Lighting up Europe Koito Czech

LIGHTING UP EUROPE

Koito Czech, a subsidiary of the Japanese Koito Manufacturing Co. Ltd, is not only a proud follower of the group’s hundred-year tradition in lighting technology but also an important contributor to its expansion in Europe. Romana Moares reports.

The Czech production plant of the Japanese Group has been developing rapidly since its establishment and its financial growth has strengthened Koito’s position in the European automotive sector in terms of the production of all relevant types of vehicle lighting technology. Moreover, in 2016 Koito Czech will commemorate 15 years of operation in the Czech Republic and confirm its position as the largest and most stable employer in the Usti region. The production lines at the Zatec plant make headlamps for Toyota (UK, FR, CZ), Nissan, Suzuki, Renault, Daimler, Bentley, Volvo, Land Rover, Porsche and Audi.

Headlamps are Koito’s core business. These integrated high-functional products are designed to match the contours of the vehicle body shape and contain high-quality lenses as well as high-precision reflectors in the headlamp section, with built-in signal lamps and other function lamps.

Hundred years in the lighting sector

Japanese Koito Manufacturing Co. Ltd was founded in 1915 to manufacture lenses for signal railway lamps. Currently the group controls one fifth of the global automotive headlamp market and is the number one in this sector. “Overall, Koito Manufacturing serves 20 per cent of the automotive market, thus we can say that every fifth car is equipped with our safe and comfortable products,” says Kamil Duba, managing director of Koito Czech.

The group operates production plants and offices in Asia, America and Europe. Competition in the automotive headlight sector is severe not just on a global scale but also in the Czech Republic, which, given its population, is one of the biggest automotive manufacturers in the world. The production of headlights has become one of the key segments of the Czech automotive industry.

Innovation is the key

One of the major factors behind the group’s success is its innovative approach and research and development capability. One example of this is the introduction of plastic lenses and the first commercial employment of LED technology in vehicle headlights, or compact LED headlamps integrating the full beam and contour lights in a single reflector. “Of course, the requirements for lighting parameters differ in terms of technologies used and modifications for different continents and different markets,” says the managing director.

The product development teams working in Koito’s European plants draw on intensive support from the R&D department at the Koito Manufacturing headquarters in Japan. “Generally speaking, all our efforts reflect customer requirements. These are not just the new carmakers’ projects but also face-lifts of model lines. The current trend stresses the safety aspects, which puts an even greater emphasis on the importance of headlamps as a key car safety feature,” explains Mr Duba.

The continuous introduction of new elements and the kaizen process to match the group’s standards have also been implemented, naturally, in the Czech plant. In this context, the interaction between Japanese and Czech workers is important. “Innovation does not relate merely to production but to the whole supplier-customer relation process. For example, in 2015 we participated in creating a new type of headlamp packaging which won a prestigious award at the Packaging of the Year Award,” adds Mr Druba.

Increasing capacity

Koito Czech’s production facility matches the standards set by the Toyota production system (TPS) and the annual development in lighting technology production volume. “In 2002, the plant started with a single production line and 88 people. By 2015 production capacity, as well as staff numbers, increased about ten times. As a result of the current as well as planned production volume growth we are now looking again at a further increase in production capacity, namely building another new production hall within our premises

here in Zatec,” says the managing director, illustrating the company’s progressive development. “The implementation of this will, however, depend on numerous factors including the availability of human resources availability in the region,” he adds.

In the first half of 2014 the average daily production of lights in Koito Czech was roughly 7300 units. In the third quarter production grew to 8000 units and in the last three months of 2014 the figure increased to 9400. Overall, as a result of improved productivity and winning new projects, the annual production was increased to 1,763,198 units, which represents a growth by 84 per cent compared to 2013 (960,322 units).

New blood

Mr Duba points out that the company is continuously looking for new people. In 2014 it started to cooperate with several technical schools in the region, offering internships and career support. A similar programme has been initiated for students and new university graduates. “For 2016, we have prepared several interesting topics which we plan to offer as a potential thesis to university students,” adds Mr Duba. The company is also very active in sponsoring young people within various projects focused on sports, art and, last but not least, education, primarily related to the Usti region.

“Although complete financial data for 2015 is not available yet I can reveal that we have, again, achieved further substantial production increases. Koito Czech was also awarded a special acknowledgement, received from the group’s president, for optimised production and increased profit. This we could achieve not only as a result of advantageous development in European markets but, first and foremost, as a result of improved cooperation and the full commitment of people across all levels and positions within the Zatec plant,” he stresses in conclusion. n