Tsubakimoto invests £500 million to ensure continuous levels of product improvement, quality and competitiveness for global customer base

Citation

(2003), "Tsubakimoto invests £500 million to ensure continuous levels of product improvement, quality and competitiveness for global customer base", Industrial Lubrication and Tribology, Vol. 55 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/ilt.2003.01855bab.005

Tsubakimoto invests £500 million to ensure continuous levels of product improvement, quality and competitiveness for global customer base

Tsubakimoto invests £500 million to ensure continuous levels of product improvement, quality and competitiveness for global customer base

Keywords: Tsubakimoto Chain Co., Quality, Product development

The opening, by the Tsubakimoto Chain Co., of the world's foremost chain manufacturing facility at Kyotanabe, Japan, underlines the company's commitment to delivering ever improving levels of product development, quality and price competitiveness to its global customer base. Representing a total investment of £500million, the new highly automated, environmentally efficient plant, is a global production hub, dedicated to providing state-of the-art drive and conveyor chain products that meet customer demands both today and well into the 21st century (Plate 6).

Plate 6 Tsubakimoto invests £500 million to ensure continuous levels of product improvement, quality and competitiveness for global customer base

"Tsubaki's policy is to think globally, act locally and that's just what we are doing with the new Kyotanabe plant", commented Bart Melink, MD of Tsubaki UK. "The improved productivity, flexibility and quality that we can deliver from the Kyotanabe plant are exactly the requirements our European customers are seeking to underpin their production. In today's global market, customers need to know that supplier companies will be able to meet their needs both today and well into the future. With Kyotanabe we are providing that security, and also something more: the ability to integrate application data at our new integrated technical centre to secure continuous product improvement for all of our customers."

Covering an area of 230,000 m², or the equivalent of 57 football pitches, the new Kyotanabe plant is probably the largest and most efficient chain manufacturing facility in the world. It provides three times the capacity of Tsubakimoto's previous Osaka-based plants, for the design and production of drive chain – including Lambda lube-free types, conveyor chains, plastic chains and peripheral equipment, for the worldwide market.

Crucial to the market leading levels of production efficiency at the plant is the extensive use of automation. The main factory boasts state-of-the-art automated storage and retrieval systems and also auto-guided vehicles, which ensure that product changeovers are accommodated quickly and precisely to aid productivity. Further customer centred gains in productivity – and quality – result from the facility to run the Plastics Plant – totally unmanned, 24 h a day. These same benefits are also enjoyed in respect of the fully automated heat treatment facility.

Integrating with and supporting the production facilities on the Kyotanabe site is a technical centre that will assume global responsibility for future development and growth in the areas of research and innovation. In research terms, one of the major functions of the new centre is to continuously integrate test data to ensure continuous product improvement, providing analysis of materials and component designs in the pursuit of outstanding quality and performance. Another focus is the development of innovative products such as Tsubakimoto's recently launched Low Noise drive chain, which directly replaces standard roller chain, but is between 6–8 dB (Decibel) quieter in operation.

The Low Noise chain is one of Tsubakimoto's new generation of products that underline the company's general commitment to environmental issues. The new Kyotanabe plant, which is designed to coexist in harmony with the surrounding area, is another example of this commitment in action. Aiming for ISO 14000 accreditation, Tsubakimoto has incorporated a power co-generation system (heat and electrical supply) to make economical use of energy resources. Also, in an effort to maintain the natural beauty of the local area, 25 per cent of the site has been planted with seasonal flowers, and a total of 13,686 m² will remain grass and bush-land.

For further information contact: The Marketing Department, Tsubakimoto UK Ltd, Osier Drive, Sherwood Park, Annesley, Nottingham, NG15 ODX UK. Tel: +44 1623 688700; Fax: +44 1623 688729; E-mail: sales@tsubaki.co.uk