YRC Worldwide Inc. announced that it had earned a Kaizen Challenge Award for continuous improvement from Toyota North American Parts Organization (NAPO) for the second consecutive year. Toyota NAPO announced the 2008 award winners during its annual logistics provider meeting on July 7, 2009.
Kaizen, which means continuous improvement in Japanese, is an integral component of the Toyota Production System (TPS). To encourage its suppliers to embrace the same standards, Toyota created the Kaizen Challenge Award. All preferred suppliers are considered for the award. The award recipients are the suppliers that most effectively used Kaizen principles in helping Toyota address its supply-chain challenges.
About 20 preferred suppliers participated in the 2008 Kaizen Challenge, and YRC Worldwide was one of three award recipients in its class.
Over the last several years, YRC Worldwide has established a strong partnership with Toyota NAPO, and more than 130 YRC Worldwide employees have completed training in the TPS and Kaizen.
The 2008 Kaizen Challenge award recognizes YRC Worldwide for developing a plan to improve delivery efficiency for oversized and heavy parts, such as truck beds and frames, drive trains, transmissions and engines from parts distribution centers and vendors to Toyota dealers throughout the country.
Plan elements included nationwide implementation of a standard process for equipment placement and material handling and a customer service process to coordinate delivery service with dealers. As a result of this process, damage claims and injuries were virtually eliminated.
"YRC Worldwide has been an outstanding partner over an extended period and has made a strong commitment to learn our business and our processes for continuous improvement," said Sylvia Duran, national logistics manager at Toyota NAPO. "For both companies there is no best . . . only better."
"The employees of YRC Worldwide are gratified to receive this prestigious recognition from Toyota," said Greg Reid, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for YRC Worldwide. "Not only does it demonstrate our ability to deliver innovative, cost-effective solutions, it is a great vote of confidence from a valued client. We're honored and dedicated to continue to exceed the expectations of Toyota in the future."
