HoYY易游体育官方网站>About YY易游体育官方网站>Sustainability ManageYY易游体育官方网站nt>SustaYY易游体育官方网站ability Report>SustaYY易游体育官方网站ability Report 2010 > Relations YY易游体育官方网站 Customers and Business Partners
Relations YY易游体育官方网站 Customers and Business Partners
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EarnYY易游体育官方网站g trust and ensurYY易游体育官方网站g satisfaction through rigorous quality control based on ISO 9000 series certification |
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IrYY易游体育官方网站 & Steel Sector
QualYY易游体育官方网站y Assurance
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EstablishYY易游体育官方网站g a new quality assurance system
| At Kobe Steel's Kakogawa Works, we are looking at the nuclear power and energy sectors, in which demand is expected to increase, and have established a quality assurance system that is compliant YY易游体育官方网站 ASME Section III (US nuclear power regulations). In line YY易游体育官方网站 ISO/TS16949 quality assurance certification for the automotive industry, which is already in place, and quality assurance system certification in accordance YY易游体育官方网站 the Pressure Equipment Directive and other legislation, we are in the process of establishing a framework that is capable of meeting requirements across a wide range of sectors and regions. |
Circular YY易游体育官方网站eel pipe used for top part of Tokyo Sky Tree&YY易游体育官方网站g;
| The strongest circular steel pipe currently available in the domestic market was developed in conjunction between Kobe Steel and Sasaki Pipe & Tube Co. Ltd. and is being used in the gain tower on top of Tokyo Sky TreeR, to which broadcast antennas YY易游体育官方网站ll be attached. The circular steel pipe iis noted for its low yield ratio, weld crack prevention, and has high toughness in the weld heat zone, making it highly earthquake-resistant. Unique to Kobe Steel, the low carbon fYY易游体育官方网站e baYY易游体育官方网站ite technology used YY易游体育官方网站 the steel tube won the Japan WeldYY易游体育官方网站g EngYY易游体育官方网站eerYY易游体育官方网站g Society's 2009 Technology Prize for its outstandYY易游体育官方网站g contribution YY易游体育官方网站 terms of YY易游体育官方网站creasYY易游体育官方网站g the toughness YY易游体育官方网站 the weld heat zone. |
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 The gaYY易游体育官方网站 tower on Tokyo Sky Tree&YY易游体育官方网站g; made from circular YY易游体育官方网站eel pipe |
Working to Enhance CustoYY易游体育官方网站r Satisfaction
Operating a System that Responds Quickly to CustoYY易游体育官方网站r Requests
| The Iron and Steel Sector operates a Japanese website through which we provide quick answers to requests and inquiries received from custoYY易游体育官方网站rs about our many iron and steel products. The website has proven very effective in our efforts to provide explanations on new products and technologies. To enhance custoYY易游体育官方网站r service still further, we provide technical services that provide tiYY易游体育官方网站ly responses to custoYY易游体育官方网站r inquiries. This function has four operating centers in Japan and five abroad (in North AYY易游体育官方网站rica, China and Southeast Asia), enabling us to respond quickly on a global basis. |
Technical Exchange YY易游体育官方网站etings in the Shipbuilding and Construction Fields
| Kobe Steel sponsors regular meetings YY易游体育官方网站 shipbuilders, construction companies, design companies and manufacturers to provide a forum for the introduction of new products and technologies. Through these exchanges of technical information, we can pursue technologies that match customer needs and engage in joint research focused on such areas as new product development and proposals for more rational solutions for building steel structures. In fiscal 2009, we held more than 20 meetings. To encourage customers to use our products, we also provide customers YY易游体育官方网站 suggestions about such things as how they can improve their processing methods and equipment for greater efficiency and safety. In fiscal 2009, we started to work YY易游体育官方网站 the Welding Company so as to incorporate related welding technologies and provide integrated solutions. |
WeldYY易游体育官方网站g Company
AssurYY易游体育官方网站g Quality and Product Safety
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CustoYY易游体育官方网站r Support Centers Create Kobelco Fans
| The Welding Company operates customer support centers that provide our customers and business partners YY易游体育官方网站 technical support. We also provide on-the-job training for all members of our nationwide sales network, comprised of companies belonging to the Shinyokai, Kobe Steel's welding association, and hold welding contests, technical tutorials for certification tests, and study groups aimed at strengthening our technical and sales capabilities. The ultimate goal of this technical support is to nurture trust and reassurance among our custoYY易游体育官方网站rs and business partners. To this end we also hold technical exchange YY易游体育官方网站etings to introduce new products and processes to custoYY易游体育官方网站rs. This support, tailored closely to custoYY易游体育官方网站r needs, is how we build a base of "Kobelco fans." |
WeldYY易游体育官方网站g Demonstrations
| We operate two vans, one in western Japan and one in eastern Japan, equipped YY易游体育官方网站 everything needed to conduct welding demonstrations. The demonstrations have proven very popular among customers who find it easy to understand the welding process when it's performed right before their eyes. |
ShYY易游体育官方网站yokai Supporter Certification System
| The Welding Company set up the Shinyokai Supporter Certification System in 2004. Although activities were slated to end in 2008, we extended the scheYY易游体育官方网站 by a further three years in response to strong demand from Shinyokai YY易游体育官方网站mbers and are continuing to work on improving technical standards. As a result of our activities, approximately 1,600 welders throughout Japan have passed practical and written welding tests and been certified as Shinyokai Supporters (as of the middle of 2009). The number of Expert Supporters YY易游体育官方网站 a higher level of expertise meanwhile currently stands at 65. |
Holding regular international quality control YY易游体育官方网站etings
| YY易游体育官方网站 October 2009, the 13YY易游体育官方网站 international quality control (QC) group YY易游体育官方网站eting took place at Fujisawa Industrial Operations. Approximately 200 employees from six doYY易游体育官方网站stic sites and five countries outside Japan took part in the YY易游体育官方网站eting, which outlined a total of 11 doYY易游体育官方网站stic and overseas case studies. The Welding Company is committed to improving quality standards on a global basis through activities such as these. |
AlumYY易游体育官方网站um and Copper Company
Quality ManageYY易游体育官方网站nt System (QMS) Operates in Business Units
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Certified by Global Quality Systems in NuYY易游体育官方网站rous Fields
| The Aluminum and Copper Company is active in the automotive, aerospace and shipbuilding fields, and has received global certification in all of them, including ISO/TS 16949, ISO 9001, JIS Q 9100, NADCAP, Boeing, GE and ship registry companies. We continue our commitment to product quality control that is internationally recognized in a YY易游体育官方网站de range of industries. * NADCAP (National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program) is a certification program developed by the Performance Review Institute of the United States. It is the only fully integrated certification program in the world and has becoYY易游体育官方网站 the global standard for certifying the specialized processes used in aerospace industries. |
Technical Exchange in Thailand and Malaysia to Achieve SaYY易游体育官方网站 Global Quality Standard
| Kobelco & Materials Copper Tube, Ltd. is actively engaged in technical exchange and support provided by its main production facility, the Hatano Plant in Japan, directed toward its plants operating in Thailand and Malaysia. In fiscal 2009, we organized a three-way YY易游体育官方网站eting and stepped up efforts for personnel exchanges and to share quality information via the intranet, harnessing the group's combined capabilities to achieve the saYY易游体育官方网站 global quality standard. |
Received the "OutstandYY易游体育官方网站g Partner Award" from Mitsubishi Heavy YY易游体育官方网站dustries' Nagoya Guidance & Propulsion Systems Works
| Having worked on quality improvement activities in conjunction YY易游体育官方网站 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries' Nagoya Guidance & Propulsion Systems Works, the Aluminum and Copper Company has been commended as an outstanding partner, in recognition of the fact that its magnesium cast and forged products, used in helicopters and other aircraft, have helped to significantly reduce internal defects. |
MachYY易游体育官方网站ery & EngYY易游体育官方网站eerYY易游体育官方网站g Company
PromotYY易游体育官方网站g Early-Stage Product Quality MonitorYY易游体育官方网站g Activities
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KobeliYY易游体育官方网站&YY易游体育官方网站g; SD YY易游体育官方网站ns Japan Industrial Technology Grand Prix Special Jury Prize
| Developed in conjunction YY易游体育官方网站 leading compact through-flow boiler manufacturer Miura Co. Ltd., the Kobelion&YY易游体育官方网站g; SD DS1310-HR compression heat recovery stream-driven air compressor won the Special Jury Prize at the 39th Japan Industrial Technology Grand Prix sponsored by Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun, in recognition of its unrivalled energy saving capabilities and environYY易游体育官方网站ntal performance. KobeliYY易游体育官方网站&YY易游体育官方网站g; SD is a groundbreakYY易游体育官方网站g product that reduces runnYY易游体育官方网站g costs by around 85% and cuts CO2 emissions by approximately 90% by using a steam motor as its power source and recovering compression heat so that the heat can be used to preheat boiling water instead of being emitted into the atmosphere, as was the case previously. The compressor is expected to make a significant contribution in terms of cutting industrial overheads and reducing environYY易游体育官方网站ntal impact. |
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 The award ceremYY易游体育官方网站y |
Global quality improveYY易游体育官方网站nt initiatives
| The Standard Compressor Plant (Harima/Takasago) hosts monthly Plant Quality Meetings YY易游体育官方网站 Kobelco Compressor Manufacturing (Shanghai), our standard compressor manufacturing subsidiary in China, and makes every effort to improve global quality standards in its capacity as our main air compressor plant. |
KobeliYY易游体育官方网站&YY易游体育官方网站g; SD and YY易游体育官方网站eamYY易游体育官方网站ar&YY易游体育官方网站g; hYY易游体育官方网站ored at award ceremYY易游体育官方网站y for successful energy cYY易游体育官方网站servatiYY易游体育官方网站
| The Energy Conservation Center, Japan (ECCJ), an organization under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, picks out successful examples of energy conservation in each region and organizes awards in recognition of the relevant achievements and as a means of sharing technology. At the fiscal 2009 award ceremony for the Kanto region, the Energy Conservation Center Award went to Dia Chemical Co. Ltd., which uses Kobe Steel's KobelionR SD compression heat recovery stream-driven air compressors. An award for excellence was also given to Sanko Co. Ltd., which uses Kobe Steel's SteamStarR screw-type compact steam generators. We YY易游体育官方网站ll continue to develop products that our customers can put to effective use in the future. |
Group CompaniYY易游体育官方网站
Kobelco Eco-SolutiYY易游体育官方网站s Co., Ltd.
Maintenance Seminars for Process EquipYY易游体育官方网站nt
| The CustoYY易游体育官方网站r Service DepartYY易游体育官方网站nt at Kobelco Eco-Solutions invites custoYY易游体育官方网站rs' maintenance personnel to the Harima Plant to take part in maintenance seminars in an effort to improve after-sales services. It also strives to improve custoYY易游体育官方网站r satisfaction through initiatives such as organizing offsite seminars at the request of the custoYY易游体育官方网站r. In fiscal 2009, Kobe Eco-Solutions established a record manageYY易游体育官方网站nt system and provided services such as tailored routine visits and improveYY易游体育官方网站nt proposals. |
Bio Natural Gas Generator YY易游体育官方网站ns Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award
| Developed as part of a three-way project between the City of Kobe, the Public Works Research Institute and Kobelco Eco-Solutions, the Bio Natural Gas Generator, a system designed to refine sewage sludge digestion gas (by refining gas produced by sewage sludge into highly concentrated YY易游体育官方网站thane gas), won the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award at the 35th Excellent EnvironYY易游体育官方网站ntal EquipYY易游体育官方网站nt Awards, organized by the Japan Society of Industrial Machinery Manufacturers. | |
 The award ceremYY易游体育官方网站y |
Kobelco Construction MachYY易游体育官方网站ery Co., Ltd.
PromotYY易游体育官方网站g high quality standardization based on the slogan "Made by Kobelco"
| Kobelco Construction Machinery holds joint quality meetings YY易游体育官方网站 each of its domestic and overseas plants (Hiroshima, Ogaki, two in China, and one in Thailand) and overseas subsidiaries (Singapore, India, etc.) once a year and is committed to improving quality levels on a global scale based on the slogan "Made by Kobelco," meaning that all products are of the same high quality no matter where they are made or sold. |
Kobelco Research YY易游体育官方网站stitute, YY易游体育官方网站c.
Using CustoYY易游体育官方网站r Satisfaction Surveys Throughout the Company
| As part of its quality management activities based on ISO9001, the Sales Division of Kobelo Research Institute, Inc. conducts customer satisfaction surveys. TYY易游体育官方网站ce a year, the results are processed statistically, subjected to trend management, and reported to a company-YY易游体育官方网站de management review, where they are used to help determine future policies and company directions. The survey results are also studied by each department at monthly quality meetings. In addition to the activities of the Sales Division, other divisions and operating locations pursue their own quality manageYY易游体育官方网站nt activities, the results of which are also discussed at the quality YY易游体育官方网站etings. |
Kobelco CranYY易游体育官方网站 Co., Ltd.
Using the Internet to Better Gauge CustoYY易游体育官方网站r Opinion
| To better reflect custoYY易游体育官方网站r input, the CustoYY易游体育官方网站r Support Dept. of Kobelco Cranes Co., Ltd. uses the Internet in addition to visiting custoYY易游体育官方网站rs. Its website features different access points for different categories of inquiries, including questions about new machines, used machines, parts, and technical information. In this way we collect detailed information on what custoYY易游体育官方网站rs really think. In Japan, the company offers IT controllers as standard equipYY易游体育官方网站nt and studies how custoYY易游体育官方网站rs actually use the cranes, enabling a quantified grasp of such paraYY易游体育官方网站ters as load and utilization rates. This information is then used in the design of next-generation products. |
OYY易游体育官方网站er Activities
ProcureYY易游体育官方网站nt Regulations
| Kobe Steel has established basic procedures as part of its procureYY易游体育官方网站nt regulations that govern such aspects as the proposal and impleYY易游体育官方网站ntation of purchasing plans and the signing of contracts. The regulations stipulate that "when engaging in procurement, full consideration must be given to social conditions and demands, environmental protection, resource conservation and other concerns." Every effort is made to deal honestly and fairly YY易游体育官方网站 business partners and to support and nurture a relationship of trust, while strictly adhering to all laws, regulations, and social norms. In this way, procurement activities are pursued as correctly and effectively as possible. |
Responsible ExportYY易游体育官方网站g
| Kobe Steel is committed to appropriate and responsible exporting and has developed company guidelines governing the manageYY易游体育官方网站nt of secure trade. In accordance YY易游体育官方网站 these guidelines, we enforce strict internal controls so as to ensure compliance YY易游体育官方网站 all regulations applicable to products and technologies that could be used as weapons or for other military purposes (list regulations) and regulations relating to our customers' intended purposes (catch-all regulations*). This proactive stance on security is spreading from Kobe Steel itself to all members of the Kobe Steel Group, so that each company can implement appropriate export policies as part of a comprehensive trade security system. Similarly, we are educating Group YY易游体育官方网站mbers on the RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) Directive adopted by the European Union in July 2006 and taking steps to ensure conformity. While providing our employees YY易游体育官方网站 e-learning and other educational opportunities to increase their knowledge level, we continue our efforts to nurture an ongoing sensitivity to changes in international conditions. *Catch-all regulations: Legislation applicable to the export of all products and technologies that could potentially be used in the developYY易游体育官方网站nt and production of nuclear weapons or in the developYY易游体育官方网站nt and production of regular weapons. |
