Paul A. Eisenstein, editor of automotive news site the Detroit Bureau, said Mr. Toyoda took over Toyota when it was a struggling Japanese brand in the 1950s and, within three decades, brought in assembly-line techniques and quality-control standards that became the industry pacesetter.
noted that Mr. Toyoda’s rules included turning off the company lights at lunchtime to save money and designing offices to take every inch into account for maximum use and cost benefit.As Toyota’s plants expanded outside Japan, Mr. Toyoda rigidly enforced company’s “just-in-time” inventory philosophy that had factories able to shift production models quickly to respond to shifting consumer demands.
In 1999, shortly before he stepped down as chairman, Mr. Toyoda assembled all of the company’s executives to berate them for adopting a more U.S.-style of worrying about the next fiscal quarter than focusing on longer-term goals.“He began when Toyota was all but a joke,” Eisenstein said, “and turned it into a company that had to be taken incredibly seriously.”
Amid this atmosphere, Mr. Toyoda treaded cautiously and cooperatively. Toyota struck a deal with General Motors in 1983 for aWhen Mr. Toyoda came toin 1985 for the groundbreaking of Toyota’s first independent U.S. plant, he opted for forgo the traditional Japanese ceremony of breaking open a cask of sake.
Rest in peace 🙏🏼
I bet he spent a lifetime being angry the company spelled his family name wrong.😬
He really was smart on all fronts except one Letting his spoilt child of a son Akio Toyoda take over the company Akio had no idea about the future of the auto industry. More interested in his own persona Hence, Toyota is losing ground everywhere So glad he has been 'removed'
Smart man, smart company
Kiichiro Toyoda - the founder.
QEPD.