By Stuart Burns
The automotive industry has often been at the vanguard of manufacturing practices. The Toyota Way and lean manufacturing were pioneered in the automotive sector but have since spread across multiple industries and even into services.
So when the automotive industry starts gearing up for a return to work following lockdowns across Europe and North America, there could be lessons for other industries similarly challenged to deal with safe distancing and virus contagion in the workplace.
Initially, some plants, particularly in North America, were hit not by shutdowns enforced by the