Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) on November 5 announced that its European holding company, Toyota Motor Europe NV/SA (TME), marked cumulative sales of 20 million vehicles in Europe with a ceremony at Toyota España, S.L.U. (TES), a local distributor in Spain, at which it handed the 20-millionth vehicle — a Toyota "Verso" produced at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Turkey (TMMT) — to a customer.
Among those attending the ceremony were TME vice president Miguel Fonseca, TES president Katsuhito Ohno and TMMT president Orhan Özer. Fonseca stated: "We are honoured and excited to celebrate this key milestone as Toyota has become synonymous to superior quality and innovation in our customers' minds ever since the first Toyota vehicles were driven on European roads 50 years ago. We remain committed to our focus on customer satisfaction as set out by our founder, Kiichiro Toyoda."
Toyota began operations in Europe in 1960 with the sale of vehicles in today's Republic of Malta, and in 1963 went on to establish in Denmark the first Toyota distributor in Europe. Toyota has continued to expand its sales network ever since, reaching cumulative sales in Europe of 10 million vehicles in 2002.
Toyota started production in Europe with the manufacture of the "Carina E" at Toyota Motor Manufacturing (UK) Ltd. (TMUK) in 1992. Production of Toyota vehicles is now conducted at nine locations across Europe, with each location continuing to realize significant accomplishments: In 2009, TMMT achieved cumulative production of 1 million vehicles, in June this year TMUK achieved cumulative production of 3 million vehicles, and in September Toyota Motor Manufacturing Poland Sp.zo.o. (TMMP), which manufactures engines and transmissions, achieved cumulative production of 5 million units.
Based on its founding philosophy — "to contribute to society through the manufacture of automobiles" — Toyota, by carefully studying market needs, aims to consistently offer products that fully address peoples' needs.
Key Milestones for Toyota Operations in Europe
| 1960 | First Toyota cars delivered to customers in Malta |
| 1963 | First Toyota distributor in Europe (Denmark) established |
| 1989 | Toyota Motor Marketing Services established in Belgium to coordinate sales operations in Europe (became Toyota Motor Europe Marketing & Engineering (TMME) in 1990) |
| 1992 | Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK (TMUK) begins production |
| 1998 | Toyota Motor Europe Manufacturing (TMEM) established in Belgium to coordinate manufacturing operations in Europe |
| 2002 | Cumulative sales of 10 million units reached |
| Toyota Motor Europe (TME), a holding company, established in Belgium (TME, TMEM and TMME were consolidated in 2005 to form the current TME) | |
| 2009 | Cumulative sales of 200,000 hybrid vehicles in Europe achieved |
| Cumulative production of 1 million vehicles reached at TMMT | |
| 2010 | Cumulative production of 3 million vehicles reached at TMUK |
| Cumulative production of 5 million engine/transmission units reached at TMMP | |
| 2010 | Cumulative sales of 20 million units reached |