Toyota to cut output 70% in North America

4/20/2011

NEW YORK — Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Co. said Tuesday it would cut U.S. vehicle production and may have to lower its 2011 U.S. sales target despite improvement in the flow of parts disrupted from the March earthquake in Japan.

Toyota said that from April 26 to June 3, it would cut production by 70 percent at its North American plants. Its 30,000 North American employees will have four-hour shifts three days a week instead of eight-hour shifts three days a week.

Starting April 15, Toyota put its plants on a three-day work week instead of its usual eight-hour shifts five days a week.