A Buzz Abounds: Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Texas Overhauls Visitors Center, Plants Pollinator Garden

TMMTX announces partnership to plant pollinator gardens at area schools

'This top-to-bottom remodel of our Visitors Center will provide an interactive look at what we do here at TMMTX,' said David Crouch, vice president, TMMTX. 'Guests will get hands-on experience with exhibits such as a paint simulator that tests their painting skills, and how to spot defects when they step into the quality area. We hope to inspire our next generation to learn more about STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and skilled labor jobs.'

Other exhibits also give visitors a taste of what it takes to be a team member, or an 'industrial athlete,' as Toyota calls its team members. This includes a rope-game competition that showcases fundamental skills needed, operating a lift assist to pick up a truck seat, and a penny press to model the stamping process and provides a souvenir.

In addition, guests will get up close to an automated-guided vehicle, as well as see several historic and one-of-a-kind Toyota trucks including a 1969 Land Cruiser, 1971 Hi-Lux and the 'Back to the Future' Tacoma.

Promoting Pollinators

Just outside the Visitors Center sits the new 11,000 sq. ft. pollinator garden. TMMTX's environmental team worked with Texas Parks and Wildlife and the San Antonio Zoo to fill the garden with 250 native plants that will attract pollinators such as bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and other insects.

'We want people to know that planting just one plant that pollinators enjoy helps,' said Rob Franklin, environmental director, TMMTX. 'This garden is part of our commitment to protecting biodiversity and supporting local species, here in Texas and at our facilities across North America.'

Pollinators are crucial because they feed from flowers and transfer pollen which allows flowers and plants to produce seeds, fruits and vegetables. Approximately one out of every three bites of food you eat depends on the work of a pollinator. Unfortunately, pesticide usage and other factors harm pollinators.

TMMTX leaders also announced they'll partner with the San Antonio Zoo to plant pollinator gardens at six local high schools. Those schools will also be provided educational resources and programming for students to learn about the importance of pollinators in our environment.

About Toyota

Toyota's Team Texas is 7,200 team members strong and includes 23 on-site suppliers. The facility produced 267,000 Tundra and Tacoma trucks in 2017. Each year, more than 22,000 guests stop at the TMMTX Visitors Center.

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. and North America for 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands. During that time, Toyota has created a tremendous value chain as our teams have contributed to world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than 36 million cars and trucks in North America, where we operate 14 manufacturing plants (10 in the U.S.) and directly employ more than 47,000 people (more than 37,000 in the U.S.). Our 1,800 North American dealerships (nearly 1,500 in the U.S.) sold more than 2.7million cars and trucks (2.4 million in the U.S.) in 2017 – and about 87 percent of all Toyota vehicles sold over the past 15 years are still on the road today.

Toyota partners with community, civic, academic, and governmental organizations to address our society's most pressing mobility challenges. We share company resources and extensive know-how to support non-profits to help expand their ability to assist more people move more places. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.

Photo credit: Toyota
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