We did our little bit of summer schedule school work this morning and the kids did their cleaning chores and got themselves ready while Brock worked his morning schedule. We ate a quick and easy lunch and scooted out the door to the factory which is only about 10 minutes drive from our campground.
We got to the visitor's center and checked in, showing our ID's in order to be cleared for the tour. We lucked out because another group hadn't brought all their reserved people and so we didn't even have to squeeze into the seats. We would be able to sit 2 to a seat just like everyone else. We looked around at the cars in the showroom and the brochures for other Toyota vehicles that aren't manufactured at the Kentucky facility until the tour was called.
A large group of people, including us, made our way into "Camry Hall" to watch a short video about Toyota company. After that we were given our headphones and divided into three groups, matched up with three different tour guides and drivers and made our way into the production area where our tram awaited. We put on our safety goggles and were driven all around the huge facility.
We got to see the beginning, where the huge rolls of steel sit that will get stamped into the different parts of the bodies of Camrys, Avalons, or Venzas. Our guide, Audrey, narrated all along the different parts of the production line. It was very cool to see all the robotic parts of the line assisting the humans. It is really amazing to think how well everything has to work together. Each task on the line has an average of 54 seconds to be completed and that being done, they crank out about 2000 cars a day. We got to follow the process all the way up through shiny, completed cars rolling off the line. It is a very busy place with forklifts and trams and bicycles and people traveling all over in their own lanes marked on the floor. There were even little unmanned vehicles that drove carts around working on some sort of magnet system with an electronic eye to avoid collisions. A couple of the little robot "vehicles" played what sounded like ice cream truck music.
They talked about how quality and safety are their key values. Every team member has the ability to stop the line if there is any problem needing attention. They emphasized a value of constant improvement and showcased at least two different major modifications that had been made to the production line as a result of employee suggestions. It was impressive that they were committed to putting nothing into the solid waste landfill and a strong recycling program. They were pretty self sustaining with onsite subsidized child care for their employees, doctors offices if employees were to need medical attention during their shift, pharmacy, post office, 6 different cafeterias, etc.
We weren't allowed to take any pictures inside the plant, but the Toyota website has some virtual tours on it that look much like what we saw today. If you plan to go on a tour in person, be sure to make reservations in advance.
We came back to the trailer and Brock finished his work day. Here's where it becomes the beautiful and stormy part. The skies went from fairly clear and sunny with really high humidity to building clouds on one side of us to building clouds on two sides to finally being surrounded by billowing thunderheads. It became a pretty active thunderstorm, with lots of lightning and thunder tonight, and some short downpours, but nothing serious. BUT the sunset was so beautiful...
No comments:
Post a Comment