The term Lean in the manufacturing environment also refers to the Toyota Production system established by the Toyota Corporation. Within the organization, four prominent gentlemen are credited with developing the system: Sakichi Toyoda, who founded the Toyoda Group in 1902; Kiichiro Toyoda, son of Sakichi Toyoda, who headed the automobile manufacturing operation between 1936 and 1950; Eiji Toyoda, Managing Director between 1950 and 1981 and Chairman between 1981 and 1994; and Taiichi Ohno, the Father of the Kanban System.
Sakichi Toyoda invented a power loom in 1902 and in 1926 an automatic loom capable of detecting a snapped thread that automatically stopped the loom thus preventing production of poor quality. That same year, 1926, he founded the Toyoda Automatic Loom Works that manufactured automatic looms. In 1937, Sakichi sold his automatic loom patents to a company in England to finance an automobile manufacturing operation with his son Kiichiro managing the new venture. At the same time in Yokohama, Japan, the Ford Motor Company was building Model A cars and trucks with mixed models in a plant converted over from the Model T. At this time, Ford was the largest manufacturer of automobiles in Japan with General Motors as the second largest manufacturer, together producing over 90% of the vehicles manufactured in Japan. The new automotive venture for the Toyoda Group was risky.
Kiichiro Toyoda, the son of Sakichi, who possessed a greater interest in engines and automobiles then textiles and loom production, convinced his father to establish an automotive operation in 1936. As managing director of the new operation, Kiichiro traveled to the Ford Motor Company in Detroit for a year of studying the American automotive industry. Kiichiro returned to Japan with a strong knowledge of the Ford production system determined to adapt the system to smaller production quantities. In addition to the smaller production quantities, Kiichiro's system provided for different processes in the assembly sequence of production, the logistics of material simultaneous to production consumption, and a supplier network capable of supplying component material as required. The system was referred to as Just-in-Time within the Toyoda Group.
Eiji Toyoda, a nephew of Sakichi Toyoda, joined the Toyoda Automatic Loom Works family business after graduating from the University of Tokyo in 1936. In 1950, Eiji was named Managing Director of the Toyoda Automotive Works when the Japanese government forced Kiichiro Toyoda into reorganizing the Toyoda Group. The forced reorganization separated the family businesses and resulted in the resignation of Kiichiro and his entire staff. In the first year as Managing Director, Eiji traveled to the United States to study the American automotive industry and report on American manufacturing methods. After touring the Ford Motor Company operations, Eiji returned to Japan with a desire to redesign the Toyoda Automotive Works plants. An important process learned during the trip was the Ford Motor Company suggestion system. Eiji instituted the concept and it is considered to be one of the major building blocks of the Toyota Production System of continuous improvement (Kaizen).
Taiichi Ohno, considered to be the creator of the Toyota Production System and the Father of the Kanban System, joined the Toyoda Automatic Loom Works after graduating from Nogoya Technical High School in 1932. Early in his career, he expanded upon the JIT concepts developed by Kiichito Toyoda to reduce waste, and started experimenting with and developing methodologies to produce needed components and subassemblies in a timely manner to support final assembly. During the chaos of World War II, the Loom Works was converted into a Motors Works and Taiichi Ohno made the transition to car and truck parts production. The war resulted in the leveling of all Toyoda Group Works production facilities, but under the management of Eiji Toyoda, the plants were gradually rebuilt and Taiichi Ohno played a major role in establishing the JIT principles and methodologies developed in the Loom manufacturing processes.
Sakichi Toyoda invented a power loom in 1902 and in 1926 an automatic loom capable of detecting a snapped thread that automatically stopped the loom thus preventing production of poor quality. That same year, 1926, he founded the Toyoda Automatic Loom Works that manufactured automatic looms. In 1937, Sakichi sold his automatic loom patents to a company in England to finance an automobile manufacturing operation with his son Kiichiro managing the new venture. At the same time in Yokohama, Japan, the Ford Motor Company was building Model A cars and trucks with mixed models in a plant converted over from the Model T. At this time, Ford was the largest manufacturer of automobiles in Japan with General Motors as the second largest manufacturer, together producing over 90% of the vehicles manufactured in Japan. The new automotive venture for the Toyoda Group was risky.
Kiichiro Toyoda, the son of Sakichi, who possessed a greater interest in engines and automobiles then textiles and loom production, convinced his father to establish an automotive operation in 1936. As managing director of the new operation, Kiichiro traveled to the Ford Motor Company in Detroit for a year of studying the American automotive industry. Kiichiro returned to Japan with a strong knowledge of the Ford production system determined to adapt the system to smaller production quantities. In addition to the smaller production quantities, Kiichiro's system provided for different processes in the assembly sequence of production, the logistics of material simultaneous to production consumption, and a supplier network capable of supplying component material as required. The system was referred to as Just-in-Time within the Toyoda Group.
Eiji Toyoda, a nephew of Sakichi Toyoda, joined the Toyoda Automatic Loom Works family business after graduating from the University of Tokyo in 1936. In 1950, Eiji was named Managing Director of the Toyoda Automotive Works when the Japanese government forced Kiichiro Toyoda into reorganizing the Toyoda Group. The forced reorganization separated the family businesses and resulted in the resignation of Kiichiro and his entire staff. In the first year as Managing Director, Eiji traveled to the United States to study the American automotive industry and report on American manufacturing methods. After touring the Ford Motor Company operations, Eiji returned to Japan with a desire to redesign the Toyoda Automotive Works plants. An important process learned during the trip was the Ford Motor Company suggestion system. Eiji instituted the concept and it is considered to be one of the major building blocks of the Toyota Production System of continuous improvement (Kaizen).
Taiichi Ohno, considered to be the creator of the Toyota Production System and the Father of the Kanban System, joined the Toyoda Automatic Loom Works after graduating from Nogoya Technical High School in 1932. Early in his career, he expanded upon the JIT concepts developed by Kiichito Toyoda to reduce waste, and started experimenting with and developing methodologies to produce needed components and subassemblies in a timely manner to support final assembly. During the chaos of World War II, the Loom Works was converted into a Motors Works and Taiichi Ohno made the transition to car and truck parts production. The war resulted in the leveling of all Toyoda Group Works production facilities, but under the management of Eiji Toyoda, the plants were gradually rebuilt and Taiichi Ohno played a major role in establishing the JIT principles and methodologies developed in the Loom manufacturing processes.
