Komatsu employees are our most valuable assets because they support sustainable corporate growth.
Developing every employees all over the world through a variety of our human resource development programs enhances Gemba capability (employee-driven continuous improvement capability).
With major advancements in technologies and globalization within our production operations, the need for a high level of technical capability has become all the more relevant. As such, we have designated the third Saturday of every October as "Technical Day", holding technical competitions for employees from all areas of Komatsu. These include personnel from overseas subsidiaries and business associates, who come together to maintain and improve the overall technical capabilities of the Komatsu Group through mutual dedication to studying.
In FY2006, Komatsu established the Meister system that focuses on the passing down of technical know-how from production sites. Techniques and skills that we have judged to be worth passing on are divided into 9 fields that each comprise of 15 specific competencies, with a "First Meister" certified for each competency. Under Komatsu's Mother Plant System, production plants with product development capabilities are specified as "Mother Plants". These plants are responsible for the purveyance of product safety, quality, cost, and delivery of their "Child Plants" (plants that produce the same product). Meisters who have been certified in accordance to their high proficiency in specific technical areas are tasked with guiding and nurturing engineers at both domestic plants and overseas "Child Plants".
Komatsu also conducts vigorous improvement activities by holding all-Komatsu quality control competitions on the third Saturday of every November. Much like our technical competitions, employees from our overseas subsidiaries and business partners across our value chain are welcome to participate.
| FY2018 | FY2019 | FY2020 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All-Komatsu Technology Olympics |
Number of participants |
198 |
200 |
195 |
|
From overseas |
39(11 countries) |
38(10 countries) |
55(2 countries) |
|
| All-Komatsu QC Competition |
Number of participants |
93 |
96 |
94 |
|
From overseas |
36(14 countries) |
36(14 countries) |
35(11 countries) |
|
No contestants were sent to Japan due to COVID-19 pandemic. Russia and China were the only countries where contestants gathered in person.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, no contestants were sent to Japan and the competition was prerecorded. The United States, Brazil, Chile, Germany, Italy, Australia, Thailand, Indonesia, India, China and Russia (11 countries)
Our service personnel, who support the operation of our products delivered to customers, take essential responsibility for the Komatsu values of “Quality and Reliability.” Komatsu thus has been focusing on the human resource development of employees in the company and of our distributor service personnel.
As means for internal training and human resource development, we established the “Techno Service School” for training our Japanese staff, and the “ the Komatsu Philippines” for training our Filipino staff, to conduct planned training by applying a job rotation system within the company including our overseas offices.
As for the human resource development of distributors' service personnel around the world, Komatsu plans and supports each program depending on the content. Komatsu provides curricula and training materials for basic training courses on products and services, and the local companies (Komatsu subsidiaries or distributors) conduct actual training. We also provide advanced training courses by inviting managers and senior service personnel to Japan, as well as special technical training courses provided by the training centers (mother training centers) which have specialized skills.
Having set up these training environments and assessing the quality of our distributors through small exams sometimes, we have been providing practical training opportunities that bring synergy to sales promotion activities.
TOPICS
Continuing to provide training during the COVID-19 pandemic
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, almost all group sessions at training centers were cancelled or postponed in FY2020. We organized many lecture activities, mainly including online lectures and the distribution of videos, to develop and improve digital learning.
When training sessions were held involving the gathering of people from different places, it was necessary to limit the number of trainees. The use of digital learning has made the training program available anytime and anywhere to more people.
As we head toward a post-COVID era, the training centers will be able to combine socially distanced group sessions with digital learning to improve the training they provide.
Training activities at the Dubai Training & Demonstration Center in Dubai, UAE
“Dubai Training & Demonstration Center” established in Dubai, UAE, aiming at enhancing training functions for distributors in the Middle East and Africa regions, has provided the training necessary for construction equipment distributors, including training in sales promotion, parts, services, and machine operations since April 2019.
At the center, Komatsu certified instructors work, and conduct (1) practical training to develop understanding by seeing and experiencing real machines and equipment, and (2) systematic training globally equivalent in quality. The center not only provides product and technical training for distributors, but also accommodates a wide range of services such as product demonstrations and test operations for customers as sales promotion activities, as well as training for operators.