Quality Assurance
Basic Approach
In order to earn the trust of our customers as the world’s top manufacturer of material handling systems and equipment and to provide the optimal and best solutions, it is important for all of our sites to continuously work on maintaining and improving the quality of our products and services. The Daifuku Group’s greatest strength is the value it provides with unceasing material handling, and we work daily to sustain and build a quality control system that underpins this value.
Group Code of Conduct (extract)
3-1. Customers
- We will provide the best products and services from the customer’s perspective.
- We will maintain appropriate quality control and risk management strategies in accordance with applicable standards in each country and region when providing products and services.
- We will investigate the cause of any problem or accident that occurs, respond to the problem sincerely and promptly, and take action to prevent recurrence.
Promotion System
In accordance with the ISO 9001 Quality Management System regulated by ISO (International Organization for Standardization), the pursuit of customer satisfaction is our fundamental policy and we guarantee the quality at every stage of planning, sales, design, manufacturing, installation and after-sales service.
We conduct quality management system initiatives based on top management reviews of the quality assurance system, which is linked with feedback from business operation management reviews that evaluate the achievements of each business operation and implement nonconformity corrective measures. In addition, as a companywide management review, the CEO evaluates and makes judgments on the necessity for changes in the quality management system by reviewing the progress made in achieving our product quality goals with the aim to strive for continuous improvements.
Quality management system certification
We are promoting certification of ISO 9001 international standards for all production sites and primary locations in Japan, and all main production sites overseas. Production is carried out at all four of the ISO-certified Japan locations, and at the 19 overseas locations that have been ISO certified. 85% of production facilities have obtained certification.
| Certification standards | Production sites (consolidated) | Number of certified locations among total | Proportion of certified locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISO 9001 | 27 | 23 | 85% |
Major Initiatives
Response to quality issues
Should a major accident occur with our product, we carry out cross-company measures that incorporate other departments according to the need for detailed accident information by other operational departments and to register the corrective measures taken in a database. Reporting procedures are set out in the ISO Corrective Action/Preventive Measures Procedural Guide. We are thorough in preventing the recurrence of accidents and carrying out preventive measures, and regularly implement a management review through the CEO to verify the suitability of the quality management system.
Number of serious accidents*related to product/system safetyKPI
| FY2019 | FY2020 | FY2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of serious accidents related to product/system safety | 0 | 0 | 0 |
- *Accidents caused by the malfunction of our products or systems leading to death or serious illness/injury during operations (injury or illness require 30 days or more of treatment)
Product safety
We conduct a risk assessment on all existing and newly-developed products to ensure their safe operation. Specifically, we conduct reviews during the design and development process and do advance checks for safety in accordance with the ISO Product Safety Evaluation Procedural Guide and the Development and Standardization Design Implementation Guide, stipulated in the ISO 9001 Management System. In addition, we also promote the training of young designers and the acquisition of external safety assessor* credentials. We also provide assistance to contractors in obtaining these credentials.
- *A person with the basic knowledge and capability required to confirm the adequacy of safety, as well as the ability to judge overall safety adequacy.
Number of employees who obtain safety assessor credentialsKPI
| FY2019 | FY2020 | FY2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of employees who obtain safety assessor credentials | 145 people | 137 people | 178 people |
Teamwork and improvement proposal activities
We place emphasis on teamwork in small groups and improvement proposal activities. We have recorded significant achievements by diligently conducting improvements at our work sites. There were 4,723 proposals for improvement of operations, cost reduction, quality, safety, environment, and other matters made during fiscal 2021. Every year we hold a group presentation contest with teams that have passed a preliminary round. The event is attended by members of top management. In fiscal 2021, the group meetings were cancelled to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and examples of improvements made by selected teams were presented through the internal network.