Key exec keeps Toyota humming
Boss of manufacturing in North America is in charge of 11 plants and relations with suppliers.
Art Niimi, who has spent 33 years with Toyota, has held many jobs in manufacturing -- the focus of the automaker's operations and source of strength. Yet he has a solid understanding of its other activities.
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Toyota Motor Co.p. has big plans to expand in the United States -- and many of them end up in Art (Atsushi) Niimi's in box.
As head of Toyota's North American manufacturing operations, Niimi oversees production at 11 plants, construction of new plants and relations with the Japanese automaker's 500-supplier network here.
It's a job that sets Niimi, 57, on a very fast track. A congenial executive with a keen grasp of the business, Niimi is tracing the career path of his top bosses -- including outgoing President Fujio Cho -- who rose after stints in North America.
Even by Toyota's exhausting standards, he is a busy man. Based at Toyota's regional manufacturing headquarters in Erlanger, Ky., Niimi has traveled once a month for the past six months to Mexico to check on the progress of a new assembly plant.
Now that the factory in Tijuana is up and running, Niimi will be traveling frequently to San Antonio, Texas, where Toyota is building a truck plant, and Jackson, Tenn., where a casting plant is going up. "America is a huge country, and it's time-consuming," he said in an interview.
In his 33-year career at Toyota, Niimi has held a variety of jobs in manufacturing -- the focus of the company's operations and source of strength. Yet he has a solid understanding of its other activities.
"From a manufacturing standpoint, he seems to understand sales and marketing issues," Lexus chief Dennis Clements said. "He's a very articulate, very astute businessman."
With Toyota's U.S. sales rising past 2 million in 2004, "we need to expand manufacturing capacity," he said.
The automaker plans to boost North American output by 15 percent over two years to 1.66 million vehicles in 2006. Last fall, Chairman Hiroshi Okuda said Toyota would need a new plant in the region. "Maybe within a year, we'll receive a formal order to look for a site," Niimi said.
Born in Aichi Prefecture, Toyota's base in central Japan, Niimi earned a degree in aeronautical engineering before going to work for Toyota in 1971. As he rose through the ranks, he forged close ties with his colleagues.
Shinichi Sasaki, president of Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing Europe, met Niimi when they were both promising young managers in Japan. Along with other manufacturing and quality managers, they formed an informal clique whose Japanese name roughly translates to mean "old roots," or "stump."
The name alluded to their resilience. "You can move a tree or cut it down," Sasaki said. "But you can't do anything about the stump."
After long days at the plant, they would gather at small restaurants, order yakimiku, or grilled meats, and wash them down with beer, whisky and Japanese spirits called shochu. "We became close friends," Niimi said. "Whenever we have problems, we ask each other for support."
In 1986, soon after Toyota built its first U.S. assembly plant in Kentucky, Niimi was tapped to coordinate assembly at the Georgetown factory. Four years later, he returned to Japan, but returned to Kentucky in 2002 as the top manufacturing executive.
In his job, Niimi deals closely with suppliers. "It's important to have good relations," he said. "Seventy percent of the [vehicle] parts come from suppliers, so our supplier base is essential for our expansion."
Auto suppliers say Niimi is firm and fair. "He's very approachable," said Robert Soulliere, head of body stamping and plastics at Thyssen-
Krupp Budd in Troy. "He's seen our plant numerous times. When you work with Toyota, they pull you in and you become part of their family."
You can reach Christine Tierney at (313) 222-1463 or ctierney@detnews.com.
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The Detroit News.
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