Donger
Convoi Exceptionnel
- Location
- Quedgeley, Glos.
Evening, tea swillers. I'm drinking something a little stronger,myself, as I unwind from a horrible motorway journey to Derby and back earlier today.
Still, it's been a very good day. I've been on one of the "community" factory tours of Toyota's Burnaston plant today. Gotta say it's easily the most fascinating and enjoyable tour I have ever done. Better than any museum, galIery our tourist site. Totally recommended. Unbelievably well organised, and lots of little Wal-E robots scuttling about delivering stuff while playing their own little tunes. I swear I heard one playing The Lone Ranger theme tune while delivering a front bumper for an Avensis.
During a presentation, they told us quite a lot about their Toyota Production System and their "Keizen" principles. This I found quite amusing, as my bosses have been misquoting what that is all about quite a lot lately, but completely forgetting all the other impressive stuff Toyota do to involve, empower and (more radical still), really listen to the people who actually do the work.
I've always fancied seeing the inside of a car plant ever since, as a young boy growing up in Birmingham, I was occasionally treated to tantalising glimpses through half open assembly shed doors when being driven past the Mini assembly line at Longbridge. As it now turns out, Jim fortunately never did fix it for me......... but Mrs Donger certainly did when she applied for this as a surprise for me. Guess I'd better brew her a cuppa now.
Still, it's been a very good day. I've been on one of the "community" factory tours of Toyota's Burnaston plant today. Gotta say it's easily the most fascinating and enjoyable tour I have ever done. Better than any museum, galIery our tourist site. Totally recommended. Unbelievably well organised, and lots of little Wal-E robots scuttling about delivering stuff while playing their own little tunes. I swear I heard one playing The Lone Ranger theme tune while delivering a front bumper for an Avensis.
During a presentation, they told us quite a lot about their Toyota Production System and their "Keizen" principles. This I found quite amusing, as my bosses have been misquoting what that is all about quite a lot lately, but completely forgetting all the other impressive stuff Toyota do to involve, empower and (more radical still), really listen to the people who actually do the work.
I've always fancied seeing the inside of a car plant ever since, as a young boy growing up in Birmingham, I was occasionally treated to tantalising glimpses through half open assembly shed doors when being driven past the Mini assembly line at Longbridge. As it now turns out, Jim fortunately never did fix it for me......... but Mrs Donger certainly did when she applied for this as a surprise for me. Guess I'd better brew her a cuppa now.
