Toyota!

Yesterday we attended a guided tour of a manufacturing plant owned by Toyota Motor Corp. It was very insightful and I learned a lot of company information from the tour guide. She discussed the Toyota Production System (TPS) that is implemented, and apparently has been somewhat copied by the Big 3 in the U.S. It is a very efficient model of mass production that focuses on time and quality. We actually got to walk through the plant on a catwalk while the employees were working. Sadly we were not allowed to take pictures inside the plant, because it was impressive how the employees worked with robots that were programmed to bring them materials needed to perform their job on the line. The robots were also used to administer the adhesive on the front and rear windsheilds because the had the ability to be very percise and consistent. Even before we went to the plant, I noticed that MANY vehicles being driven are Toyota. It was similar to seeing a car made by General Motors in Michigan. And it is obvious that the vehicles that they produce here are small and not only fuel efficent, but they are perfect for the city driving that these cars are used for.