TOTO Sanitechno – Factory Tour
TOTO is a very well-known corporate name in Japan and increasingly overseas. The company manufactures and markets ceramic bathroom ware including toilet basins, sinks, bathtubs, fittings and the famous Japanese toilet seats. TOTO Sanitechno is one of the TOTO Group companies with four production bases in Japan.
Corporate Information
- Company: TOTO Sanitechno
- Establishment: 1957
- Location: Headquartered in Oita Prefecture
- Main Business: Bathroom fixtures and sanitary ceramic ware manufacturing
TOTO Sanitechno – Lean Characteristics
QC Circle, Kaizen Suggestion Scheme, Visual Management
TOTO prides itself on offering high-quality innovative bathroom fixtures and sanitary ceramic ware which made it an iconic and much-desired brand in Japan.
The company has an active and well-structured QC circle program. QC circles are small groups made up of shop floor operators responsible for quality control. They voluntarily and continuously undertake activities that improve the quality of their products as well as the safety and efficiency of their operation. In addition, they have an effective kaizen suggestion scheme where employees are incentivized and awarded for their useful kaizen solution ideas.
The company also has a system and common format in place with which all important operation information relating to safety and quality is shared amongst all their plants promptly so that they can make corporate-wide efforts to improve their operations.
The presentation and factory tour at a TOTO Sanitechno plant will also provide a great insight into the visual management techniques used at TOTO to strive for high levels of quality and efficiency.
Nelson, New Zealand
Amazing experience, exceptional learning. If you want to learn about Lean go on this tour!
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Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
The program was well organised and structured. The whole Shinka team were amazing and very accommodating. To be honest I was not certain that lean was the right fit for our business. But the refresher in Japan has opened up my eyes as to how it can be practically applied. The lean tour has prompted…
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Nelson, New Zealand
I had several projects that I had been procrastinating on. They seemed too big, too complicated and I was actually struggling to know where to start. Without a word of a lie, after the first day I came back to my hotel room and wrote up the backbone of my strategy using the skills I…
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Rancagua, O'Higgins, Chile
The Lean Japan Tour allowed me to understand in a practical and conceptual way the real essence of just-in-time and operational efficiency. The dedication of the team and their attention to detail have made this an unforgettable experience.
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Auckland, New Zealand
During the Lean Japan Tour I came to the realization that improving an organization is not through large capital investments alone. We were completely surrounded by examples of minor investments into small improvements that produced significant savings. The clever use of visual management techniques gave a clear understanding of the current situation and Ben who…
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Gothenburg, Sweden
A great tour. Having spent over 20 years in manufacturing I now understand the true meaning of Kaizen.
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The Shinka Management Lean Japan Tour is a professional development program run several times annually. The program includes a mix of lean and kaizen seminars, hands-on lean training and visits to several benchmark lean companies. For further information and program dates, see the lean tour overview page.
Tour Inquiries
Interested in joining us in Japan? For additional information prior to registration please fill in the form provided or contact us.
The above form is for inquiries related to the Lean Japan Tour program, Shinka Management consulting and training services, and lean manufacturing software products. Shinka Management does not represent TOTO. For TOTO-related product and service inquiries, please contact TOTO directly.