Kiyosu, Japan, December 8, 2016: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd. held its first “Global Small Group Activity Conference” on Wednesday, December 7. The conference was intended to spur the use of small group activities in the company’s operations globally, including QC circle activities by front line employees and group kaizen activities by office and engineering staff.

Toyoda Gosei began QC circle activities in 1972, and the following year began holding presentation meetings to share results across the company. In recent years small-group activities have been promoted globally, with presentation meetings held in the China/Taiwan and Oceania regions since 2014 and in the Americas since 2016.

At this first global conference, presentations were made by TG Group companies from China, Vietnam, India, USA, Czech Republic, and Group companies and affiliates in Japan. Ten cases were presented in all, on activities such as reducing materials loss in the production process and increasing the efficiency of back-office work. The presentations were made before an audience of about 240 employees. Toyoda Gosei President Naoki Miyazaki encouraged the employees, saying “This conference is an excellent way for us to share outstanding examples from our locations around the world and to learn from each other. Small group activities are crucial in the development of TG family members and improvement of our workplace skills through better communication. I look forward to further expansion and increased use of these activities globally.”

1. Summary

    1-1. Date and time: Wednesday, December 7; 13:00?17:00

    1-2. Place: Toyoda Gosei Sun Court East (4500 Nakashitanbata, Inokuchi-cho, Inazawa, Aichi, Japan)

    1-3. Participants: Toyoda Gosei executives and employees (worldwide Toyoda Group companies and affiliates; approximately 240 people)

    1-4. Presentations:

           ・ International locations (6 presentations)
             China/Taiwan region 1, Oceania 2, Americas 1, Europe/Africa region 1
           ・ QC circle activities in Japan (2 presentations)
           ・ Group kaizen activities in Japan (1 presentation)
           ・ Group kaizen activities at affiliate in Japan (1 presentation)

 2. Scenes from conference

President Naoki Miyazaki	Presentation by international employees	Participants listening

About Toyoda Gosei

Established in 1949 and headquartered in Kiyosu, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, Toyoda Gosei is a leading specialty manufacturer of rubber and plastic automotive parts and LEDs. Today, the Toyoda Gosei Group provides a variety of high-quality products internationally, with a network of approximately 100 plants and offices in 18 countries and regions. Through its flexible, integrated global supply system and leading-edge technologies for automotive safety, comfort, and environmental preservation, Toyoda Gosei is a global supplier that aims to deliver the highest levels of quality, innovation, and satisfaction to customers worldwide.