Toyota is one of the world's largest automobile manufacturers and a leading global corporation (a Top 10 Fortune 500 enterprise). Founded in 1937, Toyota now sells vehicles in more than 170 countries, employs some 318,000 people.
Toyota entered the European market in the early 1960s. Since then it has invested almost €7 billion in the continent, keeping pace with changing European vehicle tastes and requirements. Today with some 80,000 employees in Europe, Toyota’s operations are supported by 30 National Marketing and Sales Companies in 56 countries, a total of 3,300 sales outlets and 9 manufacturing plants. It also has 14 parts logistics centres and 11 vehicle logistic centres, a design centre and a Motorsport centre
Based in Brussels, Belgium, and staffed by 2,700 people of 63 nationalities, Toyota Motor Europe (TME) handles the wholesale marketing of Toyota and Lexus vehicles, parts & accessories, and manages Toyota’s European manufacturing and engineering operations.
