|
|
|
| |
 |
| |
| In 1987, Shingijutsu was formed in Gifu (close to Nagoya), Japan. The founder, Yoshiki Iwata, was an original member of the Toyota Autonomous Study Group (a project team comprised of Toyota's subsidiary companies). This Study Group first developed Toyota's lean production practices (the Kaizen system). The study activities enabled Mr. Iwata to contribute in establishing the Toyota Production System (TPS) as a primary pupil of Mr. Taiichi Ohno (an originator of the TPS concept). After his long career as a Toyota group company plant manager, Mr. Iwata founded Shingijutsu in order to promote this Kaizen system throughout the world. Despite being a start-up company, Shingijutsu was soon engaged to provide consulting by such world-class companies as Yamatake Corp., Isuzu Motor Ltd., Hokushin Industry, and Showa Tekko Mfg. Co. Shingijutsu brought the Kaizen system to a wide range of industries, including automotive, electronics, and printing. Shingijutsu provided consulting to about 60 clients worldwide at more than 400 sites, from manufacturing sites to logistics and service industries, such as maintenance, security, consulting companies, and hospitals. |
| |
| In January 1996, The New York Times published a full two-page article describing Mr. Iwata's contribution to the rehabilitation of the German sports-car manufacturer, Porsche. Porsche had asked Shingijutsu for consulting services after the company lost 240 million Marks in July 1993. Porsche's product line-up hinders straight production because the company produces few units of many different models of cars. The beneficial effects of the Kaizen were quickly and dramatically apparent: daily production increased from 40 to 80 vehicles. In 1995, Porsche successfully returned to profitability by implementing the Kaizen methodology that Shingijutsu had proposed. |
| |
| Yoshiki Iwata passed away in 2001, and a former vice-president successfully took over Mr. Iwata's position. However, in 2003 differing visions of the future of Shingijutsu and about its marketing strategy arose within Shingijutsu. At that time, Mr. Iwata's daughter, Kumi Iwata Otake, along with Senji Niwa and other senior consultants, decided to form a new company, Shingijutsu Global Consulting Co., in order to preserve and develop Yoshiki Iwata's original business concept. |
| |
| Though Shingijutsu Global Consulting Co. is still a fledgling company, its founders' experience and knowledge of the Kaizen and Kanban systems were nurtured and cultivated under the leadership of Yoshiki Iwata himself, and they are dedicated to developing and promoting his vision. To that end, Shingijutsu Global Consulting Co. recently opened a U.S. subsidiary in Bellevue, Washington, to better serve our clients in the United States and Europe. |
| |
|
|
|
