Quality Improvement Through

Team Member Engagement

Mike Clark
 Toyota’s North American Presence

TTC

TMMI
TMMWV
TMS BODINE
TMMK
TABC
BODINE
CALTY

TTC AZ TMMMS TMMAL

TMMBC

TMMTX
 Plant Facts
• Established in 2001
• 1,400 team members
• 4 expansions
• 1.1M Sq. Ft.
• $970 million investment
• Only Toyota plant to build 4-cylinder,
V6 and V8 engines
• Supplies engines for 1/3 of U.S.
 Products
TMMAL builds engines for 5 of Avalon/Avalon Hybrid Camry
the 10 Toyota vehicles built in
North America

Lexus RX 350 Tundra

Corolla Highlander

Sienna Tacoma
RAV4
Sequoia
 TMMAL’s Customers
CAPTIN TMMAL produces engines for 4 of Toyota’s 6
assembly plants.

TMMC 2

TMMC

TMMI TMMWV
TMMK
TABC
TMMAL
TMMMS
TMMBC TMMTX
Engine Production
149,295
V8 | 5.7L & 4.6L

266,210
V6 | 3.5L

269,775
4cyl | 2.5L & 2.7L

2017 Production: ~700,000 Engines

~ 2,800 per day
 Diverse Workforce
1,400 Team Members Strong

• 18 counties
• 32 U.S. states
• 14 countries
• 20 languages
• 27% minority
• 22% female
Improving Quality Through Team Members
 Creating a Kaizen Culture

Respect
Respect for
People Teamwork

Challenge
Continuous
Improvement Kaizen
Genchi Genbutsu
 Creating a Kaizen Culture
Respect:
Respect others, make every effort to
understand each other, take responsibility
Respect and do our best to build mutual trust.
for People
Teamwork :
Support personal and professional growth,
share development opportunities to
maximize individual and team performance.
 Creating a Kaizen Culture
Challenge:
Form a vision and meet challenges with
courage and creativity to realize our dreams.

Continuous Kaizen:
Improvement Improve business operations continuously,
always striving for innovation and evolution.

Genchi Genbutsu:
Go to the source and find facts to make correct
decisions, build consensus and achieve goals.
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 Improving Quality Through Team Members

A highly engaged workforce =

POSITIVE OUTCOMES!
Improving Quality Through Team Members

1. Development
2. Empowerment
3. Two-Way Communication
4. Recognition
 1. Development
A) Quality Circle
B) Jishuken / Kaizen Blitz
A) B)
 A1. Toyota’s QC circle activities

QC circles conduct activities to seek creative ideas to do the work more safely, easily
(happily), quickly and accurately, and to find solutions to familiar issues, by gathering the
wisdom of members.

Through QC circle activities,

“Personal growth of members” &
“Communication among members”
becomes visible.

TM / TL Led, with GL as advisor

No set timeframe (average circle is
3 – 6 months)

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 A2. What are the benefits obtained from QC circle activities?

In QC circle activities,
all the members join
forces to achieve the
circle’s goal.
Major benefits
obtained through the
activities’ processes
are as follows:

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 A3. What are the benefits and joys of QC circle activities?

By finding solutions to familiar problems, you can feel your personal growth and
make your work easier to do.

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 A3. What are the benefits and joys of QC circle activities?
By finding solutions to familiar problems, you can feel your personal growth and
make your work easier to do.

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 A4. What are the Toyota QC circle steps?

“Toyota QC circle steps (problem-solving steps)” are the steps necessary

to be taken to solve problems rationally, efficiently and effectively. Anyone
or any circle can find reasonable/scientific solutions to any difficult
problems just by following these steps as the standard tactics.

Processes for problem-solving

What is a QC story? Enhancing the effects
Processes for
summary/presentation

If a presentation is prepared according to this scenario, you can

communicate the results of the activities clearly and effectively in the
presentation.

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 A4. What are the Toyota's QC circle steps ?
The Toyota's QC circle steps are
the problem-solving steps that lead
to realization of the Toyota Way. In
other words, they lead to the
development of human resources
capable of solving problems
autonomously (*Our Attitude)
It is important to ensure that the
main messages and key points of
the activities are clarified in the
story.

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 B. Jishuken / Kaizen Blitz

1 Week activity to identify & solve Safety, Quality, or Productivity concern(s).

GL/TL led with TM’s from all areas supporting.
All countermeasures usually aren’t 100% implemented at end of week so handover
to area GL occurs with CM follow up matrix attached.
Quick Assessment &
Data Gather

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 2. Empowerment
STOP. CALL. WAIT.
Every process has yellow and red cords so
each TM can call for support if a concern TM pull cords
arises
When the cord is pulled the andon board
will light up yellow or red for the process
that the cord was pulled
TL or GL will go to station to support
 3. Two-Way Communication

• Round Table
• Company-Wide Meeting
• Open Door Policy
 4. Recognition
QC Circle:
2 cycles
Japan (team travels to Japan to report out circle)
North American (team travels to regional area to
report out circle). Last 2 cycles were at Charlotte
Motor Speedway
 4. Recognition

Quality Culture Awards

(Monthly Activity)
• Recognize Contributions
• Recognize Team Member Honesty
• Visual Demonstration of manager support
Thank you!