Manufacturing & Engineering: Toyota Readies for Its 21st Opportunity Exchange
Event Connects Minority
Businesses with Toyota Suppliers
ERLANGER, Ky. (October, 25 2010) -- Toyota Motor Engineering
& Manufacturing North Americas (TEMA) Opportunity
Exchange (OE) will take place on November 9th & 10th at the
Duke Energy Center in downtown Cincinnati. Now in its 21st
year, the event serves as a business development opportunity for
minority business enterprises (MBEs) from across the nation to make
viable connections and land potential contracts with Toyotas direct
suppliers.
We are always searching for new MBEs that can help Toyota and
our suppliers improve our diversity objectives, but also add value
and innovation to our products and services, said Adrienne Trimble,
manager of supplier diversity at TEMA. Opportunity Exchange
has paved the way for many MBEs, and now were ready to turn that
road into a superhighway in the years ahead.
Opportunity Exchange, one of the largest events of its kind,
has grown from 100 guests to over 1,600 participants annually over
the last 20 years. In addition to generating new business for MBEs,
it continues to help Toyotas direct suppliers diversify its own
supply base. Moreover, Toyotas supplier diversity program
encourages economic inclusion, growth and opportunity amongst its
more than 500 Tier 1 suppliers in North America. Since 1990,
OE has resulted in over $160 million in new contracts for
MBEs.
The two-day event begins with seminars and educational
opportunities for MBEs led by industry leaders such as Ralph
Moore of RGMA Consulting and Len Greenhalgh from the Tuck School of
Business as well as members of Toyotas management team.
Topics include: learning how to do business with Toyota and its
direct suppliers, the future of supplier diversity and how to best
position a company when dealing with a potential
customer.
Day-two will kick off with a breakfast and keynote address
from
Wil James, newly appointed president of
Toyotas Kentucky plant, and a 20-year Toyota veteran, in
addition to remarks by special guest Reverend Jesse Jackson.
Participants are welcome to attend free of charge, but must
register in advance by Friday, October 29th by visiting: www.toyotaopportunityexchange.com.
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) established operations in North America in
1957 and currently operates 14 manufacturing plants, including one
under construction. There are more than 1,800 Toyota, Lexus and
Scion dealerships in North America which sold more than 2.05
million vehicles in 2009. Toyota directly employs more than 35,000
in North America and its investment here is currently valued at
more than $23 billion, including sales and manufacturing
operations, research and development, financial services and
design. Toyota's annual purchasing of parts, materials, goods and
services from North American suppliers totals more than $25
billion. Toyota currently produces 12 vehicles in North America,
including the Avalon, Camry, Corolla, Highlander, Matrix, RAV4,
Sienna, Sequoia, Tacoma, Tundra, Venza and the Lexus RX 350. For
more information about Toyota, visit www.toyota.com or
www.toyotanewsroom.com.
# # #
Contact:
Tania Saldana (859) 815-9968
[email protected]
[email protected]
