Photo: Stefan Baldauf / Guido Ten Brink
Late last week, the White House issued a proclamation about the impact of auto imports on section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, saying they pose a serious national security threat. The document suggested changes to automotive import ruless as a way to diminish the threat.
Toyota, one of the biggest importers of such goods, and a company that is used to kicking back when disturbed, retorted with an angry message, defending both its business and its impact on Americans in the decades since it entered the country.
Calling the Proclamation a major setback for American consumers, Toyota says the document released by the White House is a message that its investments are not welcome in the country, and that the contributions made by its 475,000 employees are not valued.
A limitation of imports, says the carmaker, would have the opposite effect of what is desired, and will not create more jobs or stimulate the economy.
"These artificial limitations would reduce consumer choice and impact all automakers since vehicle parts used in U.S. manufacturing are sourced from around the globe," the carmaker stressed in a statement.
"If import quotas are imposed, the biggest losers will be consumers who will pay more and have fewer vehicle choices."
Still fighting at the top of the sales charts each year with much larger auto group Volkswagen, Toyota relies heavily on the sales it makes in the United States. The company had a market share of over 12 percent last year, and the over 2 million cars sold in 2018 in the U.S. accounted for roughly a quarter of its global sales.
Losing even a fraction of those sales would be a hurdle nearly impossible to overcome.
The carmaker is now in a waiting pattern, trying to see what Donald Trump decides is the best course of action. In ending its statement, the carmaker said it hopes upcoming negotiations would be swift and "yield what is best for the American consumer, workers and the auto industry."
Calling the Proclamation a major setback for American consumers, Toyota says the document released by the White House is a message that its investments are not welcome in the country, and that the contributions made by its 475,000 employees are not valued.
A limitation of imports, says the carmaker, would have the opposite effect of what is desired, and will not create more jobs or stimulate the economy.
"These artificial limitations would reduce consumer choice and impact all automakers since vehicle parts used in U.S. manufacturing are sourced from around the globe," the carmaker stressed in a statement.
"If import quotas are imposed, the biggest losers will be consumers who will pay more and have fewer vehicle choices."
Still fighting at the top of the sales charts each year with much larger auto group Volkswagen, Toyota relies heavily on the sales it makes in the United States. The company had a market share of over 12 percent last year, and the over 2 million cars sold in 2018 in the U.S. accounted for roughly a quarter of its global sales.
Losing even a fraction of those sales would be a hurdle nearly impossible to overcome.
The carmaker is now in a waiting pattern, trying to see what Donald Trump decides is the best course of action. In ending its statement, the carmaker said it hopes upcoming negotiations would be swift and "yield what is best for the American consumer, workers and the auto industry."
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