OREANDA-NEWS. March 18, 2009. KAMAZ closed a two-day international conference “Lean Production Instruments: Effective Production System Organization at Enterprises” in Naberezhnye Chelny.

Japanese Center autonomous non-profit organization which was one of the organizers of the conference has got seven branch offices in the Russian cities – Moscow, Saint-Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Khabarovsk, Vladivostok and Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. Within the limits of the RF President’s programs these subsidiaries organize in-depth training courses for Russian specialists in Japan.

Toshio Horikiri – CEO of Toyota Engineering Corporation (TEC), Sohei Oishi – Director of Japanese Center in Nizhny Novgorod, Ryuichi Himeno – Head of Representative Office of Shimadzu Corporation in Russia were among the most active participants at the international conference. There were also the managers of Russian automobile enterprises and their suppliers at the conference.

Yuri Klochkov, First Deputy Director General, CEO of KAMAZ Inc., greeted the participants of the forum. Sohei Oishi spoke on behalf of the foreign guests.

Svetlana Mikheeva, President of KAMAZ Corporate University, told about the objectives and tasks of the conference. Established in 2008, the University became the center of personnel training for KAMAZ. The University plays a significant role in development of KAMAZ Production System. The new educational structure goes with the times being a consultant, moderator and facilitator of production system development at the Russian enterprises.

The representatives of AvtoVAZ, YelAZ, Sollers-Naberezhnye Chelny, Voronezh Aircraft-Building Joint-Stock Company, Tatneft, the managers and specialists of the Russian firms engaged in introduction of production systems, working on the market of education, analysis and consulting services, joint with foreign companies of enterprises working on the basis of KAMAZ (ZF KAMA, Cummins KAMA, Knorr-Bremse KAMA) and other machine building companies of Povolzhye also participated in the conference. The participants heard about 40 reports and messages at two plenary meetings and breakup groups devoted to five themes.

During economic crises a skillfully built production system becomes more important. In practice of advanced world companies it serves as a weighty factor and instrument guaranteeing their stability and viability, enables companies to go out of a local or global economic recession stronger and more competitive.

Mr Horikiri especially emphasized this idea in his speech. Toshio Horikiri has been working in Toyota Corporation and its foreign branch offices for 36 years. He witnessed all three development stages of the famous Toyota Management System (TMS) – the most perfect business management system. The whole world considers Toyota’s experience to be exemplary. During 9 hours the Japanese guest delivered lectures on production systems at the conference.

On the second day the international conference presented Shimadzu, one of the largest producers of measuring equipment for analytical laboratories and diagnostic medical equipment.

Closing the international conference Igor Medvedev, Chairman of KAMAZ Production System Development Committee, said, “Frankly speaking, we didn’t expect that we would manage to gather very dignified guests for the forum at quite a heavy period for all economies. 319 people from 33 enterprises participated in it. Everything indicates that the processes we are willing to develop at KAMAZ are under way at many other Russian enterprises of this sphere.

We were satisfied with the results of the conference. We carried out an in-depth analytical work, exchanged our opinions and experience, and we will continue to do it. We want to summarize the fruits of this intellectual labour and to make the know-how a common heritage. The KAMAZ management suggested that this conference should be traditional.”