SAN ANTONIO – Update (Wednesday, April 29):

Toyota Motor North America announced Thursday that it postpone its gradual return to manufacturing operations from May 4 to the week of May 11 after factory lines came to a halt in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Toyota plants, including the one in San Antonio, will reopen “in compliance with federal health and safety guidelines,” according to a statement.

Read the full statement below:

“Based on an extensive review with our supplier and logistics network, Toyota will postpone its ramp up of its North American manufacturing operations from the week of May 4 to the week of May 11 . As previously stated, Toyota intends to gradually resume its manufacturing operations in compliance with federal health and safety guidelines, and local and state ordinances where our facilities are located. The health and safety of our employees and stakeholders remain a top priority and we have implemented new protocols at all of our North American manufacturing plants to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19. We will continue to follow all safety guidelines and monitor vehicle demand as we carefully ramp up production.”

Update (Thursday, April 23):

Toyota Motor North America announced Thursday that it will gradually reopen its manufacturing operations on May 4 after factory lines came to a halt due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Toyota plants, including the one in San Antonio, will reopen “in compliance with federal health and safety guidelines,” according to a statement.

Read the full statement below:

“Beginning the week of May 4, Toyota intends to gradually resume its North American manufacturing operations in compliance with federal health and safety guidelines, and local and state ordinances where our facilities are located. The health and safety of our employees and stakeholders remain a top priority and we have implemented new protocols at all of our North American manufacturing plants to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19. We will continue to follow all safety guidelines and monitor vehicle demand as we carefully ramp up production.”

The Toyota plants temporarily closed in late March. In San Antonio, some employees shifted to making face shields for first responders to help combat the virus.

Video: Face shields produced at SA Toyota plant distributed to first responders

Update (Wednesday, April 8):

Toyota has decided to extend its temporary shutdown of plants until May due to the coronavirus pandemic and a decline in demand.

All auto and components plants in North America, including the one in San Antonio, will be closed until at least May 1, Toyota said in a statement on Wednesday.

Production is slated to resume on May 4.

“Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and decline in vehicle demand, Toyota is further extending the length of its production suspension at all of its automobile and components plants in North America, including Canada, Mexico and the U.S.," Toyota said in a statement. “We will continue to monitor the situation and take appropriate action in a timely manner."

Service and parts operations, as well as vehicle logistics centers, will remain open.

Melissa Sparks, an analyst for Toyota Motor North America, told KSAT.com that production and skilled team members will be paid for four days for the weeks of April 20 and April 27. For the extra day, they will need to use paid time off or go unpaid.

Feds eye loosening rules to allow some to return to work

Original (March 26):

Toyota announced Thursday it is extending its suspension of production at all auto and components plants in North America, including the one in San Antonio, the company said in a statement.

The company said the manufacturing facilities will be closed through April 17, with production resuming on April 20.

Toyota said it will pay its employees for three weeks and are asking workers to take one week of personal time during the shutdown.

“Our service parts depots and vehicle logistics centers will continue to operate,” Toyota said in its statement.

The auto company said its closing down the facilities due to an anticipated decline in market demand because of the coronavirus pandemic.

COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the new virus, stands for coronavirus disease 2019. The disease first appeared in late 2019 in Wuhan, China, but spread around the world in early 2020, causing the World Health Organization to declare a pandemic in March.

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