Toyota Australia Altona Plant

37°50′08″S 144°49′52″E / 37.83556°S 144.83111°E / -37.83556; 144.83111IndustryMotor vehicle assemblyProductsHolden Apollo
Holden Nova
Toyota Aurion
Toyota Avalon
Toyota Camry
Toyota CorollaEmployees2,500 (2014)Area75 hectaresAddressGrieve ParadeOwner(s)Toyota AustraliaDefunct3 October 2017

The Toyota Australia Altona Plant was a Toyota Australia manufacturing facility in the Melbourne suburb of Altona North.

History

The Toyota Australia Altona Plant opened in 1978, as Toyota's first engine plant outside of Japan.^[1][2] Panel production began in 1983, before full vehicle production commenced in July 1994 with manufacture of the Corolla transferred from Port Melbourne followed in January 1995 by the Camry.^[3][4] The expanded plant was opened by Prime Minister Paul Keating.^[5]

Altona also manufactured the badge engineered Holden Apollo and Holden Novas. It exported cars to Brunei, Kuwait, New Zealand, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates.^[6][7]

In August 2012, Altona competed its one millionth vehicle for export.^[7] In February 2014 Toyota announced the plant would close after it decided it would cease production in Australia.^[8][9] This occurred in October 2017.^[10][11]

The site was redeveloped with the former manufacturing building converted into a redevelopment facility which included vehicle design and testing studios, training rooms, a mock sales dealership, auditorium and 400 person bistro.^[12][13][14] In 2024 Toyota began assembling and distributing stationary hydrogen fuel cell power generators at Altona.^[15]

References