Toyota Motor Europe (TME) is a subsidiary ofToyota Motor Corporation, overseeing operations across Europe and Western Asia, includingTurkey, Russia, Israel, Kazakhstan, andthe Caucasus. TME’s activities encompass research and development, manufacturing, sales, marketing, after-sales, and various corporate functions. Headquartered inBrussels, Belgium, TME commenced operations in 1963.
TME began the manufacturing and sale of cars in Europe under an official distributor agreement in 1963.
TME oversees the wholesale sales and marketing of Toyota andLexus vehicles, parts, and accessories, and Toyota’s European manufacturing and engineering operations. Toyota employs approximately 90,000 people in Europe, with a €11+ billion investment since 1990.[1] Toyota’s operations in Europe are supported by a network of 31 National Marketing and Sales Companies across 49 countries, a total of around 3,000 sales outlets, and nine manufacturing plants.[2]
Toyota Motor Europe sales peaked in 2007 at 1.23 million units,[5][6] as well as a 5.70% market share.[7] In 2021, TME set a new peak with a market share of 5.84%.[7][8]
In 2022, TME set another peak with a market share of 7.3%.[9]
The Toyota Motor Europe (TME) Head Office, located inBrussels, Belgium, serves as the central hub forToyota andLexus operations across Europe. This strategic headquarters houses key departments overseeing European activities, including manufacturing, engineering, marketing, and sales. TME coordinates efforts with several major manufacturing centres throughoutEurope, particularly inFrance and theCzech Republic, ensuring streamlined operations and robust market presence.
Established in 1987, theToyota Technical Centre inZaventem, Belgium, is home to Toyota Motor Europe’s Research & Development (R&D), Purchasing andProduction Engineering activities. Early in 2006, Toyota inaugurated the expansion of its technical centre. In 2007 an additional 35,000 m² was added for the expanded European design and engineering department.
TheToyota Training Centre in Zaventem provides training to service instructors and engineers from all of Toyota’s European distributors.
Located inDerbyshire, theEuropean Global Production Centre is a hub for teaching best practices and training production staff and supervisors from Europe.
The Accessory and Service Centre of Toyota in Brussels is responsible for after-sales, conversion, and accessory operations. Its responsibilities include the coordination of Toyota's aftersales service operations, the investigation of technical issues in the field, car body and paint training, accessory development and planning, and vehicle conversion.
Created in 2000 inNice, France,Toyota Europe Design Development (ED2, stylizedED²) concentrates on design concepts for the European market, including advanced design, design competition, and production support for European models and design research information. It replaced the Zaventem-basedToyota European Office of Creation (EPOC), founded in 1989.[10][11][12] Since 2016, theToyota Design Centre of Zaventem re-opened to take the weight off ED² by helping it to develop production cars, such as theToyota Aygo X.[12]
Le Rendez- Vous Toyota in Paris is a venue for internal and public events.
In 2008, Toyota began its European sustainable plant program at two manufacturing companies in France and theUnited Kingdom. The activities are supposed to emphasize the role of nature in creating production sites that are in harmony with their natural surroundings.TMMF (Valenciennes, France) andTMUK (Burnaston and Deeside, UK) will ramp up efforts in Europe by serving as the industry benchmark for sustainable production of vehicles and engines. Each plant will pilot activities to help realize 2010 environmental targets, including a 25% reduction in water use by Toyota’s European manufacturing network. Toyota intends to adapt these methods for their plants globally if successful.[13]
