Toyota Motor Corp. is synonymous with lean manufacturing. But, it’s not the only member of the Toyota family to embrace the concept. Forklift manufacturer Toyota Material Handling USA Inc. (TMHU), a division of Toyota Industries Corp., has been practicing and perfecting continuous improvement principles for decades.
The company’s 25-year-old plant in Columbus, IN, officially known as Toyota Industrial Equipment Manufacturing Inc. (TIEM), excels at lean material handling. Sequential delivery is critical to the success of the high-mix production facility, which builds more than 60 varieties of forklifts. Mixed-model assembly lines at the 1 million-square-foot plant are constantly being replenished with parts and components.