TIJUANA, Mexico, Aug 15 (Reuters) - Japan's largest auto maker Toyota Motor Corp. said on Friday it would begin producing pickups in Mexico earlier than previously planned and at greater volumes, because of strong U.S. demand.
Tag Taguchi, president of Toyota Motors Manufacturing North America, said Toyota's Mexico plant would begin producing the Tacoma pickup truck late next year, rather than in 2005 as planned.
He also said the company would build 30,000 of the vehicles per year from an initially slated 20,000. They will largely be sold in the United States.
The move will create 240 new jobs at the Toyota plant, bringing the total work force to 700 staff, Taguchi said.
Toyota announced a $140 million plan to build the Tacoma in Tijuana on the U.S.-Mexican border at the end of 2002.
"We aim to begin production of the truck beds midway through next year and then produce the complete vehicles by the end of 2004," Taguchi said during a visit to Tijuana, flanked by Mexican President Vicente Vox.
Despite a slowdown in Mexican exports to the United States, the main market for the vehicles, demand for pickups and jeeps is still strong.
Mexico sends 90 percent of its exports to its northern neighbor every year, while auto exports make up 2.4 percent of Mexico's gross domestic product, according to finance ministry data.