LITTLE ROCK, Ark—The Hino Motors Manufacturing plant in Marion will remain open with a reduced workforce, even though the Toyota truck plant it supplies is to shut down for three months, economic officials said Wednesday.

The $225 million plant began production in October 2006 of axle assemblies and suspension components for the Toyota Tundra.

Toyota Motor Corp. officials are suspending production of the truck at the company’s plant in San Antonio, a factory that Arkansas officials tried to get for the Marion site. Hino is a Toyota subsidiary.

Scott Hardin, spokesman for the Arkansas Economic Development Commission said Wednesday the agency anticipates there will be a temporary reduction in workforce at the plant, which employs 600 people.

“No one has said they’re shutting down the plant for three months. It’s our understanding that it’s a reduction in workforce for a temporary period,” Hardin said. He said the state is waiting to learn details of any reduction.

Marion economic development director Kay Brockwell said Hino officials told her the east Arkansas facility will remain open. She said Wednesday the company has not disclosed whether production will continue.

“They haven’t said what impact it will have on production,” Brockwell said.

Wednesday, she said Hino executives had assured city officials that the plant would not close. “I have no reason to doubt that,” Brockwell said.

Presently, the plant is in a previously planned shutdown from July 11-22.

“They did the same thing last year,” Brockwell said.

Tundra sales fell 54 percent in June compared with last year.

“It is a market situation and we hope the market improves,” Hardin said. “Hino has made a very large investment in eastern Arkansas. I’m sure they will do everything they can to protect that investment.”

Officials from Hino didn’t return calls for comment.

Toyota is suspending production of the Tundra pickup in San Antonio and the Sequoia sport utility vehicle at its Princeton, Ind., plant for three months starting Aug. 8. Next spring, it will stop producing Tundras in Princeton and will consolidate all truck production in San Antonio. The company cited declining demand that accompanied the sharp rise in fuel prices.