About Us - Supplier Relations

Public Visit Programme FAQ's

Toyota Manufacturing UK operates a Public Visit Programme which gives members of the general public the opportunity to visit our Burnaston site and learn more about the company. Subject to production restrictions, we normally accommodate up to 2,000 people per year. Bookings for visits are made strictly by application only.

How do I apply for a visit?

The first step is to register your interest on our website at www.toyotauk.com - about us - public visits - register your interest. You will then be required to re-visit the website and select 'Application' when you will be asked to complete an application form.

Who can visit?

Our visitors include schools, businesses, community groups, private individuals and Toyota customers. We try to put similar types of groups together to fill each visit.

Where does the visit take place?

The visit is based at the Toyota Motor Manufacturing (UK) Ltd Visitor Centre on the Burnaston site. The visit itself will include a short tour of our production facilities. Visitors should bring warm clothing and ensure that their arms are covered at all times.

What does the visit include?

All visits begin with a short registration session and refreshments in the Toyota Motor Manufacgturing (UK) Ltd Visitor Centre.

The visit content differs depending on the type of visit you have applied for, eg business, education or local community.

Business

Visitors make their way into the presentation hall for a brief presentation regarding Toyota in the UK and a summary of the world famous Toyota Production System. We will then walk you down to our Assembly building where you will undertake a walking tour. Please note that, for this particular visit, visitors will be required to wear safety over-shoes and will need to be able to walk on foot comfortably for approximately 45 minutes. An introduction to standardised work will also take place along with a group exercise which will involve some some hands-on activity.

Please note that University students will follow the same programme as business visitors.

Education

This particular category targets 14-17 year olds only. Students make their way into the presentation hall for a brief presentation regarding Toyota' s history which will be followed by a visit to the Weld shop on an electric tour train. The remainder of the morning will include a visit to our onsite recycling facility - Green Metals - as well as an introduction to standardised work which will involve some hands-on activity.

Please note, that the visit programmes for Primary Schools and Local Community groups are currently under review and will re-commence in Summer 2012.

All visits conclude with a short question and answer session.

Will I be required to wear personal protective equipment?

As previously mentioned, all visitors to our Weld shop should ensure that their arms are covered at all times. Visitors will also be required to wear a hard hat and safety glasses during the shopfloor tour. These items will be provided for you.

Business visitors will be required to wear safety over shoes and a high viz vest during the walking tour of our Assembly shop. Visitors are more than welcome to bring their own safety shoes, otherwise safety over-shoes will be provided. Please note that the safety over-shoes are designed for use with flat, enclosed shoes.

How long does a visit normally last?

The visit normally lasts around 3 hours.

What time of the day do visits take place?

Visits take place twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, beginning at 0900hrs and concluding around mid-day. We regret we are unable to offer afternoon or evening visits.

How many people can I bring on a visit?

The demand for visits is very high; we therefore limit the number of people per party in order to give more people/organisations the opportunity to visit our facility. We try to mix each party with similar groups in order to fill each visit.

For Business visits, we can accommodate a maximum of 30 people per visit, however, business visitors will be restricted to a maximum of 3 people per organisation.

For Educational visits, we can accommodate a maximum of 20 people per visit. No restrictions apply.

Do you provide refreshments and can we dine there?

We provide refreshments on arrival. However, we do not provide snacks or meals and you are unable to purchase these during the visit.

Do you have a minimum age limit for the visit?

For health and safety reasons, the minimum age of any visitor is 7 years old.

How much do you charge for the visit?

We do not charge for the visit but do request a small donation to our charity of the year. We recommend £10 per person (not applicable to school visits). Cash or cheque can be accepted on the day. Cheques should be made payable to Toyota Manufacturing UK Charitable Trust.

Am I able to take photographs during the visit?

The taking of photographs is permitted within the visitor centre itself but not during the guided tour.

Am I able to choose the date I visit?

Whilst we recognise that there may be certain times of the year when you would prefer to visit, visit dates will be allocated as and when they become available. Once the application form is released, please specify on the appropriate section on the form if there are dates when you know you will be unable to attend.

Can I park near to the Visitor Centre?

Yes, there is a car park directly outside the visitor centre.

Can you tailor the visit to meet my specific area of interest?

The visit is intended to be a general overview covering various areas of interest. You will be able to ask for further information on your area of interest during the question and answer session. As we have a large range of visitors with many diverse interests, we are unable to tailor the content according to your specific area of interest.

Should you be interested in a more indepth visit to our facility, you may be interested in the Lean Approach Seminars which , typically, take place around six times a year.

This gives businesses the opportunity to meet our Senior Management team in order to understand TPS in more details, our approach to quality and human resource management. There will also be an opportunity to choose between a number of workshops including visual control, practical problem solving or kaizen.

For further details, please refer to the home page and open the icon in the top right corner labelled "Business Benchmarking Seminars".

How do I get there?

Our factory is located on the A38/A50, 6 miles south of Derby.
From M1 northbound: Leave the M1 at junction 24 (signposted Nottingham South). Approach the roundabout using the left hand lane. At the roundabout take the second exit to join the A50 towards Stoke on Trent/Derby. Continue on the A50 to the junction with the A38.
From the M1 southbound: Leave the M1 at junction 24 (signposted to Stoke on Trent A50) and join the A50 for Stoke (fourth exit on the roundabount) continue to the junction with the A38.
Or leave the M1 at junction 28 and join the A38 southbound towards Birmingham/Burton on Trent and continue until the junction with the A50.
From M6: Leave the M6 at junction 15 to join the A50 through Stoke towards Derby continue to the junction with the A38.
From M42: Leave the M42 at junction 9 to join the A446 for Lichfield. Then join the A38 northbound towards Burton on Trent and continue to the junction with the A50.
Or from the M42 join the M6 toll road northbound and pay to leave the toll road at junction T5 to join the A38 northbound. Travel on the A38 northbound towards Burton on Trent and continue to the junction with the A50.

If my application is successful, will I receive further confirmation of my visit nearer to the visit date, for example, by e-mail or telephone?

No. If your application is successful, you will receive online confirmation and a confirmation e-mail. Once you have received this confirmed booking with a booking reference number (online and via e-mail), you will not receive any further confirmation by e-mail or phone nearer to the visit date. With regret Toyota Motor Manufacturing (UK) Ltd may occasionally have to cancel visits at short notice - if this is the case, we will contact you. In order to confirm your visit, we require the name of each attendee at least one week in advance of your visit. Please complete the list of your attendees online as follows: -

Visit the website at www.toyotauk.com
Follow the route: Homepage -> About Us -> Public Visits -> Application
Enter your unique username & password
Move to the bottom of the confirmation page
Click on 'Enter Names Now'.
Enter names in the spaces provided (one name per space)
Click 'Save and Continue'

Failure to complete these details may result in your booking being cancelled.

Who can I contact if I need help completing the registration/booking form?

Email visits@toyotauk.com and we will endeavour to respond as quickly as possible.