Toyota targets full North American output by September

Toyota Motors has said it expects its North American factory output to return to full capacity as early as September, faster than it had earlier forecast.

Toyota had curbed production at its factories in the region due to a shortage of parts in wake of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

It said eight out of 12 models produced at its North American factories have already returned to normal capacity.

Toyota is the world's biggest car maker.

Toyota has been operating many of its factories in Japan and other countries at reduced

capacity after the 11 March earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
'Lost production'

The quake and tsunami caused widespread damage to the country's infrastructure and supply chain.

As a result Japanese car manufacturers suffered a massive shortfall of parts.

At one point Toyota had a supply shortage of as many as 500 types of part.

However, as the situation in Japan improves, car manufacturers are returning to normal capacity.

Last month, the company indicated that it was targeting 90% output at its factories in Japan by June, and a similar recovery at its global plants later in the year.

The company said as its production lines start to function at full capacity, its next target will be to make up the shortfall in numbers.

"After September we will focus on making up lost production as much as possible," Steve St Angelo of Toyota Motors.