What Is Gulf States Toyota?
This Toyota vehicle distributor dates back to the late 1960s and Carroll Shelby.
Toyota
QuickTakes:
Cars, trucks, and SUVs are generally imported into the U.S. by a vehicle distributor, which is a company licensed to do business directly with a brand. The distributor manages the logistics of supplying dealerships in a certain geographical area with automotive inventory, which serves as the gateway to a specific market. One of the largest and oldest import-vehicle distributors in the United States is Gulf States Toyota.
Gulf States Toyota Distributors Explained
Gulf States Toyota is the company responsible for distributing Toyota and Lexus vehicles throughout five southern states: Texas, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Arkansas. This arrangement ties it into more than 150 separate dealerships.
Gulf States Toyota will sometimes install post-production accessories, such as roof racks or floor mats. If these items were installed on a vehicle, they are usually listed on a window sticker addendum.
A Brief History of Gulf States Toyota
Gulf States Toyota was founded in 1969, more than a decade after the Japanese automaker began selling vehicles in the U.S. The distributor is owned by The Friedkin Group, named after founder Tom Friedkin. Originally the opportunity to run the distribution efforts was offered to renowned race-car driver Carroll Shelby, but he turned it down and referred Friedkin.
Based around Houston, Texas, Gulf States Toyota grew quickly, serving 14 dealerships within a three-year period. In less than 25 years, the distributor expanded from processing 5,000 vehicles per year to processing more than 100,000. This caused it to regularly outgrow its port-based import facilities and eventually overtake Toyota itself in distributing the automaker's vehicles in the U.S. Gulf States Toyota also handles the distribution of Toyota cars and trucks that are built in the U.S.
The Friedkin Group — run by Tom Friedkin's son, Dan Friedkin — was able to leverage its Toyota distribution business into a global conglomerate of diverse interests, including stakes in European professional soccer, film studios and the arts, and high-end safari adventure.
Size of Gulf States Toyota
Gulf States Toyota operates a 165-acre distribution facility that imports and processes around 300,000 vehicles every year, a 50% increase from 2005. It also serves as a major parts distributor for the Toyota and Lexus brands, selling millions of parts each year. The Friedkin Group — which owns Gulf States Toyota — regularly generates between $8 billion and $11 billion every year, making it one of the largest privately held companies in the country. The company has more than 500 employees and continues to operate from Houston.
