Client Testimonials

Martin Mraz, CEO

Refima
Bratislavska, Horna Streda, Slovakia

I would like to thank Shinka Management for the opportunity to participate in this tour.

The team did a great job, and I felt very comfortable throughout the whole program. Everything was organised precisely.

I learned and saw many new lean methods, and it was especially valuable that we could also practise these methods ourselves.

The company visits were really inspiring, and they confirmed for me that we have to work hard if we want to be a leader in our market.

Thank you for everything.
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Lucie Solon, Biomedical Engineering Lecturer

University of Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah, United States

The tour exceeded my expectations. I joined the tour wanting to see first-hand the unfiltered application of Lean principles in Japanese factories and hear from people with direct experience of Lean concepts in Japan. All of that was covered in addition to immersive cultural experiences such as the venues selected for dinner, tours of museums and interactive activities to deepen our exposure to Japanese culture. I congratulate the team for putting together such a fantastic program.

Alex Burgess, Lean GBS Lead

Manthorpe Building Products
Ripley, England, United Kingdom

The Shinka Lean Japan Tour provided an exceptional opportunity to experience Lean thinking and the Toyota Production System (TPS) at its source. Seeing manufacturing operations firsthand brought the principles of continuous improvement and waste elimination to life in a way that classroom learning alone cannot achieve.

One of the most valuable aspects of the tour was gaining a deeper understanding of how TPS is embedded within organisational culture. Concepts such as genba (go and see), standardised work, visual management, problem-solving through root cause analysis, and the relentless pursuit of Kaizen were demonstrated in practical, real-world environments. It became clear that sustainable operational excellence is achieved not through isolated improvement projects, but through leadership commitment, employee engagement, and disciplined daily management.

The tour reinforced the importance of viewing processes through the eyes of the customer, identifying non-value-adding activities, and creating systems that enable quality, efficiency, and continuous learning. Observing how Japanese organisations empower frontline teams to solve problems and drive improvements highlighted the critical role of people in any successful Lean transformation.

I would highly recommend the Shinka Lean Japan Tour to anyone involved in operational excellence, continuous improvement, manufacturing, or business transformation. The combination of factory visits, expert facilitation, and exposure to authentic Toyota Production System practices provides valuable insights that can be applied across a wide range of industries and organisations.

Tiago Anderson Faria, COO & Head of Sales

Kromberg & Schubert do Brasil
Sao Paulo, Brazil

The Lean Japan Tour has been an exceptional learning experience, combining practical training, company visits and direct exposure to the real Japanese approach to Lean. The program helped me better understand standardized work, Kaizen, 5S, visual management, leadership at the gemba, and respect for people. What impressed me most was how discipline, culture and continuous improvement are connected in daily operations.

The organization led by the Shinka Management Team was impeccable, with excellent coordination, clear communication and strong support throughout the journey. I strongly recommend this tour to leaders who want to deepen their Lean thinking and bring practical improvements back to their organizations.

Pete Robbins, General Manager

Centurion Framing Systems
Perth, WA, Australia

I would like to personally thank the Shinka team for a well-organised week that definitely opened my eyes on elements of Lean Management as well as some great ideas related to Japanese construction processes.
I’m looking forward to getting back to our business and putting these elements into play with the whole team. I think this is definitely a sign of a worthwhile and informative tour!
Thanks again to Paul, Eri, Ichi and Chris for your efforts to keep us engaged and on time for the week’s tour.
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Paul Nardinocchi, Managing Director

Centina
Adelaide, SA, Australia

Thank you to the Shinka team for a wonderful experience in Japan. The housing mission was professionally organised and executed by Paul, Eri, and the team. The lead-up information provided before heading to Japan was excellent and greatly helped with preparation.

Once in Japan, the tour was so efficient that we were able to see many aspects of Japanese housing and manufacturing. Even though there was so much travel, information, and factory visits packed into the mission, it was so seamlessly organised that the whole experience remained comfortable. This helped us stay prepared to learn each day of the mission.

The Japanese food and cultural experiences were magnificent throughout. The translation by Ichi-san was outstanding and added greatly to the experience.

Thank you to the Shinka team for a wonderful experience.

Steve Canning, Managing Director

Centurion Building Products
Perth, WA, Australia

I recently completed a study tour in Japan with Shinka Management and it was an excellent experience. The tour was extremely well organised, allowing us to focus on learning and gaining real value. The insights into Lean and Japanese home building were first class, with practical takeaways I can apply in our business.

Thanks to Paul, Eri, Ichi and Chris for their professionalism and support throughout. I’d highly recommend Shinka Management to any business leader wanting to better understand Lean and world-class practices.
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John Scott, Head of Innovation and Improvement

Centina
Adelaide, SA, Australia

A great housing mission and supported by a passionate and knowledgable team. The mission had a good mix of Japanese building technology and manufacturing, overlayed with Kaizen and Toyota Production System principles. Participants were also able to take up opportunities to experience the best of Japanese culture. A fantastic all-round learning event.
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Adam Clark, General Manager

Della Vita
Perth, WA, Australia

I recently had the opportunity to participate in the Japan Housing Mission with Shinka Management, and it was an outstanding experience from start to finish.

The program was exceptionally well organised, with a clear structure that combined informative seminars, practical site visits, and valuable industry insights. The factory and company tours were a real highlight, providing a firsthand look at world-class manufacturing practices and how lean principles are applied in real environments.

Shinka Management delivered a professional, seamless experience throughout, from logistics and accommodation to the quality of content and access to leading organisations. The exposure to Japanese lean methodologies and the opportunity to engage directly with industry experts made the experience both highly relevant and immediately applicable.

I would strongly recommend Shinka Management and the Japan Housing Mission to anyone looking to deepen their understanding of lean thinking, improve operational efficiency, and gain a global perspective on manufacturing and construction excellence.
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Heather Wasley, Director

Grieve Gillett Architects
Adelaide, SA, Australia

The Japan Housing Mission was a fantastic experience. It was insightful, highly informative, and very well run. The team at Shinka Management were great hosts and delivered a well-curated program with genuine depth and access. It was a great opportunity to connect with industry peers and build meaningful relationships, and I’ve come away with a lot to think about. I would recommend attendance to anyone interested in the future of housing, modular construction and integrated delivery.
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Angela Gasek – Owner

Epic Polymer Solutions
North Grafton, Massachusetts, United States

We had training with Paul on the topic of Japanese management practices. The training booklet provided was top notch as was the time he spent with us. He focused on information that was most relevant to our company. We learned about the culture, doing business in Japan and pitfalls to avoid from someone who does business in Japan himself. This made the session really useful for us. Paul is an expert on this subject matter, we learned a lot and are looking into doing other trainings offered by Shinka Management.
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Paul Vane, HR Manager

SRS New Zealand
Christchurch, Cantebury, New Zealand

I was very pleased to join the March 2026 Shinka Management Lean Tour in Japan. Having previously worked with the Toyota Way and Kaizen in the early 1990s, I was keen to revisit this manufacturing philosophy, and the opportunity to see Lean in action in Japan was not to be missed.

The tour was outstanding. The training provided was excellent, particularly the hands-on sessions that allowed us to practice and fully understand what Kaji-sensei had taught. These Lean and Kaizen concepts were further reinforced through five factory visits, where we saw the philosophy and culture in action and gained a clear understanding of how to do more with less.

The entire tour ran seamlessly from start to finish. As a first-time visitor to Japan, I also appreciated the excellent organisation by the Shinka Management team, including quality accommodation, meals, and cultural experiences. Everything was very well arranged.

I learned a great deal from this tour and would thoroughly recommend it to anyone interested in Lean Management, whether new to the concept or already on the journey. It provides valuable insight into opportunities that may already exist within your organisation.

Thank you to Paul, Jan, Kaji-sensei, and Ichi for making this such an enjoyable and rewarding learning experience.

Matt Stein, CEO

Signs Inc.
Adelaide, SA, Australia

I recently completed the Lean Manufacturing Tour of Japan and can highly recommend it to anyone in manufacturing or looking to further their understanding of Lean principles. The tour was highly educational and provided me with a clear understanding of the short-, medium-, and long-term improvements I can implement to strengthen the business.
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Liam Stratford, RWC & Compliance

KS Metal Fabrications
Sydney, NSW, Australia

The Shinka Management Lean Japan Tour was a truly eye-opening experience, offering valuable insights into Lean strategies and broader team-building skills. As someone early in my leadership journey, I found the experience particularly impactful.

I would highly recommend this tour not only to experienced managers, but also to emerging leaders. I look forward to applying the skills and perspectives gained to shape the next chapter of my career.

Jamie Kavanagh, Operations Manager

Ideal Corp
Sydney, NSW, Australia

This tour with Shinka Management in Japan was an incredible experience and one of the most eye-opening opportunities in my professional career.

Seeing the Toyota Production System firsthand and learning directly from experts about Lean Manufacturing, Kaizen, and 5S provided insights that simply can’t be gained from books or seminars alone. Visiting world-class factories and observing how continuous improvement is embedded into daily operations was both inspiring and highly informative.

It’s clear why Toyota remains one of the most efficient and successful manufacturers in the world.

The Shinka team delivered an extremely well-organised program, combining factory visits, expert seminars, and cultural insights that made the learning practical and immediately applicable.

I highly recommend the Shinka Management Lean Japan Tour to any leader, manager, or business owner looking to truly understand Lean thinking and operational excellence.

Overall, it is a well-organised tour focused on Lean Manufacturing that enables participants to hit the ground running, with strong support and encouragement to learn and develop.

Gopal Sakala, SKF Production System Champion

SKF India
Pune, Maharashtra, India

The Lean Japan Tour by Shinka Management was a truly impactful experience. The learning on Kanban, Standardized Work, Karakuri, and Japanese factory structure was practical, insightful, and directly relevant to strengthening lean culture in our operations.

What inspired me most was seeing leaders in the Japanese companies we visited personally demonstrate discipline, respect for standards, and strict adherence to rules—a powerful reminder that leadership behaviour sets the foundation for a lean organisation.

The Shinka Management team, including Eri, Paul, Ichi, and Jan, displayed outstanding professionalism and hospitality, ensuring every visit, discussion, and learning session was smooth, respectful, and deeply enriching.

This tour is a must for anyone serious about deepening their lean mindset and bringing back actionable ideas for continuous improvement.

Angela Topham, Business Partner

Topdrill
Kalgoorlie, WA, Australia

This tour was very well thought out—a busy, fast-paced week that provided a strong range of learning and practical application of the Toyota Production System. The program was thoughtfully structured to apply knowledge gained directly into the factory visits, while also offering valuable insight into Japanese business and culture. I absolutely loved the experience. Thank you.
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Mark Stratford, Director

KS Metal Fabrications
Sydney, NSW, Australia

The lean study tour to Japan with Shinka Management is something I cannot recommend highly enough for anyone looking to improve their business using lean tools and the Toyota Production System.

I learned a great deal, particularly around the softer skills of working with people—insights that can only truly be gained by seeing them in practice. It was an excellent study tour, and the team made it a wonderful experience. Highly recommended.

Akash Hirani, Director

Metalair
Sydney, NSW, Australia

I am finishing my final day of the Lean Tour with Shinka Management, and the experience has been nothing short of transformative. For anyone serious about mastering the Toyota Production System (TPS), this tour in Japan is a must.

Shinka provides a masterclass in combining detailed theoretical frameworks with hands-on practical training. Seeing the concepts in action across four distinct plant visits provided a perspective that no textbook can replicate. Capping the experience off with the Toyota Museum offered a profound look at the heritage and evolution behind these world-class standards.

I’m returning to my team with not just new tools, but a new lens through which to view efficiency and Kaizen. Highly recommended for any leader looking to see world-class manufacturing in its purest form.

Sudhir Chougule, SKF Production System Champion, Global

SKF India
Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

I had a great experience with Shinka Management on the Lean Japan Tour. The program was very well planned in terms of timing, tour structure, and site visits. The team demonstrated a high level of professionalism in organising and delivering the tour. I would highly recommend Shinka for anyone considering a Lean Japan Tour.
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