MBtech News.

The first Japanese seminar tour in cooperation with JEB interlogue GmbH.

A Japanese seminar tour took place from the 11^th to the 18^th of November 2006 in cooperation with JEB interlogue. The primary goal was to decipher the secrets behind the outstanding success of the implementation of Lean Management principles in Japan. The tour focused on order control via JIT, pull/Kanban, flow manufacture with Chaku-Chaku lines, TPM strategies, Jidoka, low-cost automation, KAIZEN as well as management topics including Hoshin Kanri, shop floor organization and employee empowerment.

The tour group visited six companies from the automotive industry and their suppliers together with managers from key MBtech Consulting customers. The group visited the Toyota Tsutsumi Plant, Bosch Togichi, the KYB Gifu & Kita Plant, the INOAC Toyohashi Plant and the KSK Togichi Plant.

In addition to a tour of the plant each company visit also focused on intensive discussions with the management. The following discussions and workshops attempted to "expose" the key factors of the best practice companies.

The Japanese managers were extremely open, readily sharing their knowledge and pinpointing success factors.

All of the members of the team, regardless of their prior knowledge, felt that they were able to considerably expand their knowledge. The members of the group have come a clear step closer to their primary goal of learning to advance the implementation in their own areas of responsibility. The group has since gone on to spontaneously form learning groups which will continue working on the key issues. The group plans to publish its results.

As a result of the outstanding feedback from the event another Japanese seminar tour is planned for May 2007.