TOYOTA executives say the launch of the manufacturer's new pan-European production training centre will benefit fleet customers.

The E16.3 million facility at Derbyshire in the UK will employ 15 trainers who will be responsible for training up to 1,000 Toyota employees each year.

Shinichi Sasaki, president and chief executive officer of Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing Europe, said: 'Toyota's European production training centre will play a vital role in ensuring that our manufacturing employees receive the training and development they need to continue to provide our customers with superior-quality vehicles.

'This also continues Toyota's policy of localisation in Europe, which includes a European design centre, eight manufacturing plants and a dedicated research and development facility.'