JTEKT – Factory Tour
JTEKT Corporation is one of the Toyota Group companies that was created as a result of a merger between Koyo Seiko and Toyoda Machine Works. They are a major supplier of steering systems in the automotive sector, but also a manufacturer of bearings and machine tools for a variety of sectors including steel, railway, aerospace, construction, machinery, and others.
Corporate Information
- Company: JTEKT Corporation
- Establishment: 2006
- Location: Aichi Prefecture
- Main Business: manufacturing of steering systems, bearings, machine tools and mechatronics
JTEKT Corporation – Lean Characteristics
TPS, Kaizen, Smart Factory, IoE
JTEKT is a global manufacturing company that has 12 factories in Japan and over 40 production bases overseas. As a vital member of the Toyota Group, JTEKT thoroughly applies the Toyota Production System. However, the company is led by a set of guiding values called “JTEKT Way” and members of the JTEKT Group share a unified sense of the JTEKT values worldwide, which are made up of five key pillars summarized as: 1) customer first, 2) continuous kaizen, 3) aspiration for innovation, 4) teamwork and self-discipline and 5) ownership.
The company has been promoting a smart factory concept and recently been making a concerted effort to combine lean thinking with cutting-edge digital solutions through the introduction of IoE (Internet of Everything) into their operations. By connecting machinery and equipment to people and services, and processing the big data collected to be visible and actionable to people for analysis, weak points in the manufacturing processes can be better detected which were previously not always identifiable and quantifiable. As a result, more accurate decisions can be made to improve operations, and manufacturers are able to achieve next level efficiency, functionality, reliability and productivity.
Auckland, New Zealand
Paul, Eri and Ichi provided a fantastically well curated tour to the birthplace of continuous improvement. Hearing the theory, experiencing practical hands-on learning at the dojo, and then seeing the theory put into practice at a number of world class manufacturing plants was thought provoking, motivating and inspiring. Now the fun starts – putting theory…
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Fort Myers, Florida, United States
This was my first real experience with training tourism and it was a smashing success. Paul, Eri, and Ichi were professional and patient in their approach to dealing with the tour members and competent and knowledgeable on the subject of Lean/Kaizen. My time with them convinced me that this course of action is the right…
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Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Shinka is offering an outstanding lean tour delivering learning methods in different ways such as site visits at factories, seminars and practical training. Also, as part of the tour, major landmarks are included in the schedule to provide a clear picture about the Japanese culture and history. The tour is well organized and makes the…
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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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Brescia, Lombardy, Italy
Dear Paul, Thank you for the nice experience you and your team were able to provide me! It has been a very professional tour and even more a very nice human connection with you and Eri. You have built a nice team that makes people’s lives change! Ciao, Maurizio
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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…
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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.