Now, Toyota to introduce Monozukuri and Kaizen Genchi Genbutsu practices to Indian shopfloor

The Japanese government in association with Toyota Kirloskar will train 30,000 Indian engineers to enhance manufacturing skills.

Toyota wants to preserve the Japanese ‘Monozukuri’. The closest English word for ‘Monozukuri’ is craftsmanship or the act of making. However, the difference lies in the belief and the thought. While craftsmanship is more about the craftsman himself, in Monozukuri, the emphasis is on the product that is being made. It reflects the Japanese sense of responsibility for using ‘things’ in production, and their deep respect for the world around them both animate and inanimate. The practice allows manufacturing which is in harmony with nature and that adds value to the society. It’s a step ahead of sustainable manufacturing.

Toyota now plans to bring in this practice to India. The Japanese government and the automobile major will train 30,000 Indian engineers in manufacturing skills. By next summer, there will be three institutes that are being set up in Gujarat, Karnataka and Rajasthan to impart these special trainings. Besides, the Japanese endowed courses will be available in engineering colleges designated by Japanese companies in India in cooperation between the public and private sectors.

The selected engineers will be trained in manufacturing skills and practices also through the establishment of Japan-India Institutes for Manufacturing.

Apart from Monozukuri, the students will also be familiarised with the global concepts of Lean Manufacturing or Kaizen Genchi Genbutsu.

The Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and the Indian Ministry of Skill development and Entrepreneurship had inked an agreement in this regard in Tokyo this month.

As per the pact, a manufacturing skill transfer promotion programme will be conducted between the two nations, which will enhance the manufacturing base of India and contribute to the Make in India and Skill India initiatives.

Toyota’s skill development initiatives are aimed at contributing to the Skill India mission by bridging the gap between the country’s rapidly-growing industrial sector and availability of highly skilled workforce to match up, the company said.

The auto major already runs the Toyota Technical Training Institute in India since 2007 as part of its commitment towards developing world class skilled workforce for the sector. The institute imparts training to financially challenged students hailing from Karnataka.