Toyota Motor Manufacturing West Virginia will take place by 2027 and will see an additional 80 new jobs to the already 2,200 team members working at the 2-million-square-foot facility.

Toyota Motor Manufacturing West Virginia announced Tuesday afternoon that the company’s Buffalo plant will increase assembly of four-cylinder hybrid-compatible engines, sixth-generation hybrid transaxles and rear motor stators. (Photo courtesy/Toyota Motor Manufacturing West Virginia)

Toyota Motor Manufacturing West Virginia produces more than 1 million engines, transmissions and hybrid transaxles a year. The Buffalo plant is the only Toyota facility in North America that produces hybrid transaxles, which use a combination of traditional internal combustion engines and electric motors to drive a vehicle’s wheels.

“This investment … it’s expanding our production capability to produce hybrid transaxles,” Rosier said. “As we know, that part of the market continues to grow. Specifically, it’s expanding by 300% our sixth-generation hybrid production capacity, which we announced in April. We’re modifying both of our engine lines to increase our hybrid-compatible engine production. And it’s a 50% increase in our rear motor production, which is also part of the hybrid powertrain system.”

Tuesday’s news follows an April announcement by Toyota Motor Manufacturing West Virginia that it was investing $88 million in the plant’s hybrid transaxles manufacturing line. Tuesday’s investment is an additional $453 million, taking Toyota’s total investment in West Virginia to $3.3 billion.

“I’m grateful for the long-term partnership, but it’s almost a half a billion dollars,” Morrisey said. “That’s real money, and that really reflects a strong confidence in our people, our workforce and our economy. And I think it also shows a lot of the good things going on in Putnam County.”

Toyota Motor Manufacturing West Virginia first broke ground in Buffalo in 1996, with production beginning in 1998. Former U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller – who spent part of his college years in Japan – helped secure the plant.

“When I hear about people that are growing and companies that are growing in West Virginia, that’s very important, especially with long-term partners like Toyota,” Morrisey said. “That started long before I was governor, but there’s been a very good relationship with the country of Japan and also with the companies that have come and located here. So, I’m really grateful for that.”

The Toyota Motor Manufacturing West Virginia announcement was one of several made by Toyota, including expansions in Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee and Missouri, and a broader commitment to invest up to $10 billion in the U.S. over the next five years.

“We’re proud to see Toyota continue to thrive in the Mountain State as they have their fingers on world-class technology and they’re one of the leaders of American manufacturing,” Morrisey said.

“I also think our future is quite bright,” Rosier said. “I think, again, the great results that we have, the partnerships we have in the community, the partnership we have with the State of West Virginia, it’s a winning solution, and we’re really proud of it.”

Last week, U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin toured Toyota Motor Manufacturing West Virginia.

“I am thrilled to learn about Toyota’s latest investment in West Virginia and their ongoing trust in our talented West Virginian auto workers,” said Capito, R-W.Va., in a statement Tuesday. “I celebrate the addition of 80 more West Virginian jobs to the more than 2,000 jobs that the plant already provides, and I look forward to the continued partnership between Toyota and our state for many years to come.”

“Toyota’s $453 million investment in the Buffalo, W.Va., plant is a testament to the incredible work already being done at the facility and a vote of confidence in our state’s workforce,” said 1st District Congresswoman Carol Miller, R-W.Va., whose district includes Putnam County. “Toyota continues to invest in their workforce and enrich our communities. I couldn’t be happier to have them here in West Virginia.”

Steven Allen Adams can be reached at sadams@newsandsentinel.com.