Suzaki Industries – Factory Tour
Suzaki Industries is a SME with approximately 60 employees that produces pressed, welded and assembled components for the automotive industry. The company’s major customers are Toyota Group companies including Gifu Auto Body but it also supplies other car manufacturing companies.
Corporate Information
- Company: Suzaki Industries
- Foundation: 1953
- Location: Gifu Prefecture
- Main Business: automotive parts manufacturing
Suzaki Industries – Lean Characteristics
TPS, Kanban, Poka-Yoke, SMED
A visit to this small auto parts supplier will showcase a great example of a successful lean transformation of a company that was once on the brink of bankruptcy when Japan’s bubble economy burst. Under the leadership of former Chairman Suzaki, the company had adopted TPS and made tireless continuous efforts to eliminate waste from their processes while implementing kaizen improvement measures in order to survive and turn around their business.
The former chairman will lead us on a factory visit and discussion focusing on improvements that have been made over the years that has brought them up to the level required to be retained as a supplier to the Toyota Group.
The visit will also include a detailed explanation of the kanban system used within the factory, excellent examples of poka-yoke, a technique used in a lean manufacturing process to prevent human errors to achieve zero defect quality control as well as to implement safety measures. Demonstration of their efforts with SMED as well as an example of layout and process improvement for a production cell will also be demonstrated and discussed.
Pune, Maharashtra, India
The Lean Japan Tour by Shinka Management was a truly impactful experience. The learning on Kanban, Standardized Work, Karakuri, and Japanese factory structure was practical, insightful, and directly relevant to strengthening lean culture in our operations. What inspired me most was seeing leaders in the Japanese companies we visited personally demonstrate discipline, respect for standards,…
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Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
The thing about the Lean Japan Tour by Shinka Management is that it’s not focused only on production efficiency, but also involves the lean way of managing people & reducing waste as a path to improving an organization’s quality & efficiency. We had the chance to visit different plants, and the privilege of meeting sensei…
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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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Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
Participating in the Shinka Management Lean Japan Tour was a transformative experience. The tour offered a rare opportunity to witness world-class lean practices in action at leading Japanese organisations. From visiting Toyota’s manufacturing facilities to learning directly from lean practitioners, every moment was an invaluable learning experience. The insights gained into kaizen, waste reduction, and…
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Shanghai, China
I’d rate 100% for this trip. It fulfilled or even exceeded my expectations. Reasonable arrangement of class, practice and plant visits; and high quality service for everything during the trip.
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Shanghai, China
Shinka Management’s service here was truly exceptional. The staff were attentive, friendly, and made sure that every detail of our experience was perfect. They went above and beyond to ensure our comfort and satisfaction, and it was truly appreciated. Their hospitality was warm and welcoming, making us feel like valued guests.
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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.