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Representatives from each plant participate in our Leaders' Meetings for Monozukuri Promotion. These meetings allow participants to discuss companywide policies, present examples of positive initiatives and share information. Our Production Technology Exchange Meetings, meanwhile, provide an opportunity for engineers to share information on component technologies and raise the Group's overall technical level.

Each plant in the Group has a monozukuri promotion leader (at the general manager or deputy general manager level) who acts as a contact person for Kobe Steel Group monozukuri promotion activities. The leaders gather for regularly held Leaders' Meetings for Monozukuri Promotion, at which Monozukuri Promotion Department-led initiatives are reported on, new proposals are discussed and shared challenges are identified.

Initiatives outlined during these meetings are then used as guidelines for improvement activities at each plant. When members are interested, we also arrange for on-site meetings to directly inspect the improvements introduced.

The Monozukuri Promotion Department uses the opinions and expectations gathered through discussion with the monozukuri promotion leaders to formulate which policies and measures it should pursue in the future.

The Kobe Steel Group holds Production Technology Exchange Meetings to allow engineers from different locations in shared technological fields to interact and exchange ideas.

The meetings currently include seven subcommittees split according to technological field, as shown in the diagram below.

These subcommittees surpass the walls between different business units and companies to the address issues of information-sharing, human resource development and business contributions.

Information-sharing is carried out through lectures. Lectures are carried out once or twice per year per subcommittee, with the location rotating between related company sites. At these lectures, information on exceptional advancements is shared by the persons directly involved.

Regarding human resource development, subcommittees identify the fundamental component technologies required in their field and then hold study workshops to improve their knowledge of these technologies. For instance, the Production Management Subcommittee holds in-residence study camps at different plants for young engineers to learn about advancements in place at the plant. During these programs, engineers at the plant explain the issue originally faced and the solutions reached. Participants increase their knowledge and experience by interacting directly with the plants' engineers, thereby raising the level of production management at all locations.

Regarding business contributions, project teams are formed in each subcommittee to address challenges shared throughout that technological field. For instance, the Energy-Saving Technologies Subcommittee put together an improvements team comprising specialists from throughout the Group. The team visited each site to implement a variety of activities designed to promote energy saving. Previously, individual locations engaged in their own improvements. By adding fresh outside experience, the team was able to propose more effective improvement plans.

Additionally, the promotion leaders from each subcommittee gather together twice per year for an All-Committee Production Technology Exchange Meeting. Information is shared more broadly at the all-committee meetings, with explanations of the initiatives being carried out in each subcommittee.

Production Technology Exchange Meetings

Production Technology Exchange Meeting Initiatives