Enhancing Assurance: Toyota's Kaizen Philosophy Extends to Its Supply Chain
In a bid to improve productivity and work environments, Toyota has been collaborating with its Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers since 2015. One such Tier 2 supplier, Umemura Industry Co., Ltd., has significantly benefited from these collaborative efforts, as demonstrated by the transformation of their Fujioka Plant.
Before the collaborative improvements, the Fujioka Plant laid heavy carpet rolls flat upon receiving them, a physically taxing and risky task for employees. However, Toyota's initiatives have led to significant changes.
A bespoke cart was built to lift rolls of material, requiring about a quarter of the force required for conventional methods. This cart, a product of Umemura Industry's collaboration with Toyota, is equipped with a karakuri mechanism that combines gears and shafts, unlike conventional carts with sensors and control devices. The new cart also features bars to prevent the roll from tipping forward, making it safer to move into a storage lane.
The task of lifting the roll upright did not exist before the collaborative effort. The Fujioka Plant now manufactures carpets through a process where the heavy rolls, varying from model to model, are hoisted back upright, loaded onto the new cart, and transferred to a storage area with lanes sorted by type.
Moreover, the collaborative activities led Umemura to keep the rolls upright from truck to pallet, a practice that had not been considered before due to lack of suitable pallets. This change has resulted in a more efficient production process, as Umemura's workers no longer have to worry about rolls or themselves falling over.
The collaborative effort has also led to Umemura shifting to cutting only necessary pieces from the material rolls, reducing storage space by 36%. The video below shows how the task was performed before and after the improvement at Umemura's Fujioka Plant, offering a clear demonstration of the improvements made.
Toyota's collaborative approach with suppliers fosters an environment of shared growth, improved productivity, and better working conditions. By adopting Toyota’s production philosophies, such as just-in-time manufacturing and continuous improvement (kaizen), Tier 2 suppliers can optimize their processes, reduce waste, and increase efficiency.
Toyota emphasizes designing workplaces that prioritize safety, sustainability, harmony with nature, and team member well-being. This approach, cascading through the supply chain, encourages Tier 2 companies to enhance their facilities and working conditions accordingly.
Toyota’s Group Collaborative Activities create a culture of mutual gratitude and support, where information, innovative technologies, and management practices are shared across tiers. This collaboration allows companies like Umemura to leverage Toyota’s expertise and global production system to strengthen their operations.
Under the “Toyota Group Vision,” the entire supplier network, including Tier 2 firms like Umemura, is encouraged to work cohesively toward making better products and ensuring future relevance. This vision supports a long-term partnership approach, encouraging suppliers to innovate and improve continuously alongside Toyota.
Thus, Toyota’s collaborative approach with suppliers fosters an environment of shared growth, improved productivity, and better working conditions, enabling Tier 2 companies such as Umemura Industry Co., Ltd. to thrive within the Toyota supply chain ecosystem.
The Fujioka Plant, following Toyota's collaborative initiatives, has introduced a new cart that utilizes a traditional mechanism to lift heavy carpet rolls, reducing the physical effort required and increasing safety. This innovative solution, a result of the collaboration between Toyota and Umemura Industry, has eliminated the need to lay the rolls flat, thereby revolutionizing the carpet manufacturing process.
Moreover, the partnership with Toyota has led Umemura to adopt practices like keeping the rolls upright from truck to pallet, a change that has enhanced the overall efficiency of the production process by preventing rolls from falling over. This collaboration has been instrumental in Umemura's efforts to optimize their processes, reduce waste, and increase efficiency, all while fostering a culture of shared growth, improved productivity, and better working conditions.
