Selangor MB Visits Toyota Assembly Plant In Shah Alam

Assembly Services Sdn Bhd (ASSB), the wholly-owned subsidiary of UMW Toyota Motor Sdn Bhd which is involved in the local assembly of Toyota vehicles, welcomed YAB Dato’ Menteri Besar Selangor, Dato’ Seri Amirudin Bin Shari today as he made a visit to personally view the best practices and procedures put in place in accordance with the Government’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Welcoming Dato’ Seri Amirudin Bin Shari to the plant at the Bukit Raja Industrial Estate in Selangor were the top management of UMW Toyota Motor and ASSB. After receiving a briefing on the plant’s operations, he was taken on a tour of the facility which currently assembles the Toyota Yaris and Toyota Vios.

Strict Measures Adopted from Other Toyota Plants

Besides staggering working times, new procedures aimed at minimizing interaction 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 shown to the Menteri Besar was the installation of an additional partition at the Door Assembly Process.

Other social distancing measures such as those at the motorcycle parking section, staff locker rooms and canteen, and other changes made were also highlighted to the Menteri Besar.

In accordance with the SOPs, body temperature checks are conducted daily, hand sanitisation and utilisation of face masks are made part of the new normal. In the canteen, the seating has been rearranged to provide distancing. The menu now consists of pre-packed food.

Contribution from Toyota Boshoku UMW

While at the plant, the Menteri Besar 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 the Menteri Besar as a gesture of goodwill to the Selangor State Government. 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.