Like other Japanese companies with U.S. plants,...

Like other Japanese companies with U.S. plants, Toshiba America is expanding U.S. production. Its industrial electronics business group is increasing production at its manufacturing plants in Irvine and Mitchell, S.D. Kazuo Ishiguro, president of the Toshiba group, said the company is expanding production of laptop computers at the Irvine facility while the South Dakota plant steps up production of toner for office copiers and other duplicating equipment.

“With the decision to manufacture in the U.S., we have made the commitment to procure as many key components and parts locally as possible,” he said. Laptop production has grown to 10,000 per month at the Irvine plant, where employment is expected soon to top 500.