Gulf States Toyota hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony Friday to celebrate the expansion of its Parts Distribution Center in Sealy.

The $11 million project will create 13 direct and 17 indirect local jobs and is the backbone to the distributor’s Service Level Improvement Project, which provides parts to 158 Toyota dealerships throughout the Gulf States (Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas).

Jeff Parent, president and general manager of Gulf States Toyota, and Manuel Sanchez, director, Parts Distribution Center, Gulf States Toyota, were joined by employees, local dignitaries and members of the Sealy Chamber of Commerce to mark the occasion.

The project has increased the size of the facility by 40 percent to 426,000 square feet, enabling Gulf States Toyota to better serve dealers with an increased order window. Dealerships will be able to order parts until 4 p.m. CT and receive those units the next morning, allowing them to better serve their customers and meet increasing demand.