Toyota is extending its manufacturing know-how to smaller firms in the South East through a new partnership with Made Smarter South East, in a move designed to help SMEs sharpen productivity, cut waste and build a firmer base before buying new technology.
The government-backed technology adoption programme has joined forces with the Toyota Lean Management Centre, which draws on the principles of the Toyota Production System and “The Toyota Way”, to deliver a two-day...
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training format aimed specifically at smaller manufacturers. The approach is intentionally practical: firms are encouraged first to understand how work currently flows, where inefficiencies sit and which improvements could deliver the biggest gains, rather than treating digital investment as the starting point.
The programme was piloted in Buckinghamshire, where 14 manufacturers gathered at Ercol’s factory in Princes Risborough. The first day combined workshops, exercises and a tour of the site, while the second moved the learning into participating businesses themselves. Toyota then worked closely with four of the firms – CTE Advanced Technologies, Gibbs Gears Precision Engineers, 3 Way Displays and Hansford Sensors – to examine operations in detail and identify areas where lean methods could make an immediate difference.
The scheme was later taken to Kent, where a further two-day course was delivered in partnership with Kent County Council in Sittingbourne. Seven manufacturers attended from across Kent and East Sussex: Bulgaro, Catchpole and Rye, Contracts Engineering, Torr Scientific, D.K. Holdings, G & J (CNC) Group and Cammegh.
Made Smarter says the partnership reflects a wider lesson for manufacturers: digital transformation works best when it is built on a clear understanding of processes and a disciplined approach to continuous improvement. Jez Heys, a technology adoption specialist at Made Smarter South East, said the programme shows why lean thinking and digital change should move together, rather than being treated as separate exercises.
Ian Peers, operations director at Ercol, said the workshop was particularly well suited to manufacturers beyond the automotive sector and added that the company is now considering further training and support to strengthen productivity at its UK site.
The Toyota Production System is among the most influential manufacturing methods in the world, and the Toyota Lean Management Centre was established in the UK in 2009 to share that expertise through coaching, diagnostics and practical training. According to Toyota, the aim is not only to improve processes but also to develop people and embed better management behaviours across organisations.
The South East initiative forms part of a wider package of support offered by Made Smarter South East, which also includes digital roadmaps, leadership development, internships and grant funding to encourage technology adoption. The programme is now looking at extending the lean manufacturing offer to more businesses across the region, as it seeks to help smaller firms prepare for digital change by first improving the way they work.
Source: Noah Wire Services
