Toyota’s
lean manufacturing guru Akinori Hyodo continues his Australiasian seminar tour today,
following lectures at Jason Windows in Perth and Qantas at Tullamarine.
As reported earlier by Manufacturers’ Monthly, Hyodo is visiting Australia and New
Zealand to share his expertise in the Toyota Production System, which aims to
minimise waste.
Fairfax,
who attended the Qantas lecture – along with companies including Qantas,
BlueScope Steel and Albury Wodonga Health – reports that TPS is a simple
philosophy. It is based on the principles of “jidoka” (stopping a production
line if there is a problem) and Just In Time (producing exactly what is needed,
when it is needed).
“TPS (Toyota Production System) is currently the best
available methodology for problem-solving and improving the capability of a
company,” Hyodo told Fairfax.
He said that TPS had to be fully embraced by management to be worth adopting.
“It’s important for the company to create an
environment where they can get the most out of their people. It’s really
important that there’s will from the top of the company to have that be the
case. The top has to be one that initiates the action,” he added.
The
expert, who has been at the world’s biggest car manufacturer since 1973, said
that benefits from lean manufacturing could be realised by companies other than
manufacturers, and that local businesses had a lot of improvements to make in
increasing their efficiency.
Hyodo is presenting over two days in Brisbane at the Australian Industry Group offices,
starting today, before holding a seminar in Auckland on February 26-27.
His Australian Lean Leadership Master Classes visit has been funded by the
Department of Industry’s Entrepreneurs Infrastructure Programme and hosted by Shinka Management.
Image: http://simplylean.co.nz