Yanmar – Factory Tour
Yanmar is a leading global brand in the design and manufacture of high-performance diesel engines. Their engines are used in a wide variety of applications such as agricultural and construction equipment, marine vessels as well as industrial and energy systems. The company also manufactures its own agricultural, construction and industrial machines and has a well-established global sales and service network operating in more than 130 countries.
Corporate Information
- Company: Yanmar Holdings Co., Ltd.
- Foundation: 1912
- Location: Headquartered in Osaka Prefecture
- Main Business: Manufacturing of diesel engines and related machines
Yanmar – Lean Characteristics
Leveled Production (Heijunka), Kaizen, Visual Management
Yanmar is a Japanese high-performance diesel engine manufacturer headquartered in Osaka. The company was founded by Magokichi Yamaoka in 1912. Born to a poor farming family and having witnessed the hard life of many farmers, Magokichi had a strong desire to “reduce the burden of the common laborer through the power of machinery”. Under his leadership, the company developed and released the world’s first commercially viable small diesel engine in 1933, which was well suited to the demands of agricultural application and made farming work easier and faster for many farmers. Magokichi’s legacy of innovation and environmental awareness have been reflected in their high-quality products.
The Yanmar Biwa Factory was established in 1955 and is located near Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture. The factory is fitted with cutting-edge production equipment and has developed itself to be a highly flexible plant to meet the diverse needs of their customers. They produce a wide range of vertical water-cooled diesel engines in a high-mix low-volume production environment. The factory achieves flexible manufacturing through leveled production also known as Heijunka in Japanese.
The factory actively promotes and facilitates kaizen activities and great examples of kaizen ideas implemented are on display. The factory tour also features effective use of laser guided vehicles (LGV) as well as excellent visual management tools used throughout the shop floor.
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
It was great experiencing factories that have implemented simple and effective processes in the right manner. I enjoyed the stories from each sensei on their journey of kaizen and how they implemented it within their factories. Shinka Management were incredible hosts, the whole tour was seamless and the content was really valuable. This tour has…
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Manila, Philippines
The tour was highly professional. The food and hotels were excellent, and the best part was the learning experience. We had hands-on exposure to kanban, and seeing Lean and Kaizen in action during the factory visits was extremely informative. The Q&A sessions provided us with deeper insights into the thinking of each management team we…
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Adelaide, SA, Australia
A great housing mission and supported by a passionate and knowledgeable team. The mission had a good mix of Japanese building technology and manufacturing, overlaid with Kaizen and Toyota Production System principles. Participants were also able to take up opportunities to experience the best of Japanese culture. A fantastic all-round learning event.
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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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Adelaide, SA, Australia
The Japan Housing Mission was a fantastic experience. It was insightful, highly informative, and very well run. The team at Shinka Management were great hosts and delivered a well-curated program with genuine depth and access. It was a great opportunity to connect with industry peers and build meaningful relationships, and I’ve come away with a…
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Phenix City, Alabama, United States
Participating in the Shinka Management lean tour was an absolutely transformative experience. The opportunity to witness lean principles in action across renowned factories and a cutting-edge hospital offered unparalleled insights into operational excellence. The factory visits were a masterclass in efficiency and continuous improvement. Observing Toyota Production System methodologies firsthand—from Gemba walks to 5S practices…
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The Shinka Management Lean Japan Tour is a professional development program run by our team of lean manufacturing consultants 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.