Why a Japanese Toilet Maker Belongs in the AI Supply Chain

The company behind Japan’s heated toilets also makes precision ceramics used in semiconductor manufacturing. TOTO’s role in that supply chain sent Grace Sharkey and me down a very unexpected rabbit hole. Fresh from my trip to Japan, I compare notes with Grace about what we noticed there. We talk about the care behind everyday products, the food we still think about, and the maritime details at Tokyo DisneySea. This standalone Freight Friends segment connects an unusual manufacturing story with the places we experienced firsthand. In this segment: • How TOTO’s precision ceramics support chipmaking • Japan through a honeymoon and a student exchange • Food, everyday design and Tokyo DisneySea’s maritime world Listen to the full Freight Friends conversation: https://everythingislogistics.com/freight-friends-edi-fees-ai-hype-vs-reality-and-totos-ceramics-that-secretly-power-chip-manufacturing/ Links mentioned: TOTO’s electrostatic chucks: https://jp.toto.com/en/products/ceramics/elewafer/ ----------------------------------------- THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS! SPI Logistics has been a Day 1 supporter of this podcast which is why we're proud to promote them in every episode. During that time, we've gotten to know the team and their agents to confidently say they are the best home for freight agents in North America for 40 years and counting. Listen to past episodes to hear why. CargoRex is the search engine for the logistics industry—connecting LSPs with the right tools, services, events, and creators to explore, discover, and evolve. Digital Dispatch maximizes and manages your #1 sales tool with a website that establishes trust and builds rock-solid relationships with your leads and customers.