SHAH ALAM: Selangor mentri besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari recently paid a visit to the Toyota car assembly plant at Bukit Raja Industrial Estate, which assembles the Toyota Yaris and Toyota Vios.
He was taken on a tour of the facility by the top management of UMW Toyota Motor and its wholly-owned subsidiary Assembly Services Sdn Bhd (ASSB).
At various areas such as the motorcycle parking section, staff locker rooms and canteen, the changes made to meet social distancing requirements were highlighted to the mentri besar.
In accordance with the SOPs, body temperature checks are conducted daily, hand sanitisation and use of face masks are made part of the new normal.
In the canteen, the seating has been rearranged to provide distancing and the menu now consists of pre-packed food.
Besides staggering working times, new procedures aimed at minimizing interaction so as to reduce the risks of coronavirus spread have been put in place.
ASSB has also adopted measures from Toyota plants in other countries in response to the pandemic.
One example was the installation of an additional partition at the Door Assembly Process.
While at the plant, Amirudin also visited Toyota Boshoku UMW Sdn Bhd, a joint-venture between Toyota Boshoku and UMW Toyota Motor which makes seat sets, door trims, headlinings, package trays for use in many models assembled locally.
As it has suitable equipment, Toyota Boshoku UMW set up production lines to produce Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) which is required by medical staff treating COVID-19 patients.
Up to more than 10,000 PPE items consisting of Boot Covers, Head Covers and Gowns were provided in support to the Ministry of Health for distribution to hospitals around the country.
A small ceremony was held for ASSB and Toyota Boshoku UMW to hand over PPE kits to Amirudin as a gesture of goodwill to Selangor.
The kits consisted of 100 pieces each of gowns, head covers and boot covers.
“We are grateful to the Selangor state government for its approval and guidance which enabled ASSB to resume operations after a lengthy shutdown due to the Movement Control Order earlier. Our plant has implemented all the necessary requirements of the Standard Operating Procedures and additionally, we have also adopted some best practices developed by Toyota factories in other countries,” said Ravindran K., president of UMW Toyota Motor.
“Toyota Motor Corporation is also very serious about providing safe and healthy conditions for all employees. As a member of the global Toyota family, ASSB can therefore draw on healthcare advice and best practices from TMC regarding additional measures that can be taken here in Selangor,” added Akio Takeyama, deputy chairman of UMW Toyota Motor.
