Cabinets improve storage and retrieval of special service tools

Toyota Motor Sales USA in Torrance, Calif., requires all of its 1,400 Toyota and Lexus dealerships to own special service tools (SST). Dealers are instructed to store these tools in a central location so service technicians can quickly find them when needed. The reality was that, in many dealerships, technicians spent too much time hunting for SST. Using a new standardized three-cabinet system to organize tools by category, the company improved technician productivity and reduced costs.

Previously, the average technician spent a minimum of 6 minutes per day and as much as an hour hunting for tools. The average dealer employed 14 technicians, and was spending $1,500 per year replacing tools that had been lost or stolen.

“Technicians were spending too much time locating specific SST that they needed to ensure a quality repair,” says Jim Sapunarich, Toyota’s advanced vehicles and equipment manager. He says the company saw a need for a central, secure storage system that would benefit all dealers.

The new cabinets (Stanley Vidmar, stanleyvidmar.com) replaced an old tool board and racking system that held only 40% of the dealership’s total SST. Based on a complete set of tools, the new storage system was designed to house each tool and included room for 25% growth.

The three-cabinet system organizes tools by category, labels on the drawer pulls identify the tools stored within, and partitions inside the drawers create compartments sized for particular tools. The service or parts manager controls access to the system and keeps track of who is using what.

“The system has made technicians more productive,” Sapunarich says. “They’re working on cars rather than searching for tools. Our service managers tell us it’s one of the most helpful things we have ever done in tools and equipment.”