Automakers

NUMMI joint venture in California was a classroom for change

NUMMI built its first car, above, in 1984. A close look at Toyota's production system spurred GM to adopt more efficient manufacturing methods.
DG
By:
Dave Guilford
September 14, 2008 05:00 AM
Lessons from NUMMI

GM executives found that Toyota

• Used more manual labor than GM expected

• Strictly enforced standard work procedures

• Organized work in small teams

• Trained plant workers in multiple tasks

In the early 1980s, General Motors quietly negotiated an unprecedented deal: GM, the world's largest automaker, would build cars jointly with fast-rising challenger Toyota.

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