Page 79 - Toyota Under Fire

TOYOT A UNDER FIRE

records for safety. In 2004, there had been 19.8 safety incidents
per 200,000 hours worked; for the entire month of February
2009, there was only one safety incident in the entire plant for
more than 200,000 hours of work.
When Toyota shifted production of the Tundra and shut
down one of the assembly lines at TMMI in August 2008, it ex-
pected demand to mostly bounce back by the fall. The recession
ended that hope. By the end of 2008, TMMI’s output was down
48 percent from the year before on an annualized basis. Eight
months after the initial shutdown, in March 2009, the line was
still running at only 60 percent of the previous line speed, leaving
40 percent of the team members available for training and kai-
zen. One hourly employee, a team leader, explained it this way:
The difference between Toyota and the other compa-
nies is that instead of forcing us to go on unemploy-
ment, they are investing in us, allowing us to sharpen
our minds. I don’t think there’s one person out there
who doesn’t realize what an incredible investment Toy-
ota is making.

Walking through the plant in March 2009, it was impossible
to tell that 40 percent of the employees were not building cars. In
every direction, engineers, managers, and hourly team members
were focused and busy. Anyone who was not working on pro-
duction was planning for line speed changes, preparing for the
launch of future models, or working on ways to improve safety,
improve plant operations, cut costs, and improve quality.
One way in which the launch of the new Highlander was ac-
complished at record speed and with record low cost was repur-
posing the equipment from the old Tundra assembly line. In

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