TOTO Sanitechno – Factory Tour
TOTO is a very well-known corporate name in Japan and increasingly overseas. The company manufactures and markets ceramic bathroom ware including toilet basins, sinks, bathtubs, fittings and the famous Japanese toilet seats. TOTO Sanitechno is one of the TOTO Group companies with four production bases in Japan.
Corporate Information
- Company: TOTO Sanitechno
- Establishment: 1957
- Location: Headquartered in Oita Prefecture
- Main Business: Bathroom fixtures and sanitary ceramic ware manufacturing
TOTO Sanitechno – Lean Characteristics
QC Circle, Kaizen Suggestion Scheme, Visual Management
TOTO prides itself on offering high-quality innovative bathroom fixtures and sanitary ceramic ware which made it an iconic and much-desired brand in Japan.
The company has an active and well-structured QC circle program. QC circles are small groups made up of shop floor operators responsible for quality control. They voluntarily and continuously undertake activities that improve the quality of their products as well as the safety and efficiency of their operation. In addition, they have an effective kaizen suggestion scheme where employees are incentivized and awarded for their useful kaizen solution ideas.
The company also has a system and common format in place with which all important operation information relating to safety and quality is shared amongst all their plants promptly so that they can make corporate-wide efforts to improve their operations.
The presentation and factory tour at a TOTO Sanitechno plant will also provide a great insight into the visual management techniques used at TOTO to strive for high levels of quality and efficiency.
Amazing Tour. Great experience to see and share with Japanese managers. I learned a lot about their culture, their way to think, to work and to improve by themselves. Great moments during training and after work. Thanks a lot. We will return back home with a new eye and mindset.
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I’m back from Japan where I visited one of Toyota’s final assembly line and several Toyota suppliers. After my China industrial tour in 2018, I was really impressed by the lean manufacturing study tour organized by Shinka Management. The tour was an opportunity to better understand the history behind the Toyota Production System and to…
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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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It was an inspiring week with great learnings around lean and how it is applied across various levels of the supply chain. The tour also provides a nice glimpse into the Japanese culture with its amazing food and friendly people.
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I really liked the Lean Japan Tour, since it combines theoretical training, workshops and visits to different companies. It is different to see firsthand how the different methodologies work and take the time to understand that it is part of the organizational culture. Thank you Shinka Management team. Now let’s get to work…!!
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This trip really enlightened me in some specific lean topics and showed me all the beneficial aspects of lean manufacturing. The biggest take away for me was a deeper appreciation of not just the tools but the philosophy. The way the trip was organised and flowed was amazing. Thanks to Paul and David from 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.
The above form is for inquiries related to the Lean Japan Tour program, Shinka Management consulting and training services, and lean manufacturing software products. Shinka Management does not represent TOTO. For TOTO-related product and service inquiries, please contact TOTO directly.