Panasonic Eco Technology Center – Factory Tour
Panasonic Eco Technology Center (PETEC) was founded in 2000 with the aim to recover and recycle resources from end-of-life home appliances such as TVs, refrigerators, washing machines and air conditioners. Being a part of the Panasonic Group, the center promotes recycling-oriented manufacturing under the slogan of “product-to-product”. PETEC is one of the few recycling centers in Japan that has an on-site R&D laboratory.
Corporate Information
- Company: Panasonic Eco Technology Center Co., Ltd.
- Foundation: 2000
- Location: Kato City, Hyogo Prefecture
- Main Business: Recycling of used home appliances, research and development of recycling technology
PETEC – Lean Characteristics
Standard Work, 5S, Visual Management
In 2001, the Home Appliance Recycling Law went into full effect in Japan which made recycling of end-of-life home electric appliances a legal requirement. Against this backdrop, Panasonic Eco Technology Center (PETEC) was established in 2000 and began its full operation in 2001 as an advanced base of operations for recycling-oriented manufacturing.
During our visit we are provided with the opportunity to see the shop floor operation, and a detailed explanation of each work process and technologies used to streamline the operation is provided by a PETEC staff member.
The shop floor is divided into several zones with different colors based on the type of appliances being recycled. A team of skilled operators work efficiently and safely in each zone on the line by following a standard work sequence.
Visitors to the PETEC can also appreciate a high level of 5S and good visual management practices in place.
The Lean Japan Tour with Shinka Management was an inspiring and transformative experience. Seeing lean practices in action and learning from Japanese companies was truly eye-opening. This journey has motivated me to embrace lean principles in my own work. Big thanks to Shinka Management for such an enriching program — I highly recommend it!
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To do a lean learning tour with Shinka is definitely highly recommended. As lean is a personal journey for everyone who is involved in this topic, it doesn’t matter at which point of your journey you are in. At each level of personal experience there is a lot that you can take home with you.…
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Thank you for the well-organized and informative tour. It can be distracting to read and attend lectures about lean, but when combined with practical training and actual visits to the home of lean, it helps to clarify and connect all the dots. The tour was an eye-opening experience where we witnessed lean manufacturing principles in…
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The fact that you can go past all the books and see the Toyota Production System in action first hand is fantastic. It is not sold in a complicated form by those involved but rather the opposite. The training room was found to be hands on and simple allowing us to touch and feel examples…
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I am deeply grateful to Shinka Management, and to Paul, Eri and Ichi, for an outstanding Lean Japan Tour experience. Their expertise and hospitality made the journey both educational and enjoyable. The insights gained from visiting world-class lean organizations were invaluable, and the dedication of the Shinka team to ensuring we absorbed practical knowledge was…
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My experience on the Lean Japan Tour was much more than expected. I’ve come to realise that there’s much more for me to learn regarding TPS. The program is excellent in terms of the content, but also, and no less important, the personalized attention made me feel like I am a member of the Shinka…
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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.