Relationships with Customers Back Number (2012)
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Basic Approach
In accordance with the Minebea Quality Policy, the Minebea Group aims to fully satisfy customers in terms of quality, cost, supply capacity, and speed, working diligently to enhance its reputation as the most reliable component manufacturer.
As part of this effort, we place great emphasis on risk assessment at the product and process design stages, enabling us to provide our customers with products of consistently high quality.
Quality Management
Quality Management Framework
In conjunction with the enactment of its Product Safety Charter in FY1995, the Minebea Group established a Product Safety Committee. Since then, each production facility has worked to ensure the safety of products and services and prevent accidents. As we enter new business areas where the market demands ever-higher levels of quality and reliability, exemplified by the field of aircraft parts, the entire Minebea Group is working to continuously enhance quality. To this end, an overall Minebea Group Quality Management Manual was adopted in FY2007 to improve our quality management framework.
Under the quality management system, the Minebea Group established the Quality Management Committee as a support and advisory body for the President and Chief Executive Officer in his/her capacity as chief executive of quality management. This committee is tasked with monitoring the performance of each manufacturing headquarters.
The Minebea Group has also established a Quality Management Support Office to act as the secretariat for the Quality Management Committee, to give advice and propose improvements concerning quality management at each business unit or business headquarters, and to provide support for quality assurance and audits, and for dealing with critical quality problems.
Quality Management Framework
Quality Improvement Measures
Promoting Quality Management System Certification
The Minebea Group promotes the acquisition of certification for quality management systems (QMS) in each business unit.
In FY2011, the EMS Business Unit's manufacturing division acquired QMS certification for medical equipment (ISO 13485).
Responding to the Quality Control Examination
The Minebea Group believes that improving the quality control and quality enhancement ability of individual employees ultimately leads to improving the quality of the Minebea Group. Since September 2008, we have been encouraging employees to sit for the quality control examination (QC examination) conducted by the Japanese Standards Association (JSA) and Union of Japanese Scientists and Engineers (JUSE). In addition to covering employees' course fees, we distribute textbooks to improve their knowledge of quality management. There were 110 employees who sat for the examination in FY2011, 85 of whom passed. A total of 274 Minebea Group employees have passed the examination so far.
Thai Quality Improvement Teams Training
Employees taking part in a training session
In FY2011, six representatives of the Thai business units participated in quality improvement team training as a way to further enhance product quality. The twoweek training program at the Hamamatsu Plant included lectures on quality assurance and practical training on approaches to quality issue resolution.
Acquiring AEO Certification
The Minebea Group is strengthening and improving logistics management in order to perform trade and logistics properly and efficiently. As part of this initiative, the Group has begun taking measures to acquire Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) certification in Singapore, South Korea, and the EU. The Group is on track to acquire certification in Singapore by the end of FY2012.
Bar Code Management to Prevent Mistaken Shipments
The Minebea Group's logistics management system uses bar coding to prevent the mistaken shipment of products. Bearing products, for example, are inspected upon storage or retrieval from inventory at all the global sales warehouses. At this time, the model and specifications of all products must be verified by bar code. From FY2011, the Group also started bar code management of PM motor products and preparations have begun for bar coding of fan motor products.
Disclosure of Product-related Information
Most products from the Minebea Group are ultimately integrated into finished products that pass into consumers' hands. For this reason, we provide safety related information to our customers as requested. Also in response to customer requests, we provide information about chemical substances incorporated in our products, based on information obtained from suppliers.
For speakers, keyboards and some other finished products, user manuals include safety-related information.
Communication with Customers
Customer Satisfaction Surveys
Within the Minebea Group, individual business units conduct their own customer satisfaction surveys. This research spans a comprehensive range of evaluation criteria, including sales support, response to product related problems, and product prices. Findings based on these data are fed back to the sales and development departments of the corresponding business units. If customers should evaluate any criterion below a specific satisfaction level, we assess and implement improvements across all business units.
Responding to Quality-related Problems
If a serious problem concerning the quality of Minebea Group products or services were to occur, the optimal response would be determined based on the Quality Management control rules.
In FY2011, detailed rules on internal procedures for handling significant quality issues were created to clarify internal procedures for handling major quality issues. Additionally, business units have drawn up recall guidelines for keyboards and other products supplied directly to consumers.
Future Issues and Goals
The Minebea Group is creating procedural manuals and strengthening its structure for assessment in order to ensure product safety at every stage of the product lifecycle. The Group will also continue to pursue quality management certification.
In logistics operations, the Group is promoting the acquisition of AEO certification and bar code management for all of its products.
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