Toyota will be investing $600 million and adding 400 jobs to its Princeton, Ind. plant in order to modernize the plant and meet the growing demand of the automaker's Highlander midsize SUV.

The investment, the company noted, will be used for retooling, new equipment, and advanced technologies to make the plant more competitive. The project is scheduled to begin in fall 2019 and will allow the plant to produce an additional 40,000 Highlanders annually, according to Toyota.

“The Highlander has been a great vehicle for our plant and we are excited to deliver even more of them to our loyal customers,” said Millie Marshall, president of Toyota Indiana.  “This is a true testament to our team members and their dedication to producing quality vehicles.”

The Indiana plant first began producing Highlanders in 2013. Last year, the Indiana plant produced over 400,000 vehicles, the highest in its 20 years of operation. The Highlander was also awarded the 2017 Top Safety Pick+ award by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, recognizing its good crash protection across the board.