Toyota has scheduled additional non-production days at several North American manufacturing facilities over the next few months in response to high inventory levels caused by slow industry sales. The number of non-production days varies by assembly line and model.
On average, inventory of Toyota's North American built vehicles ranges from 80 to 90 days. With the new production adjustments, Toyota hopes to reduce inventory by about half in the second quarter of the year.
"This is a tough environment, and it may continue for a while. We are making responsible business decisions now in order to sustain our business over the long term," said Jim Wiseman, vice president of external affairs for Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America. "In addition to slowing production, we are redoubling efforts to cut costs at each of our facilities. Further actions and sacrifices may be necessary, but we will continue to do everything possible to assure the viability of our plants and protect the long-term employment security of our team members."