Toyota, one of world’s largest automaker did not start the business by making cars. They started with making looms for the textile industry since 1890. The company started with handlooms and then went ahead to make what they got famous for, the power looms / automatic looms. The automatic loom was designed on the principle of Jidoka. The loom would stop when any problem occurred.

Mr. Sakichi Toyoda, the founder of Toyota, sold the patent to a British corporation, which funded the company’s automobile business. Initially, they sold the cars under the Toyoda name, which was later changed to Toyota.  Toyota, a division of Toyoda Automatic Loom Works was started in 1933 under the leadership of Kiichiro Toyoda, the son of Mr. Sakichi Toyoda. It was devoted to the production of cars. Toyoda Automatic Loom Works was encouraged by the Japanese government to develop domestic vehicle production that was needed due to the war with China.

Although the Toyota Group is known for its cars, they are still in the textile business and they still make automatic looms, which are now computerized, and electric sewing machines which are used and available, worldwide.

So Toyota has been using Jidoka even before their automobile business and it has been delivering exceptional results since 1890’s. Are you using Jidoka to improve processes to deliver high-quality products?

Image source: AutoEvolution
Written & Compiled by Faber Mayuri.