Sunday, September 13, 2009

74 - Roy Vasher, Toyota Supply Chain Mgmt

Episode #74 is a discussion with Roy Vasher, President of RPV Consulting, LLC and is co-author the book Toyota's Supply Chain Management: A Strategic Approach to Toyota's Renowned System.

Roy works closely with a network of consultants to provide lean information technology and supply chain consulting services. Roy developed deep insight and experience on how to integrate Information Technology to support lean processes by serving as General Manager, Information Systems for Toyota Motor Manufacturing North America. He has strong expertise in leading supply chain innovation in a lean supply chain through development of robust processes supported by intelligent use of technology for faultless implementation.

Roy left Ford Motor Company and joined Toyota in 1987 to set up and manage the Information Systems department at Toyota’s first Greenfield North American plant, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky.

In this podcast, we talk about his book and Toyota’s supply chain practices, including the “4Vs”:

* Variety: Determine your variety of offerings based on operational efficiency and market demand
* Velocity: Maintain a steady flow through all processes of the supply chain
* Variability: Manage inconsistencies carefully to reduce cost and improve quality
* Visibility: Ensure the transparency of all processes to enable continuous learning and improvement

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