THINK : LIKE : TOYOTA at CeMAT 2018

THINK: LIKE: TOYOTA is the theme for Toyota Material Handling Europe at CeMAT 2018 (booth P32). The Toyota name is synonymous with lean-thinking, based on the world-renowned Toyota Production system, which has become the benchmark for efficiency and quality in manufacturing. At CeMAT 2018 Toyota will show how it applies lean-thinking in its approach to logistics operations, as well as showcase new products and future concepts.

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“Our brand has a well-established reputation for quality and efficiency in our manufacturing processes, and the Toyota Production System has become the model for other manufacturers, in many different industries, worldwide” explains Matthias Fischer, President and CEO, Toyota Material Handling Europe. “We use the same principles and apply them to logistics processes, with the same goals – elimination of waste, maximum value-added and total quality, which means right goods, right place, right time. Our aim is to work with our customers to share our thinking and help them to improve efficiencies at every stage of the process – hence our theme, Think : Like : Toyota.”

Connectivity

A connectivity zone will show how Toyota has already built a population of nearly 60,000 smart trucks in operation, with approximately 250,000 operators on its I_Site platform. Toyota is also announcing a major initiative at CeMAT, which will dramatically accelerate the use of connectivity across European logistics operations. Toyota has confirmed that from the autumn of 2018 all electric warehouse trucks produced will be delivered with integrated telematics. The move brings a series of benefits to Toyota’s customers, as basic activity data will become available, subject only to a data-sharing agreement.

The latest developments in connectivity will be presented, including ‘T-Stream’, the company’s new mobile service platform which integrates the data from connected trucks to the service technician allowing predictive servicing, minimising downtime. This system has been developed in collaboration with Microsoft who will be joining Toyota to present other new developments, including the use of augmented reality as a technical support tool. The connectivity zone will also include a presentation of the latest management system for automated operations – T-ONE – which uniquely plans for optimised routing with traffic avoidance.

Automation

Automation will also be highlighted at CeMAT 2018, including a representation of how automation is progressively being introduced within Toyota’s own factories. Toyota uses over 16,500 trucks in more than 650 factories around the world, which creates a direct experience base for the planning of lean logistics. Automated products to be shown at CeMAT include the TAE500, the Toyota Autopilot stacker model, and also the Toyota Swarm concept – first shown in 2016 and now demonstrated as a working solution.

Lithium-ion

Toyota’s approach to li-ion battery technology will also be presented, identifying the ‘lean facts’ that relate to the technology and showing the unique benefits that Toyota offers with its in-house li-ion battery production. Li-ion battery systems are now available across the Toyota electric range.

Collaboration

Collaboration is a key topic for Toyota, demonstrated by the guest speakers from Vanderlande, Microsoft, Heineken and Robot Experience that will be delivering keynotes in the Logiconomi Forum, which runs in the Toyota pavilion throughout the week of the event. The programme also includes a headline presentation by Sam Nomura from Japan, a leading expert on Toyota’s lean-thinking.

And many more

Toyota will be presenting its latest range of 6 to 8-tonnes electric counterbalance trucks from the Toyota Traigo range, featuring a new design and one-piece battery system that allows fast and easy battery change for  customers that require multi-shift  solutions.

Toyota will also show a range of order picking concepts, suited to everything from component supply to assembly lines through to e-commerce requirements. Order picking solutions extend to a fully automated storage and picking solution presented by Vanderlande.

Other exhibits include a virtual reality feature to allow customers to design and envisage a lean warehouse and production area. The VR facility also allows visitors to immerse themselves into Toyota’s latest future concept warehouse, based on automated trucks working together to achieve extreme optimisation based on artificial intelligence: the A.I.TeamLogistics concept.