Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc.
 | |
Formerly | Subaru Isuzu Automotive |
|---|---|
| automobile manufacturing plant | |
| Industry | automobile |
| Founded | 1987 |
| Headquarters | , USA |
| Products | automobile vehicles and engines |
| Owner | Subaru Corporation |
Number of employees | 5,900 |
| Website | http://www.subaru-sia.com |
Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc. (SIA) is an automobile assembly plant in Lafayette, Indiana, which began as a joint venture between Subaru Corporation (formerly known as Fuji Heavy Industries (FHI)) subsidiary Subaru and Isuzu Motors Ltd.[1] After Isuzu withdrew from the venture, SIA continued to manufacture Subaru models, and later began manufacturing the Toyota Camry.
The plant, which was Subaru Corporations's sole overseas plant until 2019,[2] was the subject of the 1995 book "On The Line at Subaru-Isuzu" by Laurie Graham, about plant working conditions. The facility is located southeast of central Lafayette, at 5500 State Road 38 E. — also known as the Bataan Memorial Highway.
History
Subaru and Isuzu had formed a joint venture, Subaru-Isuzu Automotive Inc., on March 17, 1987, to share production facilities at a new plant in Lafayette, Indiana,[3] between Indianapolis and Chicago. The plant began producing the Subaru Legacy and Isuzu P'up in October 1989.[1] The factory was given $98 million in state and local tax incentives when it opened, and these remain in place.
After Isuzu suffered severely dwindling sales by 2002, Subaru dissolved their joint agreement with Isuzu.[3] On December 20, 2002, Subaru purchased Isuzu's interest in the venture for one dollar,[3] and Subaru then renamed the facility "Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc." In addition to its Subaru production, the company continued to produce the Isuzu Rodeo and Honda Passport badge engineered twins, plus the Isuzu Axiom, through to July 2004.
Isuzu ended non-commercial vehicle sales in the United States in 2009.[4] General Motors divested its stake in FHI in 2005 (part to Toyota, part to open market).
New minority shareholder Toyota Motor Corporation began producing 30,000 to 40,000 Camrys per year at the plant in 2007 to meet excess demand then satisfied by imports from Japan. Most North American-market Camrys are assembled at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky. Camry production at SIA officially began March 9, 2007, with the first Camry built by SIA rolling off the assembly line on April 20, 2007[5] and ended May 27 2016. From that moment on, production of Camry vehicles was consolidated to Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc., in Georgetown, Kentucky in the United States.
As a result of Isuzu's former corporate agreement with Honda, the plant used to produce the Passport, a rebadged Isuzu Rodeo. The production Passport, along with that of the Camry, means that SIA was the only plant to have produced automobiles from Japan's two largest automakers -- Toyota and Honda.
As the popularity of Subaru vehicles has increased in the United States the plant's production volume has increased as well. For the 2020-21 fiscal year, Subaru expects production to increase to 410,000 vehicles. SIA employed 6,250 people as of February 2020.[6]
The plant offers guided tours free of charge on Mondays and Wednesdays except during its summer shutdown.
On May 4, 2004 the factory became the first Zero Landfill manufacturer in the United States.[7]
On September 30, 2009, the factory produced its 3 millionth vehicle, a 2010 Subaru Outback 2.5i in Steel Silver Metallic.[8]
On December 9, 2016, the 5 millionth vehicle was produced at SIA, a blue Subaru Outback. [9]
Current manufacture at SIA
- Subaru Legacy (September 8, 1989; March 25, 1994 (22C); May 17, 1999 (66L); February 27, 2004 (21Z); May 25, 2009 (EZ5); 2014 (BF4) 2019 (GC7)
- Subaru Outback (May 17, 1999 (66L); February 27, 2004 (21Z); May 25, 2009 (EZ5); 2014 (BF4) 2019 (GC7)
- Subaru Impreza (November 11, 2016 (HR3))
- Subaru Ascent (May 7, 2018 (TR8))
Past manufacture at SIA
- Isuzu Pickup (September 8, 1989 – 1995)
- Isuzu Rodeo (May 15, 1990; July 21, 1997 (145)-July 23, 2004)
- Honda Passport (November 16, 1993; July 21, 1997 (145)-2002)
- Isuzu Amigo (January 8, 1998 (145)-July 23, 2004)
- Isuzu Axiom (January 15, 2001 – July 23, 2004)
- Subaru Baja (July 18, 2002 – 2006)
- Subaru B9 Tribeca (April 4, 2005 - March 2008)
- Subaru Tribeca (April 1, 2008 – January 2014)
- Toyota Camry (February 28, 2007 – May 27, 2016)
References
- Kusmer, Ken (October 8, 1989). "Subaru, Isuzu try joint venture in Indiana". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. p. 9C.
- "High-riding Subaru boosts profit projections, increases Indiana production". Left Lane News, Andrew Ganz, May 7, 2010.
As a result, Subaru’s parent, Fuji Heavy Industries, has forecast a 57 percent increase in annual operating profit for its current financial year – and it will boost production at its sole overseas assembly plant in Lafayette, Indiana.
- "Dissolution of SIA Joint Venture and Production Consignment". Press Release, Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd., Isuzu Motors Limited, December 20, 2002.
- Fuji Heavy Industries and Isuzu Motors Signed Agreements on Dissolution of SIA Joint Venture and Production Consignment Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. Press Release December 20, 2002
- Fuji Heavy Industries Starts Producing Toyota Camry in U.S. Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. Press Release April 21, 2007
- Walsworth, Jack (26 February 2020). "Subaru to invest $158 million in Indiana plant". Automotive News. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
- Guynup, Sharon. "The Zero-Waste Factory". Scientific American. Retrieved 2018-09-07.
- Chris Shunk. "3 millionth vehicle manufactured". Autoblog.com. Retrieved 2013-12-27.
- Media Oakes. "Subaru of Indiana Automotive Celebrates 5 Millionth Vehicle". prlog.org. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
External links