BookTitleToyota Tsusho 70-Year History

Summary

Toyota Tsusho 70-Year History

difficult to enter the market.With the support of the Toyota Group, Toyoda Tsusho aimed to becomedesignated wholesaler. After negotiations with steelmakers, Toyoda Tsushowas certified as a special dealer to purchase materials for US military vehicleby Toyota Motor Co., Ltd., through designated wholesalers of both companies.In April 1959, Toyoda Tsusho became a designated wholesaler of Fuji Iron &Steel and Yawata Iron & Steel. In July the same year, Toyoda Tsusho opened theHirohata Office in front of Fuji Iron & Steel in Himeji-shi Hyogo Prefecture, andin January 1960 the company opened its Yahata Office in Kitakyushu, Yahata, inFukuoka Prefecture.Yawata Iron & Steel Co., Ltd.5 Reorganization of Corporate Structure Based on ProductExpansionIn the early days, Toyota Tsusho dealt with mainly textile machinery and textileproducts. However, in the 1960s the textile businessess contracted, while nontextilebusinesses, such as steel, machinery, and vehicles, became prominent.The company’s organizational structure was reviewed due to the expansion anddiversification of such products.In August 1959, the Accounting Department Insurance Section became theInsurance Department in preparation for the spread of insurance as motorizationprogressed. And in January 1960, as an agent of air-conditioning manufacturerOsaka Kinzoku Kogyo Co., Ltd. (currently Daikin Industries, Ltd.), the Machineryand Materials Department that sold airconditoners was separated into theMachinery Department and the General Merchandise Department. This divisionincreased the handling of materials and machinery for the Toyota Group, includingof boilers and compressors for Toyota Motor Co., Ltd., and engine parts and tirechains for local dealers.In November 1961, the Imported Machinery Department was established,becoming an import agent for Landis, a machine tool manufacturer in the U.S.And the new department began importing machine tools.The Metals Department, established in February 1957 was independent from theMiscellaneous Hardware Section, but was reorganized into Steel Sheet Section,Steel Bar Section, Specialty Steel Section, Raw Material Nonferrous Section, andAccounting Section in April 1962. This strengthened the company’s sales of anexpanding and diversifying array of metal products.On the other hand, the contracting Textile sector forced Toyoda Tsusho tostreamline its textile operations. The Wool Department was abolished in January1962, and the Cotton Department was abolished in October of the same year,resulting in reduced operations in the Textile Department Wool Section and theOsaka Branch Textile Raw Material Section, respectively. In 1967, the IchinomiyaOffice, located in a production area for wool fabrics, was closed and left as aliaison office.Automobile training by auto tricycle, around 1954A ceremony celebrating the 500,000th vehicle toroll off Toyota Motor Co., Ltd.’s production line(September 1959)History65