As a manufacturer of trucks, forklifts and stackers, Toyota must be flexible to cope with an ever-changing landscape and meet diverse customer needs. Toyota’s two factories in Mjölby strive constantly to deliver custom, faster, more sustainable, and safer solutions for employees and customers alike – and with no compromise on quality. One recent initiative was to purchase and install sixteen lift tables from VPG.
Continuous Improvement is Key
Toyota were moving a production line from one factory to the other to reduce transportation. They took the opportunity to improve working conditions and increase product quality by installing new lift tables.
“We use the lift tables to lift trucks easily to the correct working height. We work with trucks in various shapes, sizes and weights. The lift tables have to accommodate the different types of trucks without compromising the physical well-being of our workers,” says Jens Adell, Product Technician at Toyota. Kenneth Österhult, Operational Tactical Buyer at Toyota, adds that safety and ergonomics have always been top priorities at Toyota.
The process of manufacturing in Mjölby is identical with all Toyota facilities globally. Every single deviation is recorded and immediately followed up as the key to finding smarter, safer, more cost-effective, and sustainable solutions. It is a difficult task, but vital to ensure the best possible quality for Toyota’s products.
Meeting Customer Needs
Around 20% of Toyota’s customers have custom needs ranging from a different set of headlights to something more significant like extended forks. To meet these very diverse needs, Toyota requires an efficient way for workers to assemble, disassemble and inspect everything from components to the final product safely and ergonomically.
This means the lift tables have quickly become an integral part of the production line. They complement the overhead cranes and other production tools and systems very well and help to ensure efficient and safe assembly.
“To maintain our position as a market leader, we always have to be looking for ways to reinvent ourselves and improve our production lines and processes,” says Kenneth.
High Demand and Looking Ahead
Despite improved efficiency in manufacturing, Toyota is struggling to keep up with market demand. Sales are extremely healthy across all segments.
“Demand for our products is extremely high, almost unbelievable. We are at the top of the sales charts for both smaller and larger trucks every month. The real bottlenecks are acquiring the materials we need for the trucks and hiring more staff. We used to sell trucks, period. Today we sell a concept, a whole system, with more and more automation and driverless trucks. We are leading this paradigm shift, which is something we are very proud of. VPG has provided us with a solution that goes far beyond the lift tables themselves, and makes production a lot more efficient and safer at the same time,” concludes Kenneth.
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