Toyota RAV4 and Harrier production has been temporarily halted following an unusual explosion at the parts manufacturing Chuo Spring facility in Japan. The incident claimed the life of a worker and disrupted the local supply chain.
A dust collector explosion at the Fujioka plant, operated by Chuo Spring Corporation in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, caused the death of one worker and left two others injured. The factory supplies auto parts for Toyota. The RAV4 production has been halted for the second time in two years.
As Automotive News reports, Toyota suspended operations at its three production lines in Japan until March 10. This comprises one production line at the Takaoka assembly plant, manufacturing the RAV4 and Harrier, along with two more lines where the RAV4 is assembled.
The company stated that it plans to reevaluate the circumstances. Toyota sources around 20% of its U.S. RAV4 supply from Japan. In a statement to Automotive News (AN), the automaker mentioned that the company is implementing measures to mitigate the production shortfall but could not provide a precise estimate of the potential impact.
Chuo Spring Corporation specializes in manufacturing suspension springs for Toyota, along with control cables used for parking brakes and hood releases. The production process generates significant amounts of fine metal dust, which can become extremely volatile under certain conditions.
In October 2023, an explosion at this facility caused injuries to multiple employees and forced the shutdown of 13 Toyota assembly lines. The incident, which took place in the factory’s steel drying furnace, disrupted the production of RAV4 and Land Cruiser models.
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