ERLANGER, Ky. (April 15, 2009) ? The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. (TEMA), with a 2009 ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence Award in recognition of its continued leadership in protecting our environment through energy efficiency and management. TEMA?s accomplishments were recognized at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. on March 31, 2009.

 

TEMA, an ENERGY STAR partner since 2003, was honored for its long-term commitment to energy efficiency and management across its ten manufacturing operations in the U.S. Across the nation, top companies and organizations are leading the way toward a more energy-efficient future through participation in ENERGY STAR.

 

?Toyota?s commitment to sustainability reaches beyond just manufacturing vehicles,? said Kevin Butt, Chief Environmental Officer of TEMA. ?We spend an average of nearly $1 million an hour globally on research and development to develop the cars and manufacturing technologies for the future. Our best resource to achieve this vision is our team members, who have paved the way to a sustainable future.?

 

Examples of energy improvements at TEMA?s manufacturing facilities include:

 

· Reducing total energy use by 27 per vehicle produced since FY2002;

 

· Reducing water usage by 65 million gallons annually, the equivalent of 3,000 homes;

 

· Reducing CO2 emissions by 750 metric tons, the equivalent of 54 homes by installing high pressure water systems in the Paint Shop. This system is being rolled out across all of TEMA?s manufacturing plants.

 

Eight of TEMA?s U.S. manufacturing plants have earned Energy Star Plant Awards. Energy improvements at these facilities have saved more than $600,000 annually and reduced CO2 emission by almost 12,000 metric tons.

 

The 2009 Sustained Excellence Awards are given to a select group of organizations that have exhibited outstanding leadership year after year. These winners have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by setting and achieving aggressive goals, employing innovative approaches, and showing others what can be achieved through energy efficiency. These awards recognize ongoing leadership across the ENERGY STAR program including energy-efficient products, services, new homes and buildings in the commercial, industrial and public sectors. Award winners are selected from more than 12,000 organizations that participate in the ENERGY STAR program.

 

Toyota (NYSE:TM) established operations in North America in 1957 and currently operates 14 manufacturing plants. There are more than 1,800 Toyota, Lexus and Scion dealerships in North America which sold more than 2.4 million vehicles in 2008. Toyota directly employs more than 41,000 in North America and its investment here is currently valued at nearly $21 billion, including sales and manufacturing operations, research and development, financial services and design. Toyota’s annual purchasing of parts, materials, goods and services from North American suppliers totals more than $30 billion.

 

Toyota currently produces 12 vehicles in North America, including the Avalon, Camry, Corolla, Matrix, RAV4, Sienna, Solara, Sequoia, Tacoma, Tundra, Venza and the Lexus RX 350.

 

For more information about Toyota, visit http://www.toyota.com/ or http://www.toyotanewsroom.com/.