Toyota Tops Quality & Assembly Plant Awards

June 8, 2006

Toyota and Lexus topped the J.D. Power and Associates 2006 Initial Quality Study, released June 7, capturing 11 out of 19 quality awards. Toyota also received four assembly plant quality awards for producing vehicles yielding the fewest defects. In the Asia Pacific region, Toyota's Higashi-Fuji, Japan plant, which produces the Lexus SC 430, received the Silver Plant Quality award while its Georgetown, Ky. plant tied for second with DaimlerChrysler's Windsor, Ontario, Canada plant in the Silver Plant Quality award for North and South American plants.

Among North and South American plants, the General Motors Oshawa #2 plant in Ontario, Canada, which produces the Buick LaCrosse and Pontiac Grand Prix, received the Gold Plant Quality award for a second consecutive year.

Magna Steyr, the Graz, Austria, plant that assembles under contract for traditional manufacturers, received the Gold Plant Quality award for Europe. Magna Steyr produces the BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz E-Class/Wagon and the Saab 9-3 Convertible. BMW's Dingolfing, Germany, plant, which produces the BMW 5, 6 and 7 Series, received the Silver Plant Quality award, and Porsche's Valmet, Finland, plant, which produces the Cayman and Boxster, received the Bronze Plant Quality award.

The Initial Quality Study serves as the industry benchmark for new-vehicle quality measured at 90 days of ownership. This year's study looked into the issues of quality of design and quality of productions.

Consumers are now looking more closely at how technology is integrated into new-vehicle design. "New vehicles today are often packed with new technologies that unfortunately can be complicated and frustrating for the average consumer when their integration is not well executed," said Joe Ivers, executive director of quality and customer satisfaction research for J.D. Power and Associates. "In the eyes of consumers, design flaws can have as much of an impact on their perceptions of quality as can a defect. Yet, many manufacturers have tended to address quality solely on the plant floor without considering design factors."

About the Author

Adrienne Selko | Senior Editor

Focus: Workforce, Talent

Follow Me on Twitter: @ASelkoIW

Bio: Adrienne Selko has written about many topics over the 17 years she has been with the publication and currently focuses on workforce development strategies. Previously Adrienne was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck? which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics and EHS Today.

Editorial mission statement: Manufacturing is the enviable position of creating products, processes and policies that solve the world’s problems. When the industry stepped up to manufacture what was necessary to combat the pandemic, it revealed its true nature. My goal is to showcase the sector’s ability to address a broad range of workforce issues including technology, training, diversity & inclusion, with a goal of enticing future generations to join this amazing sector.

Why I find manufacturing interesting: On my first day working for a company that made medical equipment such as MRIs, I toured the plant floor. On every wall was a photo of a person, mostly children. I asked my supervisor why this was the case and he said that the work we do at this company has saved these people’s lives. “We never forget how important our work is and everyone’s contribution to that.” From that moment on I was hooked on manufacturing.

I have talked with many people in this field who have transformed their own career development to assist others. For example, companies are hiring those with disabilities, those previously incarcerated and other talent pools that have been underutilized. I have talked with leaders who have brought out the best in their workforce, as well as employees doing their best work while doing good for the world.