Kikuchi Gear – Factory Tour
Kikuchi Gear is a well-established gear manufacturer based in the city of Ashikaga, Tochigi Prefecture. The company has 140 employees spread across their head office and six factories. Their products are used in leading-edge industrial products in the aerospace, automotive, construction machinery and printing sectors.
Corporate Information
- Company: Kikuchi Gear Inc.
- Foundation: 1940
- Location: Ashikaga, Tochigi Prefecture
- Main Business: Manufacturing of gears, gearboxes and gear pumps
Kikuchi Gear – Lean Characteristics
5S, Kaizen Suggestion Scheme
Kikuchi Gear is based in Ashikaga City, Tochigi Prefecture. The city is known as the City of 5S where over 200 factories and workplaces engage in 5S activities on a daily basis. This program is promoted by the Ashikaga Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Kikuchi Gear is one of the companies actively involved in the city’s 5S program.
The company produces a wide variety of high-quality gear products which are used in leading-edge industrial products in the aerospace, automotive, construction machinery and printing sectors. The quality products they need to produce in line with customer needs are achieved through their flexible production facilities.
Profit is key for any SME’s sustainability, and Kikuchi Gear recognizes that an organization of people with capability in kaizen will form a more resilient and stronger company to generate that profit. The visit to the company showcases Kikuchi Gear’s kaizen suggestion scheme as well as excellent examples of 5S. Kikuchi Gear are continually thinking about the future needs of society and their role within it.
The plant tour includes a presentation, a site tour and a Q&A session with senior managers.
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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Coomooroo, South Australia, Australia
From a remote rural engineering company – to the shining lights of Japan’s finest. I have returned overwhelmed from the experience to learn from some of the worlds best manufacturers and absorb decades of experience from my fellow peers. Highly recommended and treat it as a sound investment for your company’s future!
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Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
I joined the tour with little understanding of lean. This tour opened my eyes to the possibilities of what can be achieved through continued focus on improvement and team work at all levels. The plant tours showcase the Kaizen and 5S principles perfectly. The surprising thing for me is that safety and quality were paramount…
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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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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…
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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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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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