Japanese Monozukuri Practices in the Automotive Industry - Toronto, Ontario | Print |


This spring, JETRO Toronto took the reins of the JETRO Monozukuri series by organizing a fifth seminar in the related series. Despite taking place during a crisis in the automotive industry and a faltering macro economy, the underlying themes within monozukuri and the long-term mindset needed for sustaining automotive suppliers were successfully conveyed to the audience. The Toronto seminar featured the following highlights:

  • The luncheon keynote address offered a perspective on the automotive industry from the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA). David Worts of JAMA Canada highlighted trends and forecasts in the Japanese automotive sector in Japan and North America.
  • The Toronto seminar also began with a keynote address from the President of DENSO Manufacturing Tennessee, Yoshihiro Saka. Again, the importance of human resource development, or hitozukuri, was a major theme of Saka's presentation as he explained DENSO's commitment to the company most valuable asset – its employees.
  • The panel session of this seminar featured two speakers from the previous Indianapolis seminar of 2008; Dave Thomas of Keihin, Inc. and Fred Gehring of Woodstock Stampings, Inc.
  • Dave Thomas discussed Keihin's two fundamental beliefs, summarized as "Respect for the Individual” and "The Five Joys” (Joy to the Customer; Shareholders; Ourselves; Society; and Suppliers). He also looked at four keys to successful integration into a foreign culture: communication; ‘Gemba' (the "place where truth can be found”) on the plant floor; building a business relationship; and global cost competitiveness through local procurement.
  • Fred Gehring gave a Canadian company's perspective of Woodstock Stampings' challenges and successes of doing business with Honda, in particular explaining how his company completed its first deal with Keihin in order to enter the Honda supply chain.
  • The panel session was moderated by Gerry Fedchun, President of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers Association, who offered additional insight on the automotive supplier industry in Canada.

To view the full summary of this event, please click here.

Organizers:
JETRO Toronto (JETRO Canada)
Automotive Parts Manufacturers Association (APMA)
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT)
Japan Auto Parts Industries Association (JAPIA)

Supporting Organizations:
Toronto Japanese Association of Commerce & Industry (Shokokai)
JETRO Chicago (JETRO USA)

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