LITTLE ROCK (AP) -- The Hino Motors Manufacturing plant in Marion is to stay in production, even though the Toyota truck plant it supplies is to shut down for three months, Marion's economic development director said Wednesday.

The $225 million plant began production in October 2006 of axle assemblies and suspension components for the Toyota Tundra.

Toyota Motor Corp. officials are suspending production of the truck at the company's plant in San Antonio, a factory that Arkansas officials tried to get for the Marion site.

Marion economic development director Kay Brockwell said Hino officials told her the east Arkansas facility will keep operating.

"They are evaluating exactly what they will do. There will be undoubtedly some impact on the plant's operation," Brockwell said.

"It (the Hino plant) will not close. (Hino executives) have assured us of that and I have no reason to doubt that," Brockwell said.

Presently, the plant is in a previously planned shutdown from July 11-22.

"They did the same thing last year," Brockwell said.

Toyota is suspending production of the Tundra pickup in San Antonio and the Sequoia sport utility vehicle at its Princeton, Ind., plant for three months starting Aug. 8. Next spring, it will stop producing Tundras in Princeton and will consolidate all truck production in San Antonio. The company cited declining demand that accompanied the sharp rise in fuel prices.

Tundra sales fell 54 percent in June compared with last year.