The shift, announced Monday, is part of a strategy to consolidate corporate management on one campus near the company’s Southern manufacturing hubs. It marks the second high-profile move of a major automaker from Southern California. Nissan moved its U.S. headquarters from Gardena to a Nashville suburb in 2006.

Some observers and California officials seized on the announcement to criticize what they said is California’s business climate for high taxes and onerous regulations. But Toyota officials said the move to a Dallas suburb had nothing to do with cost-cutting and everything to do with fostering efficiency and collaboration.

“This is the most significant change we’ve made to our North American operations in the past 50 years,” said Jim Lentz, chief executive of Toyota’s North America region.

Toyota’s announcement Monday surprised its workers.

“There’s a lot of shock,” said one employee, who declined to give his name. “They did a good job of keeping it secret…. My boss, a national manager, didn’t even know.”

A Southern California native and 23-year Toyota veteran, he was unsure whether he would move to Texas.

“People aren’t angry,” he said. “It’s just a lot of sadness.”

California officials were similarly taken off guard.

Toyota executives waited until Friday to tell Gov. Jerry Brown‘s administration of the planned exit, said Brook Taylor, deputy director of the governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development. He declined to answer further questions on Toyota’s departure.

Don Knabe, the Los Angeles County supervisor from the 4th District, which includes Torrance, said he first learned that Toyota might move over the weekend from rumors circulating on Facebook and Twitter. He emailed contacts at Toyota but said no one responded.

“I am very shocked,” Knabe said. “Toyota is such a great corporate citizen.”

He said state and local officials should conduct an “exit interview” with Toyota, to ask how California can better avoid “being a target for every other state.”