Toyota Way Fieldbook : A Practical Guide for Implementing Toyota's 4Ps

that still has significant family influence. More important, they appreciated
Metalsa’s emphasis on creating a positive work culture with only the best people.
Hiring is a core activity for Metalsa and includes intense screening, including
visiting the homes of prospective employees to see them in their family environ-
ment. Metalsa invests heavily in training its people and considers their quality
its principal competitive advantage.
A team of supplier engineers from Toyota visiting the Metalsa plant were
given their usual preview of frames and other products in the lobby showcase.
What made it unusual was that its executives could not get the Toyota engineers
out of the lobby. They pored over each and every weld, intently discussing the
quality of the welds and the design of the chassis. It was apparent that there was
something different about Toyota as a customer. Metalsa got major business

276 THETOYOTAWAYFIELDBOOK

Table 12-1. Key Elements in Supplier Partnering

Partnering Characteristic Key Elements

Kaizen & learning

Shared lessons

PDCA

Annual cost reduction

Joint improvement

activities

VA/VE

Supplier development

Study groups

Information sharing

Accurate data collection and dissemination

Common language

Timely communications

Compatible capabilities

Engineering excellence

Operational excellence

Problem-solving skills

Control systems

Measurement systems

Feedback

Target pricing

Cost management models

Interlocking structures

Alliance structure

Interdependent processes

Parallel sourcing

Mutual understanding

Trust

Commitment to coprosperity

Respect for each other’s capability

Genchi genbutsu (actual part, actual place)