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.
Zurich, Switzerland
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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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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Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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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Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
This service has added huge value to the Saudi Arabian Government-sponsored Tomoh Industrial SMEs. Thank you Shinka for the effort made to deliver this service in a very professional way.
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Astana, Kazakhstan
I personally believe that an understanding of lean as a holistic concept combined with lean tools is necessary for all managers in any business. Shinka Management introduced us to the origins of lean production and provided a great opportunity to observe real companies where TPS principles are both implemented and being polished daily. Important parts…
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Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
The training schedule is very tight and efficient, the class room training was practical and led by an experienced teacher from Toyota, and the tour visits covered a wide range of industries including car manufacturing, parts processing and healthcare.
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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.