TOTO grows in the North American luxury segment

The new $224 million facility in Morrow, Georgia will strengthen the North American supply chain, accelerate deliveries and promote sustainability goals.

TOTO, a Japanese multinational company and one of the world leaders in the sanitaryware sector, inaugurated a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Morrow, Georgia, on 22 August. The $224 million project marks a major investment in the group’s growth strategy in the Americas, which involves gradually transferring part of its production from Asian plants to North America. The new facility will increase TOTO USA’s production capacity in the high-end one-piece toilet segment by 150%, allowing for faster deliveries and responding more effectively to growing market demand for this type of product. It will also strengthen its regional supply chain, enhance manufacturing resilience and advance its long-term sustainability goals.

During the ribbon-cutting ceremony, TOTO USA’s CEO, Taro Muroi, noted that the new facility will contribute to

“the next chapter in our US manufacturing story. Since we began production here in 1991, we’ve united TOTO’s manufacturing expertise, innovative technology, local craftsmanship, and commitment to sustainability to deliver premium products made in America. This new facility builds on that legacy and strengthens the deep, enduring bonds of trust, collaboration and shared vision with our employees, partners, customers and communities across the Americas.”

With the start-up of the new facility, TOTO’s production capacity in the Americas rises to approximately one million units annually across its plants in Morrow, Lakewood (Georgia) and Mexico. The new building in Morrow alone adds production capacity of approximately 300,000 one-piece toilets per year, significantly strengthening the group’s industrial presence in the area.

In June 2023, TOTO broke ground on the new facility on the site of its original Morrow plant. Construction concluded in November 2024 and production began in the fall of 2025.The expansion adds about 15,000 sqm of advanced manufacturing space, bringing the new facility to over 33,800 sqm and sustaining 420 local jobs. The new factory was built with a strong focus on environmental sustainability, in line with TOTO’s global WILL2030 strategy and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Robotics, AGVs and high-pressure casting

The new Morrow facility features next-generation manufacturing technology designed to improve quality, precision and operational efficiency.

One of the most significant solutions is the Tank Bonding Robot, an automated system that positions and bonds tanks to one-piece toilet bowls with such precision that it significantly boosts finished product quality and productivity. Added to this are 34 robots that streamline all stages of the process, from moulding to finishing. To support internal logistics, six self-driving vehicles (AGVs) carry three toilets each between the moulding, drying, glazing and firing stages over approximately 40 metres, enhancing efficiency and significantly reducing worker strain.

The pieces are formed using a high-pressure casting system that overcomes previous production limitations by enabling the manufacture of larger, more complex designs and thereby expanding the range of premium products made in the Americas. Each unit is identified by heat-resistant QR codes, which enable real-time tracking, quality control and big-data analysis to optimise manufacturing processes.

Two convection-heated kilns with advanced insulation and digital temperature control are scheduled to be installed in 2027. These systems will cut CO₂ emissions by approximately 23% compared to current kilns and further boost energy efficiency, accommodate taller products and improve firing consistency.

A 36-year commitment to the Americas

TOTO began operations in the Americas in 1989 in California and has grown steadily through the bonds built with customers, strategic partners and local communities. In 1991, the company launched US-based manufacturing in Lakewood, Georgia, and in 1996 opened its first major manufacturing facility in Morrow.

“This expansion cements our leadership in luxury bathroom innovation while creating a more agile, resilient manufacturing network,” said Muroi. “It allows us to serve customers more effectively, support employees with safer, more efficient technology, and contribute meaningfully to the sustainability of our planet while honouring the deep bonds we’ve built through decades of trust.”

For fiscal year 2024, TOTO USA recorded sales of $464 million, underscoring strong demand for its premium bathroom products, despite a slowdown in the US housing market.

TOTO Global Group, founded in 1917 in Kitakyushu, Japan, is recognised worldwide for its high level of innovation and design. The Group, which also operates in the tile sector and other industrial segments, achieved consolidated sales of 724.5 billion yen (approximately €4.4 billion) in 2024. It has 16 production plants: 4 in Japan and 12 in China, Taiwan, Indonesia, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Mexico and the United States. In 2024, it produced 9.9 million pieces of sanitaryware.