When you think of quality automobiles, the first company you think of is Toyota. For the past 80 years, from the early 1935 models to the Toyota Wigo in the Philippines, the company name and brand has been associated with providing the world with vehicles that are sure to be durable, reliable and satisfactory.
Japanese Beginnings
In 1925, a man named Sakichi Toyoda invented the Toyoda Model G Automatic Loom. Five years later, the patent for the loom was sold to a British company, generating the money needed to fuel the automobile development. It began as a division of Toyoda Automatic looms and became a solo company in 1937. It was under the watchful eye of Sakichi’s son Kiichiro Toyoda that the company focused and bloomed in the automobile production business. The first vehicles produced off the new automotive company were released in 1935. These are the A1 Passenger car and the G1. Since then they have not stopped producing great automobiles that would suit the different needs of the masses.
The Philippines
1988
On August 3, 1988, Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) was incorporated. It is GT Capital Holdings, Inc., Toyota Motor Corporation and Mitsui & Co. Ltd. It is the joint venture between three prestigious companies: GT Capital Holdings, Inc., Toyota Motor Corporation and Mitsui & Co. Ltd.
1989
A historical moment for the company and the country had happened: Toyota Motor Philippines was finally formally established in the Philippines. Along with its descent on the Pearl of The Orient, Toyota brought along with it the hope for numerous job opportunities for Filipinos and the removal of the need to purchase a Toyota vehicle abroad.
On February 27th, it opened its first two dealerships in the Philippines, which are Toyota Bel-Air Incorporated and Toyota Quezon Avenue and on April 7th, it opened Toyota Shaw. Later in the year on September 15th, people from Southern Metro Manila need not go to the north anymore to purchase their vehicle as Toyota opened its first dealership in the south of Metro Manila, Toyota Alabang.
1990
The year 1990 was a big one for Toyota Motor Corporation. It opened two new dealerships in Quezon City and opened the first dealership outside of Metro Manila: Toyota Cebu.
It was this year that Toyota Motor Philippines Foundation Inc. was established. This institution aims to serve the community with its educational, health, environmental and community service projects.
This year also marked the groundbreaking of the 78-hectare Toyota Santa Rosa Industrial Complex.
1993
The Toyota Santa Rosa Industrial Complex opened and started operations. It currently manufactures Innova and Vios.
1995
The National Government declared the complex a Special Economic zone.
1998
TMP was awarded an ISO14001 certificate for environmental management, becoming the first automotive manufacturer in the Philippines to do so.
2009
It was another remarkable year for TMP as it finally launched the first Lexus dealership in the Philippines, marking another milestone in the automobile manufacturer’s string of successes in the Philippines.
2014
Toyota reached a record breaking number of sales as it sold more than 106,000 vehicles in 2014 alone, showing a 41% increase of sales over 2013. This number proved to be a milestone since the company didn’t expect to reach it until 2018. Because of this, TMP gained entry into the prestigious group of Toyota Manufacturers worldwide to reach more than a hundred thousand sales.
It was also this year that the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (CAMPi) awarded Toyota Motor Philippines Corporation (TMP) the triple crown award, which is comprised of Number one in Passenger Car Sales, Number One in Commercial Vehicles Sales and Number one in Overseas Sales, for the thirteenth year in a row.
Today, Toyota has 46 dealerships spread all over the country. It has won numerous awards and acclamation not only nationally but internationally, cementing its status as a brand Filipinos know and trust.
