By THEPHILBIZNEWS STAFF
Transcending their expertise in manufacturing quality vehicles, Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) and Toyota Group companies embarked in a full-scale production of medical face shields in Japan, with Toyota largely expanding its production capacity from 500 to 600 units per week by approximately 20 times to start production of 40,000 units per month (approximately 2,000 units per day) from April 27.
While this is just the beginning, Toyota plans to accelerate the in-house production to approximately 70,000 pieces per month with approximately 3,600 pieces per day.
Currently, the Toyota Group companies are producing medical face shields include Toyota Motor East Japan, Inc., which provided 3,000 units it produced to Miyagi Prefecture on April 20, and Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd., Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd. (Daihatsu), and Hino Motors, Ltd. (Hino), which have all started trial production, with Daihatsu and Hino now providing medical face shields to medical facilities in their immediate areas.
Apart from this, Toyota Industries Corporation also plans to produce around 10,000 units per month with approximately 500 units per day, from April 29, and Toyota Auto Body Co., Ltd. is furthering considerations toward starting production of medical face shields from mid-May.
The Toyota Group has positioned this initiative for supporting the around-the-clock efforts of the frontlines of the medical sector, which are working hard to diagnose and treat patients for COVID-19, as part of Toyota’s Kokoro Hakobu Project*2.
Going forward, the Toyota Group intends to prioritize the provision of the medical face shields it produces to medical facilities and local governments in the localities of the various companies of the group.
The main medical face shield production capacities of Toyota Group companies as of April 28 are described in the table below.
In their media statement, Toyota and Toyota Group companies will do what they can to help efforts on the frontlines of treatment and in limiting the further spread of COVID-19, which has become society’s biggest priority.
“To be mindful of the feelings of those in the midst of this pandemic, reach conclusions more swiftly, make prompt decisions, and take immediate action faster than ever focusing on safety and security as the highest priorities,” Toyota group said.