An Environment that Supports Manufacturing and Transmission of Skills

  The Yamaha Group aims to create an optimal production structure while clarifying the roles and functions of each of its bases in Japan and overseas, in order to adapt to changes in the manufacturing environment. China and Indonesia, for example, are designated as key manufacturing bases for affordably priced products, including pianos, string, percussion and wind instruments, and electronic musical instruments. We have dispatched many technicians and supervisors from Japan to these production bases to provide support and guidance.

  In Japan, we consolidated our production bases for pianos in August 2010 and restarted manufacturing at the updated Kakegawa Factory. In addition, we are preparing to integrate wind instrument production at the Toyooka Factory. Both the Kakegawa Factory and the Toyooka Factory will manufacture our highest-quality products. At our factories in Japan, it is increasingly important to constantly hone our competitive edge and stay in tune with trends in the global economy. From this perspective, we aim to improve Yamaha QCD (Quality Cost Delivery) and strive to consistently exceed our customers' expectations by coming up with new ideas and projects.

  Our domestic factories play several roles, from technological development to leadership in the transmission of skills and training of personnel. Many highly skilled employees in manufacturing positions have been reaching the retirement age in recent years. Given this state of affairs, Yamaha has been conducting skill transmission initiatives to ensure that core production skills are faithfully passed down to younger workers, and working to cross-train key manufacturing personnel. These initiatives are embodied in the Skill Registration System and From-To Program, which serve to guard Yamaha manufacturing technologies and traditions in order for the company to remain a world-class manufacturer.

  The Skill Registration System was introduced in 1988 in order to plan for the transmission of skills that have been identified as essential to manufacturing in each business division. Around 380 skills were registered as of fiscal 2004, and in fiscal 2011 we plan to reorganize the registration categories.

  Under the From-To Program, specific skills are identified from a selection of registered skills and timetables set up for when these skills should be passed on from veteran employees to younger workers in a very practical way.