America's Blood Centers Honors Manufacturer
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The company is renowned worldwide for its focus on efficiency and just-in-time manufacturing. So, when other businesses claim they don’t have time to host a blood drive, the Kentucky Blood Center highlights its most prolific donor group up as an example to follow.
Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky will be spotlighted nationally for its commitment to blood donation when it is named Corporation of the Year by America’s Blood Centers March 16 in Washington, D.C. Dan May, a human resources specialist with Toyota who is their blood drive chairperson and a KBC board member, will accept the award at a ceremony there.
“Toyota has worked tirelessly with the blood center to ensure that every team member has the opportunity to donate blood regularly,” said William S. Reed, KBC president & CEO.
Reed said that blood drives are held three times a year for all shifts at the factory.
“They’re extremely deserving of this award,” Reed said. “The depth of their commitment is unparalleled.”
The award is given by America’s Blood Centers, a national association of non-profit community blood centers, to the company recognized as the finest corporate example of blood donation support.
At the factory in Georgetown, an astonishing 21% of its employees are regular blood donors, more than four times the national average. In the general population, only 5% of the public donates blood.
The factory’s 20-year commitment to the blood center is extensive:
- 134 week-long blood drives beginning since 1988 (670 days of actual drawing)
- More than 40,300 productive units drawn
- Now hosts three week-long blood drives annually
- Financial contributions to the blood center in excess of $250,000.
- Executive management support of blood center community activities and Board of Director membership
“Each team is off the line for about an hour to donate blood, so it is a serious commitment
by the company,” May said. “We recognize the need for safe and adequate blood supply.”
In addition to its blood drives, Toyota has supported the blood center in other ways. Toyota’s $250,000 financial contribution in 2005 was essential for KBC to begin construction of its state-of-the-art Lexington headquarters that was completed in 2007.
Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky is the largest Toyota manufacturing and assembly plant in North America. Their facility consists of over 7.5 million square feet situated on 1,300 acres just north of Lexington, Kentucky. The facility currently employs 7,000 team members.
The Kentucky Blood Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring a safe, adequate blood supply for patients at nearly 70 Kentucky hospitals and clinics in more than 60 counties. In the past year KBC processed and distributed 82,000 red blood cell units and 127,000 blood components in total.