Got the Tour

Was in San Antonio for work, and took a ride down to the Factory. As luck would have it, I arrived just in time to get a tour of the factory.
Overall an interesting experience, my first tour of a modern auto manufacturing plant. A few takeaways.
- Orientation video presentation was dated (2005-5006), all vehicles including the lead/tour truck were last Gen Tundra and 2 generation old Tacomas. Not a drop of info on future models or innovations. No real displays in the 'learning center' no brochures, or future development glam, brochures, etc. It was pretty spartan in that regard.
- Tour of the factory is by seated trolley that takes you around the factory floor, mostly focused on final assembly and a brief look at the body stamping and plastic injection mold areas. Engines arrive about 80% complete from their plants in Alabama and Arkansas.
- Very clean and orderly system, lots of happy faces and a real interesting process that includes conveyors, human trolleys and robot shuttles moving parts all around the factory with an 'on time' process that only keeps what is needed for a 2 hour block of time ready at hand. Seemed very efficient.
- Was interesting to see Tacomas and Tundras of all manner of color and configuration rolling on the lines, and amazed to see how all the needed parts were on carts or cradles and synced perfectly. Only saw one PRO model Tacoma and Tundra while on the tour, and I really liked seeing the chassis frame and suspension assembled sans body. Also saw how they attach the cab & bed to the frame. Both are lowered at the same time and with a healthy clunk perfectly placed. Process is so precise they are able to do it with the bumpers ALREADY bolted to the frame. Body and bed drop right in as a unit.... Very impressive.
- According to the tour guides a new Truck rolls off the line every 60 seconds, and the plant is open 5 days a week running on two 8-9 hour shifts, with maintenance and checks in between. Plant shuts down 2X a year for model year changes, and upgrades.
-Most interesting fact for me was Toyota does not build and store/hold onsight, then sell, they only build what is already committed/sold, and every truck is shipped to its destination within 24 hours of rolling off the line. Of course dealer networks have set patters of what they buy, and how they configure vehicles largely for their market, but I found it intriguing that Toyota builds to order, pre-sold, not builds and tries to sell. To me this makes ordering the Exact truck you want possible if you can get with a dealer before their ordering cycle. This is likely why we dont find a ton of left over Tundras on dealers lots (like Chevy Ford, etc). At least that is what they are claiming. There is a second Tacoma plant in California to meet demand.
Tour lasts a bit over an hour, and was interesting, but NOT worth a major diversion or intentional trip. You are supposed to make a reservation before arriving, but they had nothing all week when I called, but decided a walk on was worth the attempt. Worked out for me. What didn't was getting to the airport only to discover my flight (737-800M) was cancelled. Now courtesy of American Airlines I get to spend the night at the Hilton and fly home tomorrow.

 

Interesting, well written "report." Thanks for sharing

 

Be curious to find out when that ordering cycle window is.

 

Very cool! Toyota's logistical strategy is called "just-in-time delivery", and it's why you don't see big $15k discounts on their vehicles. They build what is already ordered/sold (for the most part), so the price stays fairly stable. Toyota dealers obviously have some room to work, but not nearly as much as other manufacturers. Many other manufacturers just keep building, and that's why you see GM and FCA offering such huge discounts on their vehicles.