Improvement of Customer Satisfaction
Ensuring universal quality level
The Hitachi Construction Machinery Group implements a variety of initiatives to maintain world equal quality and provide customers with products that satisfy their ongoing needs.
One of these is the “Global Monozukuri Diagnosis”, which is implemented at all production sites around the world. This initiative was launched in FY 2005 with the aim of improving the quality level at each production site as part of our “Global Quality Diagnosis . Subsequently, we revised our diagnostic charts to evaluate not only quality but also the overall SQDC (safety, quality, delivery, and cost), which we have been conducting as the "Global Monozukuri Diagnostic" since fiscal 2014. Due to the development of COVID-19 viruses in fiscal 2019, there was a period when we temporarily switched to remote diagnosis using online relays. However, since fiscal 2023, we have resumed our activities. In accordance with the diagnostic chart for each production process such as welding and machining process, evaluators perform diagnostics on each item by checking operations and actual products on-site and take countermeasures if any improvements are needed. Furthermore, a preliminary diagnostic for domestic material-handling operations was conducted in FY2024, with full-scale diagnostics scheduled to begin in FY2025. Through these ongoing efforts, we aim to achieve globally consistent quality standards.
In addition, the development of excellent human resources is indispensable for Monozukuri. Since 2008, Hitachi Construction Machinery has been accepting engineers from both domestic and international production sites for training to develop Monozukuri engineers. This is a three-year program that includes various training courses mainly at the Tsuchiura Works. Participants return to their production sites with the skills and mindset they have acquired, helping to promote Hitachi Construction Machinery’s Monozukuri excellence across the globe. Starting this fiscal year, we are restructuring the program to further strengthen human resource development, with a renewed focus on enhancing engineers’ problem-solving capabilities.
As part of our global initiative, we hold the Hitachi Construction Machinery Group International Skills Competition and the Company-wide Small Group Activity Presentation Contest. The International Skills Competition has been held since 2000, with contestants selected from each production site, including those overseas, competing in eight categories: welding, painting, measuring, assembly, transportation, machining, welding robotics, and equipment maintenance. The Company-wide Small Group Activity Presentation Contest is held during the Quality Month in November, and groups that have won the selection contests at each company gather to make presentations at this competition. Their mutual diligent study not only contributes to their personal growth, but also to the activation of organizations.
The FY2024 International Skills Competition in was held at the Kasumigaura Institute for three days in early November. A total of 75 participants competed in eight skill categories, including 31 international competitors from India, Indonesia, China, and the Netherlands, as well as from Japan. In addition, the Company-wide Small Group Activity Presentation Contest was held on two separate days in November for direct and indirect divisions, and 21 groups, including domestic and overseas group companies, participated. These presentations were streamed online with domestic and international group companies and viewed by many employees.
We will continue to satisfy HCM Group's safety and quality standards and strive to produce products that customers around the world can use with confidence.
“Global Monozukuri Diagnosis”
Strengthen service support capabilities
The Hitachi Construction Machinery Group holds the "Service Technician Competition" to further enhance the service capabilities of dealer service personnel who inspect and repair machines, while directly interacting with customers at sites where machines are operating, as well as contribute to the expansion of parts sales. Since the first competition in 2002, it has been held annually, except during the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020 to 2022, and reached its 20th competition in 2024.
In the 2024 competition, from 10 regions worldwide, 10 representatives who passed the qualifiers competed on their knowledge, technical skills, and customer service skills in a wide range of areas, from machine inspection and maintenance to fault diagnosis, repair, reporting, and proposals. As a result of the competition, which consists of four categories (theory, practical skills, measuring, and reporting), two individuals emerged victorious in fierce competition: one victor from Hitachi Construction Machinery France S. A. S. representing the European region in the ZX200-7 category, and another from Wulumuqi Zhongchenweiye Construction Machinery Co., Ltd. representing the China region in the ZX200-5G category. Both have received the "MVS (Most Valuable Service)" award, a testament to being the most outstanding service personnel.
The Hitachi Construction Machinery Group, under LANDCROS, will continue to strive for further improvement in dealer service capabilities to provide innovative solutions.
