| Tour Japan's Leading Manufacturing Companies | |
• Our tour is the only way to get exclusive access to Japanese Lean executives. • All of the necessary arrangements are carefully made by Enna to ensure comfort and security. • Experience world-class Lean practices as well as both modern and traditional Japanese culture. • Group discounts are available. |
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"Excellent well-organized trip. Exceeded all expectations. Definitely an experience of a lifetime. I highly recommend every Lean leaner to take advantage of this tour!"
- Jonathon Hutchinson, CEO Gormick Corporation
No other company besides Enna has access to Lean facilities and top management executives due to our close relationship with Japanese companies and the publications of Dr. Shingo’s works (original consultant to Toyota). This will be a great experience for any leader and student of Lean. You will have one-on-one exclusive access to Japanese Lean thinkers and learn from their experiences and simple solutions.
Topics covered are; TPS, Employee Empowerment, SMED, TPM, Lean Accounting, Flow, 5S Office, 5S Shop floor, Waste Identification, Mistake-Proofing, Just-In-Time, VSM.
Observe and talk to workers on the shop floor and get involved in their Lean practices. Japanese companies are eager to share their accumulated wealth of knowledge with international businesses and explain how they have learned from their mistakes and improved overall operation as a result.
Learn from their techniques so you can leverage their experience in order to avoid common implementation and sustainment mistakes in your own factory. The relationships you will build with Japanese host companies will inspire your company in pursuit of continuous improvement for many years to follow. Cultural differences have discouraged many Lean companies from making a trip to Japan. We make sure that such differences in cultures and languages do not stand in the way of your studying Lean principles in the birthplace of TPS.
We have arranged experienced tour guides, interpreters, and professors to make your learning experience truly revolutionary. On the last day, we will have the opportunity to visit some unique sightseeing areas in and around Kyoto. This is a prime opportunity to take some time to absorb a unique culture and people as well. May 9-16, 2009.
Tour Schedule
| Saturday 9th / Sunday 10th, May | |
| Arrive in Narita International Airport. You will immediately notice Lean principles at work in airports for maintaining the quality of services and efficiency. | |
| Monday 11th, May | |
| Visit Nissan. Learn from their SMED and mistake-proofing techniques. Observe well-organized shopfloors in assembly. Nissan's innovative Lean techniques will open your eyes and help you generate your own ideas. Attend a Kaizen workshop. Japanese experts are invited to speak to us about topics related to “Leadership in Change.” Comprehensive preview of the tour and discussion of how the knowledge you gain will be applied to improve your own factory. |
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| Tuesday 12th, May | |
| Visit Asahi Glass, a long-term partner of Toyota in developing both automobile technologies as well as Lean systems (Kanban). Lean how to successfully implement Lean practices in your suppliers. Visit Ricoh, Learn the effectiveness of materials administration and flow that results in near zero waste of transportation and motion for line assemblers. Lean how to organize your workplace and how to identify wastes to be eliminated. |
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| Wednesday 13th, May | |
| Visit Toyota Supplier(s) . Observe the TPS in action in a high mix, low volume environment. Get a closer look at how to make large, complex products flow one at a time (one-piece flow). | |
| Thursday 14th, May | |
| Visit the origin of Lean Manufacturing, Toyota Motors assembly plant. This is where all comes together. Observe every aspect of Lean activities and ask workers what it is like to be a proud Toyota employee. Meet Toyota’s top leaders and ask their advises for how to improve your own factory. Challenge them on how to better improve production with your own Lean idea. Visit Toyota Museum to study the company’s ongoing pursuit of new hybrid technology and techniques for ultimate efficiency in manufacturing. You will also share a meal with Toyota leaders so that you can establish a friendship that can last for years to come. |
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| Friday 15th, May | |
| Visit Canon assembly plant. Observe their visual tracking of performance and visual management of projects. Experience the newest technology in automated electronics production and poka-yoke devices. Exchange ideas with their leaders on how technological development can boost production in your own factory. Visit Kyoto, an ancient capital of Japan. You can sightsee or shop for loved ones back home. Visit temples that have inspired people well over a thousand years. A celebration dinner will be held in the evening to review our tour and exchange new ideas. |
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| Saturday 16th, May | |
| Leave Kyoto by bullet train (Shinkansen) and depart from Narita International Airport for home. Notice how complex train schedules and safety are maintained by Lean practices. | |
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| *tour itinerary and schedule may change. | |
Tour Companies
Enna has built strong relationships with the best Lean companies in Japan. Our network of companies adds depth and understanding to the experience for participants. The companies we visit will welcome you and are willing to share their insight and production systems with you. You will learn new management tools that are successful for continuous improvement.
| Asahi Glass |  |
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| Denso | ||
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| Kyocera | ||
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| Ricoh | ||
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| Toyota | ||
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Tour Hosts
Michel Mestre
With years of education and practical experience, he founded a management consultancy firm which focused on turnaround operations to make companies profitable. For the next 13 years, Mike pioneered change-management in a variety of industries across the globe. Through corporate and consulting experience he developed his philosophy that the performance of an organization is a direct reflection of management practices. Mike left the consulting industry to focus full-time on organizational performance and started his professorship at Trinity Western University, formalizing his experience with different management techniques and cultures of implementation. He is committed to the idea that management’s true responsibility is to instill a culture that values innovation and compels everyone to give his or her best effort. It is this steadfast conviction that has led Dr. Mestre to Japan many times, to study and develop relationships within organizations that have reached this goal. The value that Dr. Mestre adds to Enna’s Japan Study Mission lies in his high-level comprehension of Lean, his researched opinions, and the practical experience he carries in transferring knowledge from paper to practice. Dr. Mestre is currently the Senior Professor at Northwestern University in Kirkland, WA and Adjunct Professor at Kyoto International University, Kyoto Japan. He was also invited as a research fellow at Nagoya University, Japan; Tilburg University, The Netherlands; and, Warwick Business School, United Kingdom. In addition to these accomplishments and honors, Dr. Mestre is an active member the editorial advisory board of the International Journal of Business Performance Management and the Center for Interdisciplinary Strategic Management Research, London, England. As one of your tour hosts Dr. Mestre provides a great degree of knowledge about business and the benefits of different management systems. He has taught and led over 20,000 people in organizational change in 20 different industries.
Collin McLoughlin
Over the course of the following 12 years, Collin helped lead the startup of an internationally recognized consulting firm. During the five years Collin spent there, he transformed its consulting model to a value-based model and parted ways as the most successful member of its consulting team. His departure from this firm was the first stepping stone on Collin’s journey to international recognition as a true innovator in the field of process improvement. His next step found him in Brussels, Belgium, where he accepted a position from DHL Express Logistics to become their Infrastructure Engineering Manager, responsible for implementing a strategic process improvement plan for 300 fulfillment and distribution centers across three continents. From his days as captain of his ice hockey team to forging his own publishing company, leadership is a natural fit for Collin. His scholastic aptitude and shop-floor work ethic has produced a Lean education that is unparalleled in applying theory to real-world application. In 2004, Collin established Enna Products Corporation to put his unique skills to work in providing companies with the materials to lead their own process improvement efforts without the aid of consultants. In every product and book Collin publishes, you will find the focus is always on providing the trainer with the knowledge necessary for success. Enna’s slogan of “Knowledge into Practice” is reflective of this outlook and serves as the defining difference between other publishing companies and Enna. As one of your tour hosts, Collin brings a wealth of experience and insight to the needs of your company. He has lead many trips to Japan and personally trained over 4000 people in process improvement, and has training experience in 12 different industries. If you have a problem, chances are he has seen it before; he is the author of over 150 published products in the process improvement field. Collin’s knowledge of Lean Manufacturing and leadership skills have provided companies around the world with the framework to success, but his most unique asset is empowering others to succeed. Let him put you in contact with the resources and people to accomplish that success. Education:
Philip Goritsas
Philip brings to our Japan Trip extensive knowledge in change management and the commercialization of products. An improvement focuses person he developed consulting materials that became the standards for a leading kaizen consulting company and its clients. Through this development he was responsible for the commercialization of training materials and standardizing the technique of Kaizen and Lean consulting. He was also responsible for commercializing this material into what is known today as Lean Training Material. Philip is responsible for the marketing development and online deployment of Enna. He developed and launched all aspects of Enna’s internet sales division, reseller, and distributor networks. Enna’s network of interlinking websites provides readily available products to commonly needed solutions in the Lean Manufacturing Industry. Philip fields inquires and queries from people around the world concerning Lean Manufacturing related topics from Lean Administration to Strategic Planning. Prior to his career in Lean Manufacturing, Philip worked for 11 years in the foodservice distribution industry culminating as General Manager for a regional food service company. As General Manager, Philip was responsible for deploying resources and capabilities to turn the business back to profitability. His policies created a cultural change allowing the business to double its net sales in four years and continue to succeed at taking market share away from its competitors. As one of your tour hosts Philip provides a perspective that more productivity on the shop floor provides more customer service resources to differentiate your business from competition. Philip holds a Bachelor of Management in Information Systems from the University of Lethbridge, Canada. Education:
About Enna Enna is a developer and manufacturer of innovative, action-oriented training / workshop training packages developed for internally led process improvement initiatives. Enna’s strategic partners are leading industry experts in process improvement. These relationships along with Enna’s development knowledge of digital media, technology, and printing capabilities create an industry best solution package. Enna is able to combine world-class methodologies into a comprehensive package that helps your management team lead and communicate in the most effective manner. Enna is committed to providing change agents and facilitators with the best combination of industry change management knowledge and workshop facilitation skills. Our Solution Packages represent the culmination of the company's experience and research into the methods of process improvement and their application in improving organizations. In addition to the Solution Package and related products, Enna provides company specific customized training materials for companies in Canada and the USA. Our company is founded on the belief that for a Lean Transformation is to be successful in your company, it will not just be because your people know the principles; it will be because they practice the principles. This leads to solutions that allow companies to internalize training programs by using Enna’s products to gain the experience and wisdom of consulting through the use of our products. Questions or information requests regarding our line up of Solution Packages, Facilitator Guides, Training/Visual Aids, or Tools & Resources should be directed to info@enna.com. |
For the last 30 years Dr. Mike Mestre has been on a journey studying productivity and working on turnarounds with various companies, worldwide. After receiving his Bachelor’s of Science in Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, Dr. Mestre started his professional career at Boeing where he was involved in the planning and engineering of the 737 production line. He then moved from Seattle to Buffalo, NY to work with The Carborundum Company where he held the positions of new products commercialization, marketing and Economic and Strategic Planning Manager. 
In 1996, Collin visited Japan without knowing it would change his personal and professional life forever. After touring the premier companies of Japan, he became fascinated with the efficiency of their manufacturing practices and the promise it held for industry across the globe. 
Mr. Goritsas is the cofounder of Enna Inc. The company develops and sells Lean Manufacturing Material companies around the world in 30+ countries focusing on the process improvement niche. Previous to launching Enna, Philip was a Supply Chain Systems Manager for DHL Express Logistics located at there Global Coordination Center in Brussels, Belgium. There he worked to increase service level management throughout Europe, Middle East, and Africa for DHL Express Logistics. Philip’s focus and strength is on the value-added processes of customer service and how important customer “face-time” is to the future development of business and business growth.
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FAQ's
Question 1: Can I tour a company even if I am a direct competitor?
Answer: Ultimately the host company will decide to allow the person into the plant or not. We do supply the host companies with a list of tour members which provides the opportunity for the companies to accept the attendee or not.
Question 2: What are the travel arrangements in Japan?
Answer: When we are in city centers we will be taking chartered buses. You will have plenty of room for luggage and lots of space for seating. Travel between major centers will be via bullet train or regional aircraft.
Question 3: Will I have to eat raw fish?
Answer: Absolutely not. Japan has the opportunity to eat raw fish but you will always have the option to choose Western style food and cooked Japanese cuisine.
Question 4: What happens if I get lost in Japan?
Answer: When you arrive in Japan we will be conducting an orientation seminar along with key items to keep in your possession. This includes a phone card, expense money, maps, phone numbers of our guides, and locations and addresses of our hotels. This is not something of too much concern; we have never lost anyone on the tour and plan not to in the future.
Question 5: The tour that is outlined does not tour companies in my industry. What will the benefit be for me, if any?
Answer: The tour will focus on how to manage people and how managers and executives are creating the right improvement environment. This underlying structure of success is common across any business.
Question 6: Should I bring a suit?
Answer: Bring one sport jacket just for formal dinners but it is not necessary for day-to-day tours. Japan has adopted business casual. Business casual in Japan is a white long-sleeved shirt with good dress pants. Open collar shirt with long-sleeves are fine. Conservative tops and slacks are what we would ask of our women participants. A key item will be good walking dress shoes.
Question 7: Can I stay longer in Japan to tour the country and/or conduct business?
Answer: Yes. Japan is a wonderful and easily tourable country and we are more than willing to help you with the rest of your travels by providing directions and recommendations prior to the end of the tour. However, you are on your own after the tour is completed.
Question 8: How do I make sure I don't offend someone at a host company?
Answer: Don’t worry about that too much. As long as you are respectful and polite the Japanese people realize you are a foreigner and provide you forgiveness. As well, the tour host will teach you key aspects to remember when meeting business people while in Japan.
Question 9: When will we be able to buy gifts for friends and family?
Answer: You will have some formal time on the Friday of the tour. Here we tour Kyoto and provide plenty of time to gift shop and get that right gift for you to take home.
Question 10: Will we stay in Western style hotels?
Answer: Absolutely, all our accommodations will be at the best hotels and we will make sure you are comfortable.
Question 11: Can I use my laptop to check e-mail from my hotel room?
Answer: Yes. Japanese hotels are very modern and will most likely have high-speed internet available for you to use. If a hotel does not have internet we can always direct you to an internet café or a local Kinko’s.
Question 12: What travel documents do I need in order to go to Japan?
Answer: There may be a need to have travel visas provided prior to your travel to Japan. For visa requirements, please check with the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs: http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/. You will need a valid passport as well. The US Passport Office recommends that you renew your passport 9 months before it expires. For passport information, please check with the passport office of your country.
Question 13: Do I have to learn Japanese?
Answer: Absolutely not. Enna’s employees and tour guides are fluent in Japanese and English and will be your ambassadors to Japan. They understand the proper rituals and customs in Japan so please depend on them. We are also able to provide interpreters in many languages as well for the tour so if you speak German we will provide a translator as long as the German contingent is large enough.
Question 14: How much luggage should I bring on the trip?
Answer: We suggest small/medium luggage with a smaller backpack/fanny-pack. However, pack as light as possible. Remember that you will be able to pick up some essentials in Japan if you run out. As well, you will have a passport and other key travel documents so a fanny-pack is usually a great idea to keep important items close to you during your travels.
Question 15: Do I need to bring Japanese money?
Answer: Many stores accept major credit cards so don’t worry too much about money. I would recommend that you do change some money into the Japanese Yen but you can do that at the airport upon landing or at an ATM machine too.
Question 16: Is the water safe to drink?
Answer: Japan has an excellent infrastructure including the drinking water system. So please feel safe as the water is safe to drink.
Question 17: Will my cell phone work while in Japan?
Answer: Probably not. Unless it is an international model do not count on cell phones working. However, if you need access to a cell phone we can rent a phone for you.
Question 18: Should we bring gifts for companies I visit?
Answer: It is not necessary to do so. We will provide them with gifts on behalf of our participants. Please remember to bring your business cards as exchanging business cards upon meeting a Japanese worker is customary and it is the best way to exchange contact information.
Question 19: Should we exchange US money in Japan or USA?
Answer: We suggest that you exchange your money before you leave for Japan. There are currency exchange booths available in Narita Airport. However, you may have to wait in a long line or just don't have time to do so.
For current exchange rate information, please visit
http://www.xe.com/ucc/
http://www.x-rates.com/
Question 20: Do they take credit cards in Japan?
Answer: Major credit cards such as American Express, Visa, MasterCard, are accepted at major establishments.
Question 21: Am I free to tour around by myself at night?
Answer: It is possible, but not usually recommended. We'd like to make sure that you can focus on learning and have a good rest before each day.
Question 22: Do I have my own room or have to share a room with other participants?
Answer: You will have your own room. Your room will provide you with various amenities including high-speed internet.
Question 23: Can I order vegetarian or vegan food while in Japan?
Answer: Yes, you can. Please notify us in advance so that we can make necessary arrangements for you.
Private Customized Tours |
We ask all this so we can arrange a tour that will align with your companys specific needs and requirements.
*Note: Private Tours currently require a 4 month lead time and require a minimum of 15 people. Price will be determined by total number of participants and tour specific details. Led by Norman Bodek
In the next 29 years Norman led 27 study missions to Japan, visited Japan 68 times, visited over 260 plants and published over 100 Japanese management books in English, all without originally knowing a single person in Japan nor speaking their language. As a fortune cookie once told him, “You have the talent to discover the talent in others.” That is it in a “nutshell.” Norman’s claim to fame is finding the amazing tools, techniques and new thoughts that have revolutionized the world of manufacturing. Somehow magically he met Dr. Deming, Dr. Juran, Phil Crosby, Dr. Ishikawa, Dr. Akao, Mr. Ohno, Dr. Shingo and a least 100 other great manufacturing masters and published many of their books in English. Each person he met gave him a new perspective on continuous improvement. Norman was one of the first to find and publish books, training material, and run conferences and seminars on TPS, SMED, CEDAC, quality control circles, 5 S, visual factory, TPM, VSM, Kaizen Blitz, cell design, poka-yoke, lean accounting, Andon, Hoshin Kanri, Kanban, and Quick and Easy Kaizen. As a tour host he will share his journey of discovery and tell you wonderful stories about the amazing people he met, what he learned from them and why that information is so vital to your company’s and your personal success. His most powerful discovery was the way Toyota and other Japanese companies opened the infinite creative potential lying often dormant inside every single worker. When you unlock this hidden talent people become highly motivated and actually love to come to work. Most recently, he worked with Gulfstream Corporation, the private jet company, where 1000 people went from 16 implemented ideas in February 2005 to close to 21,000 in 2006 and saved the company 1.1 million dollars. Recipient of The Shingo Prize for Manufacturing Excellence and also created the Shingo Prize with Dr. Vern Buehler sponsored by Utah State University.
Collin McLoughlin
Over the course of the following 12 years, Collin helped lead the startup of an internationally recognized consulting firm. During the five years Collin spent there, he transformed its consulting model to a value-based model and parted ways as the most successful member of its consulting team. His departure from this firm was the first stepping stone on Collin’s journey to international recognition as a true innovator in the field of process improvement. His next step found him in Brussels, Belgium, where he accepted a position from DHL Express Logistics to become their Infrastructure Engineering Manager, responsible for implementing a strategic process improvement plan for 300 fulfillment and distribution centers across three continents. From his days as captain of his ice hockey team to forging his own publishing company, leadership is a natural fit for Collin. His scholastic aptitude and shop-floor work ethic has produced a Lean education that is unparalleled in applying theory to real-world application. In 2004, Collin established Enna Products Corporation to put his unique skills to work in providing companies with the materials to lead their own process improvement efforts without the aid of consultants. In every product and book Collin publishes, you will find the focus is always on providing the trainer with the knowledge necessary for success. Enna’s slogan of “Knowledge into Practice” is reflective of this outlook and serves as the defining difference between other publishing companies and Enna. As one of your tour hosts, Collin brings a wealth of experience and insight to the needs of your company. He has lead many trips to Japan and personally trained over 4000 people in process improvement, and has training experience in 12 different industries. If you have a problem, chances are he has seen it before; he is the author of over 150 published products in the process improvement field. Collin’s knowledge of Lean Manufacturing and leadership skills have provided companies around the world with the framework to success, but his most unique asset is empowering others to succeed. Let him put you in contact with the resources and people to accomplish that success. Education: |
In 1979, after 18 years working with Data Processing companies, he started Productivity Inc. by publishing a newsletter called PRODUCTIVITY. Fascinated with the subject, he went to Japan to discover the processes that was making them the world leaders in quality improvement and productivity growth.
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