Eiji Toyoda , a member of the founding family of Toyota Motor Corporation ( TMC ) and the architect of the " lean manufacturing " , died yesterday in Toyota City , Japan , at the age of 100 years . Toyota president or boss longest in the history of # 1 world carmaker , according to a company statement , dies at Toyota Mermorial Hospital of heart failure .
69 -year career
During 69 years of working at Toyota , Eiji was instrumental made Toyota what it is and the Japanese industry as a whole . He stepped down from his position as President of TMC in 1994 . Gait in fact , bringing Corolla assembled Serilkat America and founded the Lexus luxury brand to compete with Mercedes - Benz and BMW . No less phenomenal , he is also the originator of the most successful hybrid car in the world , the Prius .
" He plays a very important lead to the expansion of Toyota North America and make the car manufacturer as a global company , " said Chairman of the Cabinet Sekretriat Japan , Suga Yoshide , at a press conference in Tokyo. " He's a much needed nation for the entire industry . "
Eiji is a cousin of Kiichiro Toyoda , founder of Toyota . He is one of the six presidents who came from the Toyoda family .
Mass Production
TMC became president in 1967 and followed for 15 years or longer . In 1982 , Toyota Motor and Toyota Motor Sales Co. , merged into Toyota Motor Corporation . EijiToyoda directly to Chairman and shook it until 1992 . He earned honorary chairman of the company after stepping down and still get a job as an honorary advisor .
During kemimpinannya , Toyota set up about 10 new plants and to export its products to various countries . Also developed a system called " just-in -time " which was then widely adopted by automotive and non - automotive .
Eiji is a historic product of Toyota Corolla is the " best selling " of all time . He also stresses the importance of the concept of factory applied philosophy of " kaizen " or continuous development and " jidoka " or the use of a machine that could stop the product when an error occurs on the production ( defects ) .
Another greatest achievement , utilizing expertise Toyota outside of Japan . Including the establishment of Toyota in the United States ( U.S. ) in 1983 . For this , Eiji utilizing New United Motor Manufacturing Inc. . Together with General Motors in 1984 in Fremont , California . Because success , concluded , Toyota factory concept can be applied to different cultures . That factor is what makes Toyota brave established its own factory in Kentucky , Canada , Britain and France .
challenging BMW
He also began developing a Lexus as a luxury product in 1983 . The first Lexus sold in the United Amerika is the LS400 in 1989 .
After stepping down from all executive positions , Eiji Toyoda continued to come to the office to share an idea with its successor , including the idea of establishing a museum Toyota .
Eiji is the second Japanese man who received the Automobile Hall of Fame , United States in 1994 , after Soichiro Honda , founder of Honda .
" As a member of the auto industry , this is the most memorable moment for me , " he said when the degree was awarded . " Since Toyota developed pada1937 , I 've been in this great business . During that got me into the machine and kept me alive . I will continue to fight as much as possible to develop more advanced industries , " he said at the time.
nagoya
At the initial stage of the method , Eiji is capable of running a plant that uses components from GM at a cost much cheaper. Toyoda pushed his company learned from Ford and GM for mass production .
Based on his autobiography , Eiji Toyoda was born on 12 September 1913 near Nagoya , is the second son of Heikichi and Nao . He grew up in the city , in the weaving mills and schooled him early to go into engineering and business .
Graduated from Tokyo University in the field of mechanical engineering in 1936 and participated in Automotic Toyoda Loom Works Ltd. , a company of his uncle , Sakichi Toyoda , the founder . Findings , weaving machine will stop automatically when there is a part of the production network traffic.
At the same time , Sakichi 's son , Kiichiro Toyoda division lead car of Automotic Loom Works . In 1937 , Toyota Motor founder Kiichiro bring younger cousin 's .
At age 20 , began working as a factory foreman before being promoted to director of product planning . After that , he gained the freedom to pursue their interests , making cars and helped develop the company's headquarters in Toyota City . He became director in 1945 .
World War 2
Toyota and Ford have discussions to work together to make the car in the United States until the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 . Once the Pacific war broke out , relations between the two companies broke . Talks resumed after the Second War ended Dunai , but no sustainability.
In 1950 , U.S. troops in Japan , Toyoda sent to Dearborn , Michigan . The goal , study the way of mass production Ford . This is done because the U.S. army requires Toyota to make trucks for troops in Korea.
Eiji conclude , Ford is not more powerful than Toyota , especially for technology . Back in Japan , he concentrated making highly efficient small cars . According to Kazuo WADA , an economist in Tokyo University Professor title in his book " A Fable on Manufacturing : Ford to Toyota " , to reduce the cost of production , Eiji choose to use the machine ( computer ) IBM. .
Together with his cousin , Eiji also developed a method called the " Toyota Production System " . The goal , to reduce costs due to inventory components . This method proved successful and was adopted by many other car manufacturers .
Eiji had three sons and a daughter with his wife , Kazuko . Reportedly , the funeral ( not known whether the cremated ) only for immediate family members .
