Toyota requests North American suppliers' disaster plans

Toyota looking to identify production pinch-points and bottlenecks that might be caused by unforeseen disasters.

Toyota has begun an online census of its 400 North American suppliers, including second- and third-tier suppliers, looking to identify production pinch-points and bottlenecks that might be caused by unforeseen disasters, according to Automotive News. The company has already completed a similar project aimed at its Japanese market manufacturing and supply chain. Suppliers are asked to identify key parts that are produced by just one factory, and to develop backup production plans in case any single-source factory shuts down unexpectedly. In an Automotive News interview, Toyota's North American purchasing chief Bob Young said, "We're asking suppliers what they would do and how much time they would need" to restart production, assuming tooling is salvageable.