WITH a 40 per cent hold on Jamaica’s new-vehicle market share, Toyota Jamaica (TJam) says it will not be resting on its proverbial laurels. On Wednesday, the company broke ground for the construction of a $400 million, state-of-the-art facility on Old Hope Road.

Tom Connor, managing director of the Spanish Town Road-headquartered firm, said he was excited by his company’s expansion to the New Kingston area.

“We decided to construct this branch after listening to the voices of our customers. For people in the uptown area, to get to Spanish Town Road was too difficult and very time consuming, so the primary focus of this new branch is to meet the demands of our existing customers. We hear what they were saying and we responded to it,” Connor told the gathering at the ceremony, which comprised ambassadors, government ministers, business leaders, and other stake holders.

Connor said despite a decline in new-vehicle sales, TJam was in an expansion mode. The company only recently expanded its offerings to include Hino trucks and forklifts; acquired a two-acre plot adjacent to its Spanish Town Road headquarters to display its commercial line; as well as opening a branch in Montego Bay, two years prior.

“We’re in it for the long haul,” Connor added.

The new 26,000 square foot branch, to be built by Matalon Constructions, will house a 18-bay service facility, and will provide full dealerships amenities to existing and new customers for Toyota’s range of vehicles — sales, parts and service.

During its construction phase, the project will generate employment for 100 workers and 40 staff members on completion in 2016.

Anthony Hylton, minister of industry, investment and commerce, said TJam’s investment was “welcoming”.

“This investment, at this time, demonstrates Toyota Jamaica, and Toyota International, their confidence in the Jamaican economy and the climate for investment. It has implications for our automotive industry. No doubt, it will bring with it the latest technology and modernisation and job creation. It’s propitious, timely, and we welcome this investment,” Hylton told Auto.

Glowing tributes to TJam’s latest move also came from Hiroshi Kitahara, general manager at Toyota Tsusho America, Inc and Yasuo Takase, Japanese Ambassador to Jamaica.

“This ceremony represents the vision of Toyota to increase its portfolio investment in Jamaica. Our presence here today is an affirmation of the high priority the Japanese private sector places on improving the automotive industry in Jamaica. This certainly is an important economic activity that the Government of Japan is proud to endorse,” said Takase.

Toyota Jamaica is a subsidiary of Toyota Tsusho Corporation, and is the sole authorised distributor for Toyota and Hino vehicles in Jamaica.