NTN Corporation (hereafter, NTN) has decided to establish a heat treatment plant in NTN Noto Corporation in order to construct an industrial machinery bearings integrated production system in the Noto region.
1. Aim of constructing the new plant
In its 3-year medium-term management plan “NTN 100” which started in April 2015, NTN announced that it will expand aftermarket business within its initiative to “Manage Growth” and is endeavoring to shorten the lead-time and enhance lineup of bearing products that will become vital when expanding business.
NTN has been producing industrial machinery bearings in Kuwana City, Mie Prefecture since starting its business. However, due to increased risk diversification and large bearing production, NTN established NTN Hakui Corp., NTN Houdatsushimizu Corp., NTN Shika Corp., and NTN Noto Corp., in the Noto region after 2007. In the Noto region, as the second industrial machinery bearings production site, NTN produces a wide variety of bearings such as those for use in the industrial machinery aftermarket, as well as large bearings used in wind turbines.
When bearings are manufactured, the manufacturing process is carried out in the order of forging, turning, heat treatment, grinding, and assembly. Heat treatment equipment were not installed in the Noto region until now, and in the past heat treatment processing was conducted by transporting items to the production plant in Kuwana City, Mie Prefecture. On this occasion, an integrated production system will be established in the Noto region through the heat treatment plant that will be newly established on the premises of NTN Noto Corp.
In the future, the realization even faster production and a more stable supply system will accelerate increased sales within the aftermarket business.
2. Future plans
The construction of the heat treatment plant is scheduled to begin in July 2016, and will start operating in the summer of 2017. At first the plant will be run by around 20 employees, however this number will increase as the business expands.
3. Overview of NTN Noto Corporation
