The car company in front

RAJU KETKALE, DEPUTY MD, TOYOTA KIRLOSKAR MOTOR (TKM), IS DILIGENTLY FOLLOWING THE SET SYSTEMS AND PROCESSES AND ONE THAT IS GLOBALLY ADMIRED

- SWATI DESHPANDE

THERE’S NOT A SINGLE CAR MAKER THAT HAS not modelled its manufacturing and supply chain management on Toyota’s “lean production” system. Reams have been written about its systems and processes. Much of what is described as the Toyota Production System is now part of everyday business language.

With “just-in-time” delivery came the biggest influx of Japanese vocabulary into English since the importation of judo. Soon factories across the world were using kanban controls—tags to control the flow of parts—and were practising kaizen, the process of continuously seeking small improvements to gain greater efficiency, better ergonomics and higher quality.

In order to stay in the fray, global auto manufacturers are required to regularly launch new products. The competitive nature of the business compels auto companies to indulge in plenty of R&D so as to stand out in the market. Recently, TKM revealed images of the interiors of its youngest urban SUV, the all new Toyota Urban Cruiser. It’s entering the compact SUV segment with this. The Urban Cruiser gets a BS6-compliant, 1.5-litre, petrol engine. The motor develops maximum power of 103bhp and peak torque of 138Nm. The transmission options include 5-speed MT and 4-speed AT. The Urban Cruiser AT is equipped with a smart hybrid system.

Raju Ketkale, deputy MD, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, gets candid about the advancements that the company has made today and tells Manufacturing Today about today’s production process and how the company is dealing with Covid-19 blues.

You have begun production after a gap of almost two months. What are some of the measures you have in place today?