WILLIAMSTOWN, W. Va. — Hino Motors may have recently ended production at its California assembly plant, but that doesn’t mean the medium-duty truckmaker is planning on slowing down in the U.S.

Coming off of a record month in sales, Hino is reconfirming its plan for continued growth in the U.S. commercial truck market.

"We are achieving our original plan to grow our sales, dealer network, manufacturing capabilities and overall presence here in the U.S.," said newly appointed President and CEO Sumio Fukaya. "We are tracking towards our goals of selling 10,000 trucks a year within the next two to three years, and 20,000 units within the next five years. Additionally, we have recently signed our 175th dealer, populating us in the top 150 U.S. commercial truck markets.

"Our plan also called for the establishment of a Hino owned and operated assembly plant here in the U.S. We are proud to announce we have accomplished this goal with our assembly plant in Williamstown, West Virginia."

Hino is the only Japanese commercial truck company with manufacturing operations in the United States.

Hino, a Toyota Group Company, recently announced as planned that it would end a contractual manufacturing arrangement with TABC Inc. (Toyota’s first North American manufacturing plant) in Long Beach, Calif., and transfer that production to Hino’s West Virginia facility. It was widely reported that the move would cut Hino’s annual production capacity in North America from 9,500 per year to 4,500.

The company also has a new manufacturing facility in Chatham, Ont.

Hino does very well in the class 5-7 Canadian market, capturing top marketshare in class 6 (33.5 %), with 380 trucks sold in 2007.

The brand is especially strong in Quebec, where it sold close to 500 total trucks alone last year.

— with files from Truckinginfo.com