Posted on 03/13/2011 9:44:55 PM PDT by tcrlaf
This a Rueters flash... As was just discussed on NHK, Japan is having severe power problems in the North. I wonder how this will affect U.S. Production?
(Excerpt) Read more at live.reuters.com ...
HEadline only right now...
It is not a big deal now, but am curious why almost every vehicle in Japan is white?
Just praying that it is not because of some global warming BS.
nope an efficiency issue - white and black are two most prevalent colors in Japan.
I suppose if car parts are made in Japan that go into vehicles assembled here, yes.
Just in time manufacturing isn’t tolerant of supply disruptions.
JIT also means you don’t have billions in production inventory sitting around waiting for an earthquake to destroy or a tsunami to carry off. Cuts both ways.
That is for sure.
What’s the situation like with labor unions in Japan’s automotive industry? Do they have anything akin to the productivity-killing UAW?
From what I’ve heard, they basically have a lifetime employment system over there, but are probably still a lot more productive than our unions.
Even if the assembly plants are down for just a few days, the power outages will play hell with the tier 1 and 2 level
suppliers. The supply chain is forked.
Machine tools like CNC lathes and plastic injection molders need allot of electical go go power.
Some of the pictures with hundreds of what looked like white cars thrown around like trash were actually burnt out shells of cars that looked white from a distance. They were really ash white. A few of the cars around the edges that were not completely burnt were many different colors.
Our company is trying to get a handle on supply chain issues today. Have to admit I didn't even think of that. I was just thinking this would slow down production because of OEM shutdowns.
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