Toyota Motor Corp., Japan's biggest automaker, has introduced an electronic version of its "just in time" procurement system in Europe, company officials said Tuesday.
Until now, the company has issued orders and instructions to suppliers by fax and mail; from now on that will be done via the Internet.
Toyota intends to raise the local procurement of parts and improve earnings by rationalizing inventory management, the officials said.
Toyota designed the just-in-time system to minimize inventories based on the concept of producing products only when necessary.