Toyota starts recruiting more than 400 workers for San Antonio rear axle plant expansion this year

Hiring begins as Toyota builds a new drivetrain components facility on the South Side

Toyota has started recruiting for a new rear axle production operation in San Antonio that is expected to add more than 400 employees and expand the company’s local manufacturing footprint. The hiring push is tied to a new 500,000-square-foot facility being built next to Toyota Motor Manufacturing Texas, where the company currently assembles the Toyota Tundra pickup and Toyota Sequoia SUV.

The new plant is designed to produce rear axle assemblies that will support both locally assembled vehicles and Toyota’s broader North American supply chain. Toyota has said the expansion represents a $531 million investment in San Antonio and is intended to increase in-house production of key drivetrain parts.

What the new rear axle plant is expected to make

The facility is planned to manufacture 18 variations of rear axles across five production lines. Toyota has described a highly automated setup, including about 200 welding robots, with workers and robotics operating in tandem. At full production, the plant is expected to reach an annual capacity of roughly 500,000 axle units, with ramp-up targeted for spring 2027.

In addition to supplying axles for the Tundra and Sequoia assembled in San Antonio, Toyota has indicated that axles from the new operation will also support the Toyota Tacoma pickup assembled in Mexico.

What roles are opening now, and what comes later

The first wave of recruiting is focused on skilled maintenance roles tied to automation and robotics. These positions have been marketed at hourly wages ranging from $35.90 to $47.10, and Toyota has used training placements outside Texas, including programs in Alabama and Japan, as part of onboarding for some hires.

Broader production hiring is expected to begin later, with entry-level production roles starting at $22.50 per hour. Toyota’s published timelines indicate that staffing will continue to build through 2027 as production equipment is installed and operations scale.

Workforce and economic footprint in Bexar County

Toyota’s San Antonio operation is one of the region’s largest manufacturing employers. With the rear axle plant addition, Toyota has projected its direct local workforce will exceed 4,000 employees. The manufacturing campus also anchors a supplier network that employs thousands more workers in the area.

Public incentives and job targets

The expansion has been paired with local economic development agreements that include a job-creation commitment. Under the terms made public during the project’s approval process, Toyota’s targets include creating 411 new jobs by the end of 2028, with a stated minimum hourly wage threshold for new full-time positions.

• New facility size: 500,000 square feet
• Planned investment: $531 million
• Planned new jobs: 400-plus (411 committed under incentive terms)
• Planned output: up to 500,000 axles annually at full capacity

The expansion is structured to add drivetrain parts production alongside vehicle assembly, increasing the range of manufacturing processes performed in San Antonio.