BUFFALO, W.Va. (AP) -- An industry study shows productivity at Toyota Motor Corp.'s West Virginia engine factory has dipped slightly compared with rival automakers.
The factory slipped to fourth overall among North American auto plants in the annual Harbour Report released Thursday. Harbour ranked a Chrysler-affiliated engine plant No. 1 overall.
Toyota's Buffalo plant had been ranked No. 1 for five consecutive years until sliding to No. 2 last year.
Vice President of Manufacturing Jeff Moore says building a four-cylinder engine took an average of 1.61 hours of labor at the Buffalo plant last year, good for No. 1 in that category. Six-cylinder engines took 3.76 hours of labor, ranking the plant No. 4.
Moore says Toyota is spending approximately $500 million this year and last to upgrade the plant.
