There is some good news on the economic front. Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana has secured an order to 15,000 Sequoia SUVs going to the Middle East. This is the first large scale order for Toyota which has not originated from the United State or Mexico.

We congratulate Toyota for this order and wish very one at Toyota all the best for 2009.

Global Economy: Toyota Indiana selling in the Middle East. There is no going back.

If any among us still doubt the global nature of our economy today, let them get into their buggy, signal to their horse and ride on home. Indeed, a business deal announced last week leaves no question for anyone that we are linked to business and industry around the world, and there is no going back.

We are talking about the announcement that Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana is going to sell 15,000 Sequoia SUVs manufactured in Princeton, Ind., to car dealerships in the Middle East.

In today's economy, that is just plain good news. But it demonstrates, as well, the scope of world business today.

Look at it this way. At a factory located in rural Indiana, but owned by a Japanese company, thousands of SUVs were assembled by mainly Hoosier workers.

And now, as a result of the deal, the SUVs will be shipped overseas to auto dealers in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain, Qatar, Yemen, Oman, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates and Lebanon.

Karen Dillon, Toyota's manager of public affairs and purchasing, said that the first shipment is on the way via boat, and two more shipments will be required. The order totaled between $650,000 and $750 million for Toyota.

It is its first major order outside of the United States and Mexico, Dillon said, but it hopes it is not the last.

"Our overall goal for this type of export is to establish a global supply system to meet the changing demand for our vehicles," she said.

To satisfy the needs of buyers in the Middle East, Toyota had to build the big Sequoias to withstand sandy conditions. Dillion said it required only slight modifications.

We thought this story was remarkable in and of itself, but we would note that the news broke the same day we received a letter to the editor — one we did not published — critical of the fact that Toyotas are being manufactured in Indiana by a company owned by one of our enemies in World War II.

Folks, that is history.

We honor as often as possible our soldiers who fought bravely and won that war, and we will never forget.

But, as is often the case, our long- ago enemies are now close allies who join with us as willing partners in this new global economy.

Source: http://www.courierpress.com/news/2008/Dec/15/global-economy-the-issue-toyota-indiana-selling/