Lean Manufacturing and Toyota Production

Toyota’s Current Production The current distribution of Toyota production faculties are 10 in the United States, 3 in Canada and one in Mexico. Toyota began setting up production facilities back in 1984, when it became partners with General Motors Corp believing it was important to have manufacturing and production facilities on site, to better cater to the needs of the customer in that local market. Since that time sales have sky rocketed and they have production facilities in North America, which have shown to be quite profitable. This philosophy has proven to be successful as production facilities grew from 1 to 13. The first plant in the U.S. was in Fremont, California better known as “Nummi”, built 375,000 automobiles which closed in 2010. Another profitable plant is located in Indiana called “TMMI”, production capacity is about 150,000 vehicles which opened in 1996. Kentucky is another plant worth mentioning, whose production capacity is about 500,000 which opened in 1996. (“Toyota assembly and parts plant, n.d.) and Canada which opened in 1984 was the 3rd plant to open and now operates three plants in which lets them build “500,0000 cars annually” (History and Milestones, n.d.). According to Toyota, “Toyota’s thirteen North American manufacturing plants that make 11 Toyota and Lexus models have earned 11 segment awards out of a possible 19 in the 2008 J.D. power and Associates Vehicle Depandability StudySM (VDS), more than any other manufacturer, for the third consecutive year” (Toyota in North America, n.d.).
Analysis of Toyota’s Production Facilities

Toyota wanted to expand globally, and believed North America would be an ideal location to increase international sales. To accomplish this policy, Toyota believes that each production facility should be in the location it is selling to, rather than having parts assembled overseas. Toyota believed in building automobiles in that locale because it can ensure the car will met the proper