12 Dec 2013

Holden pullout puts pressure on Toyota

6:11 am on 12 December 2013

Toyota says GM Holden's decision to quit manufacturing in Australia will put unprecedented pressure on its ability to build cars in Australia.

AAP reports the company said it would have to determine whether it could continue operating in Australia.

"This will place unprecedented pressure on the local supplier network and our ability to build cars in Australia," Toyota Australia said in a statement.

"We will now work with our suppliers, key stakeholders and the government to determine our next steps and whether we can continue operating as the sole vehicle manufacturer in Australia."

Holden announced on Wednesday the company will stop making vehicles by the end of 2017 - ending 65 years of building cars in Australia.

The company cited the high Australian dollar as a main reason for the closure. It said at the peak of the dollar's exchange rate, manufacturing things in Australia was 65% more expensive compared with a decade earlier.