Ishii Machinery – Factory Tour
Ishii Machinery is a well-established SME manufacturer based in the city of Ashikaga, Tochigi Prefecture, with 70 employees. The company engineers and manufactures a wide range of industrial precision components and equipment which are mainly supplied to the automotive and aerospace industries.
Corporate Information
- Company: Ishii Machinery Co., Ltd.
- Foundation: 1888
- Location: Ashikaga, Tochigi Prefecture
- Main Business: Manufacturing of industrial precision components and equipment
Ishii Machinery – Lean Characteristics
5S, Just-In-Time Production
Ishii Machinery shares a history of monozukuri (Japanese art of making things – manufacturing) with the likes of Toyota and Suzuki Motor. Their origins lie in the manufacturing and sales of loom machines in the 1800s. Their product lines have expanded to equipment and components for the aerospace, automotive and other sectors.
Based in Ashikaga City which is known as the City of 5S where over 200 organizations participate in 5S activities on a daily basis, the company also has been actively involved in the Ashikaga-style 5S Program. 5S is used as the basis for their Just-In-Time production control system in only producing and transporting what is required, at the time it is required, in the quantity it is required. This is their response to the increasing expectations of their customers and society in general.
The plant tour includes a presentation, a site tour and a Q&A session with senior managers.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
The tour was a great experience on both a personal and a professional level. There was much learning and the culture we encountered was inspiring. I want to thank the Shinka Management team for their efforts in organising such a great and professionally detailed program. It was a pleasure meeting you all.
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Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
A high quality, professional and first-hand experience of how just-in-time and lean are mastered. Great for professional development and a genuine motivator to go further using the lean tools available. A marvelous cultural experience.
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Dubai, United Arab Emirates
It was a fasntastic tour from the beginning to the end. It was very well-organised and informative. Sessions were followed with practical training which concentrated more on the ideas that had been explained. The factories visited were chosen in a way that allowed the participants to see a live supply chain work. Big thanks to…
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Riverlands, Marlborough, New Zealand
Personally and professionally I found the week extraordinarily rewarding – not only as a fantastic Lean Japan Tour but as a cultural experience not to be missed. Imagine if you will… taking a group of people you had never met before, under your wing, in one of the most crowded cities in the world. Plenty…
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Greenwood, Mississippi, United States
I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to learn the Toyota Production System from the source. I look forward to implementing the many findings in our plant. This experience has given me a different approach to improving our plant’s lean journey. Thank you again for everything.
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Délégation Sfax Ville, Sfax, Tunisia
Enriched by an exceptional experience in Japan with Shinka Management, I delved into the nuances of Japanese culture and etiquette while immersing myself in the heart of the Toyota Production System. From theoretical and practical courses to visits to Toyota’s final assembly site and their suppliers, each step shaped my understanding. The impeccable organization, meticulous…
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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.
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