Chain manufacturing facility is world's largest

Representing a total investment of GBP 500 million, Tsubakimoto Chain Co has opened the world's foremost chain manufacturing facility at Kyotanabe, Japan.

The opening, by the Tsubakimoto Chain Co, of the world's foremost chain manufacturing facility at Kyotanabe, Japan, underlines the company's commitment to delivering ever improving levels of product development, quality and price competitiveness to its global customer base.

Representing a total investment of GBP 500 million, the new highly automated, environmentally efficient plant, is a global production hub, dedicated to providing state-of the-art drive and conveyor chain products that meet customer demands both today and well into the 21st century.

"Tsubaki's policy is to think globally, act locally and that's just what we' re doing with the new Kyotanabe plant", commented Bart Melink, MD of Tsubaki UK.

"The improved productivity, flexibility and quality that we can deliver from the Kyotanabe plant are exactly the requirements our European customers are seeking to underpin their production.

In today's global market customers need the to know that supplier companies will be able to meet their needs both today and well into the future.

With Kyotanabe we are providing that security, and also something more: the ability to integrate application data at our new integrated technical centre to secure continuous product improvement for all of our customers".

Covering an area of 230,000m2, or the equivalent of 57 football pitches, the new Kyotanabe Plant is probably the largest and most efficient chain manufacturing facility in the world.

It provides three times the capacity of Tsubakimoto's previous Osaka based plants, for the design and production of drive chain - including Lambda lube-free types, conveyor chains, plastic chains and peripheral equipment, for the worldwide market.

Crucial to the market leading levels of production efficiency at the plant is the extensive use of automation.

The main factory boasts state-of-the-art automated storage and retrieval systems and also auto-guided vehicles, which ensure that product changeovers are accommodated quickly and precisely to aid productivity.

Further customer centred gains in productivity - and quality - result from the facility to run the Plastics Plant - totally unmanned, 24 hours a day.

These same benefits are also enjoyed in respect of the fully automated heat treatment facility.

Integrating with and supporting the production facilities on the Kyotanabe site is a technical centre that will assume global responsibility for future development and growth in the areas of research and innovation.

In research terms, one of the major functions of the new centre is to continuously integrate test data to ensure continuous product improvement, providing analysis of materials and component designs in the pursuit of outstanding quality and performance.

Another focus is the development of innovative products such as Tsubakimoto's recently launched low noise drive chain, which directly replaces standard roller chain, but is between 6 and 8dB quieter in operation.

The Low Noise chain is one of Tsubakimoto's new generation of products that underline the company's general commitment to environmental issues.

The new Kyotanabe plant, which is designed to coexist in harmony with the surrounding area, is another example of this commitment in action.

Aiming for ISO14000 accreditation, Tsubakimoto has incorporated a power cogeneration system (heat and electrical supply) to make economical use of energy resources.

Also, in an effort to maintain the natural beauty of the local area, 25% of the site has been planted with seasonal flowers, and a total of 13,686m2 will remain grass and bushland.

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