Akira Yamada, Managing Director of Toyota Tsuhuo Manufacturing Ghana
• The Managing Director of Toyota Tsuhuo Manufacturing Ghana has said COVID-19 helped the company to tap into the knowledge and skills of local institutions to set up the manufacturing plant
• He said various education and trainings were held to help the operators and engineers understand and know how to assemble a vehicle
• However, a planned SKD production of the Suzuki Swift compact car was announced at the ceremony and this is based on a collaboration agreement concluded between Toyota and Suzuki in March 2019
The Managing Director of Toyota Tsuhuo Manufacturing Ghana Akira Yamada has stated that, the company has to rely on local resources to set up the manufacturing plant.
He said the establishment of the Made in Ghana Toyota Tushuo Hilux was made with technical skills and knowledge derived from some key tertiary institutions in the country.
He spoke at the commissioning of the Toyota Tsuhuo Manufacturing Ghana plant held on June 29, 2021 in Tema.
“While localization and local procurement have been at the core preparation on our project, circumstances due to COVID-19 provided us with an even greater opportunity to relay on local resources. First of all, the process of recruiting engineers and operators as our local staff members, we sort the corporation of over five universities including the university of Ghana and other local technical high school and vocational training school to help with this project,” he said.
He further stated that various education and training sessions were held to help the operators and engineers understand and know how to assemble a vehicle.
“Regarding the employee training under the circumstance in which we find ourselves was postponed due to COVID-19. The basic training and the practical training were conducted by our factory manager,” he added.
The company has approximately 50 employees and currently conducts SKD production of the Toyota Hilux pickup truck.
Also, a planned Semi Knocked Down (SKD) production of the Suzuki Swift compact car was announced at the ceremony and this is based on a collaboration agreement concluded between Toyota and Suzuki in March 2019.
It is planned as part of strengthening and expanding the alliance between Toyota Tsusho, which received the full transfer of sales and marketing operations in Africa from Toyota in January 2019, and Suzuki.
Meanwhile, in addition to engaging in the automobile sales business, Toyota Tsusho intends to tailor local production to market needs, further contributing to the development of the automobile industry in Africa.