AkzoNobel Car Refinishes Americas and Toyota Motor Sales USA
combined resources surrounding process improvement methods
for collision repair operations to create the Toyota
Production System for Collision (TPS-C), which aims to
enhance service to Toyota and Lexus customers.
The endeavor weaves the Process Centered Environment™
methodology, launched by AkzoNobel in 2008, and the
experiences of Toyota’s Production System, into a cohesive
design. Preliminary training began in August at the Toyota
Certified Collision Centers National Performance Group
Meeting in San Antonio, Texas.
The program was introduced to approximately 100 Toyota
Collision Center personnel. Fifteen pilot locations have
been selected. Led by AkzoNobel, they will go through a
series of classes and onsite process improvement activities
beginning in November 2010. At full implementation, the
TPS-C initiative will deliver training and consulting
services to all Toyota and Lexus Certified Collision Centers
to ensure uniform practices.
“It is difficult to pickup any publication today without
seeing an article as to how Lean, Six Sigma or Theory of
Constraints is being employed in collision repair,” noted
Roger Foss, National Field Support Manager, for Toyota Motor
Sales USA. “Each of these concepts has their merits; but,
they are just that, concepts. The TPS-C program is unique in
that we have transformed concepts into real world actions
and tools resulting in a clearly defined methodology
specifically for collision repair. We have decided that as a
long standing business partner, AkzoNobel had the resources
to help us implement our shared vision of process
improvement.”
“Tomorrow’s Answers Today is the promise AkzoNobel makes to
the markets that we serve,” said AB Ghosh, General Manager
for AkzoNobel Car Refinishes Americas. “Toyota’s success in
the automobile business in part can be attributed to TPS,
The Toyota Production System. We are delighted to be a part
of this relationship which delivers the benefits of TPS-C to
the Toyota Certified Collision Centers“
For more information visit
www.carrefinishes.com.
