São José dos Campos, Brazil, October 13, 2023 - Embraer announced today the expansion of its agreement with Toyota do Brasil to apply the fundamentals and concepts of the Toyota Production System (TPS) in its industrial operations. Since June 2022, both companies have been collaborating to evaluate and suggest improvements in manufacturing at Embraer's main factory, the Ozires Silva Unit, located in São José dos Campos, in the São Paulo state countryside.
The introduction of a new methodology implemented during a phase of the E-Jets commercial jet wings production has yielded a notable reduction of 50% in the manufacturing cycle. A 17% decrease was obtained in the total manufacturing time in wing production, contributing to an overall efficiency gain of approximately 20%. The Embraer Enterprise Excellence Program (P3E) team will continue to expand the implementation of these collaborative initiatives with Toyota to other stages of wing manufacturing.
Due to the successful results, the two companies decided to expand the partnership for the joint development of other methodologies to be implemented at one of the stations on the E-Jets final assembly line.
“Maintaining an ongoing exchange of ideas, team engagement and a continuous deepening of knowledge were fundamental to obtaining significant results and enhancing efficiency gains in a sustainable manner”, said Luís Carlos Marinho, Executive Vice-President of Operations at Embraer. “We are pleased with the agreement expansion, which further strengthens and accelerates the dissemination of best practices in the production system.”
"This partnership involves exchanging experiences and fostering ideas for joint solutions, to strengthen the operations of the company. It is important to emphasize that the partnership also centers around developing our people and adapting mindsets to focus on continuous improvement,” said Masahiro Inoue, CEO of Toyota for Latin America.
“The application of TPS in Embraer's production processes is yet another concrete example of how the methodology can contribute to more efficient operations, regardless of its field of activity, providing agility, quality and standardization, and directly impacting the competitiveness of the national industry,” highlighted Rafael Chang, president of Toyota do Brasil.
Embraer adopts the Lean philosophy as a core business strategy that disseminates P3E fundamentals, concepts and practices. This program plays a pivotal role in orchestrating leading transformations, providing ways for the entire company to take leaps in improving its processes. This system prioritizes safety first, unwavering quality and consistent delivery timelines while maintaining optimal cost-efficiency. The company is committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2024, achieving 100% of its energy from renewable sources for its Brazilian operations by 2024.