Toyota Moving U.S. Sales Headquarters To Texas From California

Toyota Motor Corp. is moving its U.S. sales headquarters from southern California to suburban Dallas. The relocation likely will bring much of the Japanese automaker's far-flung U.S. operations under one roof, including sales, service, marketing, advertising, manufacturing, and quality.

Details of the move were shared on April 25 with senior Toyota executives. Toyota employees received an email on Sunday, April 27 informing them of a Monday morning (4/28) webcast from Jim Lentz, Chief Executive of Toyota North America. Toyota spokesperson Julie Hamp would not confirm the move, but confirmed employees were invited to a webcast Monday and said details would be provided at that time.

The new Texas headquarters is expected to house at least three subsidiaries, including Toyota Motor Sales USA, Toyota Financial Services, and Toyota Engineering and Manufacturing North America. The move will begin in August and will take place in stages through the end of 2016. Employees in Toyota's Torrance offices and other U.S. locations will be offered relocation packages and financial assistance.

Toyota, which established operations in California in 1957, is the second Japanese automaker to relocate from the Los Angeles area. Nissan Motor Co., in 2006, moved most of its operations to Franklin, TN, outside Nashville.

Toyota has a truck assembly plant in San Antonio, TX, as well as manufacturing and assembly plants in eight other states, including Kentucky, Indiana, and Mississippi.