developed 1948–1975Reputable sourceWell documented
The Toyota Production System
On the timeline · around developed 1948–1975 ·
What happened
In the decades after the Second World War, Toyota's chief of production Taiichi Ohno developed a new way to build cars aimed at the best quality, lowest cost, and shortest lead time by relentlessly eliminating waste. Its two pillars were 'just-in-time' (making only what is needed, when it is needed) and 'jidoka' (building in quality by stopping the line when a defect appears).
Why it matters
The Toyota Production System — the origin of what the West came to call 'lean manufacturing' — let Japanese makers build better cars more cheaply and helped them overtake Detroit. It reshaped manufacturing across virtually every industry.
Sources
- Lean Enterprise Institute. Toyota Production System · Reputable source