Lessons from 2011 disaster help Toyota ride out chip shortage
Etienne BALMER, ed. Rob Farebrother
Wed, 12 May 2021
Most of Toyota's suppliers, including chipmakers, are Japanese companies
The global microchip shortage dragging on the auto industry has caused little disruption
in production at Toyota, the world's biggest automaker, thanks to lessons it learned after
Japan's 2011 tsunami disaster.
While the latest crisis caused by huge demand for semiconductors and forced global car
makers to revise production plans, Toyota exceeded its sales targets this year (March
2020 – March 2021) and expects to sell even more units in the next 12 months.
Car manufacturing experts say its success is partly due to its decision to prepare
extensively for disruptions after the experience of Japan's devastating earthquake,
tsunami and nuclear crisis 10 years ago.
The catastrophe left parts of Japan's industry suffering badly for months, especially
vehicle makers, whose domestic supply chains were thrown into turmoil.
Toyota suffered like its rivals and took six months to return to normal production, but
the firm resolved not to let the same thing happen again. "Toyota learned the lessons of
the 2011 earthquake probably better than anybody," said Christopher Richter, an auto
expert.
The Japanese giant reviewed all its suppliers, even the most indirect, giving it a better
understanding of its supply chain and allowing it to react quickly in times of crisis. Faced
with a global semiconductor shortage this year, "they were just way better prepared
than any other automaker in the world", Richter stated.
A source close to another Japanese carmaker agreed. "We all took steps like that post-
Fukushima, but Toyota did it best, and kept it up," he said. The global auto industry has
faced serious headwinds during the pandemic, with lockdowns fuelling declining sales,
and a shortage of the chips used in modern vehicles has only compounded the woes.
A surge in demand for home electronics that use semiconductors, as well as a US cold
winter, a drought in Taiwan and a fire at Japan's Renesas manufacturer have all created
a ‘perfect storm’ and seriously reducing chip supplies.
Loyal suppliers
Toyota was a pioneer of the widely used "just-in-time" (JIT) production model - where
stockpiling is kept to a minimum to reduce costs. But as soon as Toyota spotted the first
signs of a chip shortage, the firmused a different strategy.
"Toyota was the first automaker to adjust its supply chain management system from a
purely 'just-in-time' model to a hybrid model where it stockpiles more of the critical
components such as semiconductors," said Joshua Cobb, an auto analyst. "Toyota has
always been a leader in developing supply chain management systems, and other
automakers tend to follow Toyota's lead," Cobb said.
German auto giants Volkswagen, BMW and Daimler, and their US rival General Motors,
have all recently announced that they will change their supply and stockpiling systems to
build up more reserves. But Toyota had a head start, and another crucial advantage:
most of its suppliers, including chipmakers, are Japanese companies, which will
"prioritise supplying Toyota", Cobb said.
Toyota often holds shares and sometimes controlling stakes in these firms, so it has
"greater control" over the situation, he added. "This differs from other automakers,
specifically European and American automakers which source most of their components
from Asian companies and don’t use local suppliers" Cobb said.
An industry source said Toyota also prioritises good relations with suppliers, ensuring
consistently solid sales and pledging not to renegotiate fees after a contract has been
signed.
All these factors mean Toyota often comes out on top. "If we receive orders from several
clients at the same time, we have to prioritise the most powerful and stable, i.e.
Toyota," said the source.
Toyota can point to the benefits of its preparations, surpassing its sales target with 9.9
million vehicles sold by all its brands in the financial year to March. It is now targeting
total sales of 10.5 million units in 2021-22.
