Newsletters
2005
" Mori-568PLAN " - the Mid-Term Business Plan to Become the Global Leader.
Ever since Mori Seiki's founding in 1948, we have delivered over 150,000 machine tools to customers around the world. As a supplier of production assets that help create profits for manufacturers, we must have the longevity to continue supporting manufacturers for the long term. That is what is demanded of a machine tool company more than anything else.
And that is why our goal is to become the leading global supplier of machine tools. The machine tool industry is subject to large fluctuations in demand, so we strive to become the most trusted company in the industry by achieving ongoing and stable growth.
Mori-5 – 5 % Share of the World Market
Yearly global demand for machine tools is estimated to be around ¥3.5 trillion
(US$31-billion) these days. The pace of industrialization is picking up particularly
in places like China, Eastern Europe, and Russia. To keep up with these markets,
we are expanding our service network from a global point of view and boosting
our sales power by increasing our human resources.
Europe by itself makes up roughly one-third of global consumption of machine
tools, making it a very important market. In May 2005, we moved the Mori Seiki
European headquarters to Paris. We opened a Technical Center conveniently located
just 10 minutes from Charles de Gaulle Airport, shortening the distance between
us and our European customers. The France Technical Center is equipped with Mori
Seiki’s largest showroom. We have put together a system which allows us to respond
quickly to all types of requests, including test machining. We are also planning
on opening up a technical center in the Czech Republic as part of our efforts
to lay down a service network serving Eastern Europe. Our European staff will
grow from the current 180 members to around 300 in the near future.
In Asia, we are focusing our efforts on beefing up our service system mainly
in China. We currently have eight bases in China, and have opened a die and mold
R&D lab in Dongguan. We are putting together a strong foundation for the
support system in prospering Asia, including also opening a Technical Center
in India in 2004.
Our goal is to raise our current 3.4 % share of the world market to 5 % by assembling
sales teams focused on individual industries and customers, in addition to expanding
our service network.
The France Technical Center - a new base of operations in Europe.
Mori-6 – 60 % Cost to Sales Ratio
In order to achieve a cost to sales ratio of 60 %, we are working to gradually
reduce our materials expenditures to start. To do this, we will raise the ratio
of raw materials we produce ourselves, by deploying our own casting prototype
plant, heat treatment plant, and other new facilities. Until now, we have made
our own ball screws, tables, sheet metal, control panels, and so on, in order
to ensure top quality and deliver our products quicker. By making even more
parts in house, we can further reduce our cost ratio and deliver products even
faster.
Another effort underway is standardization of peripheral equipment, strictly
selecting only " Mori Seiki Qualified Peripherals " for the peripherals that go
on our lathes and machining centers. We will continue offering our customers
equipment that is consistent both in terms of quality as well as performance.
Our product lineup will see the addition of new models in the N Series, which
has been so popular, thereby raising the percentage of N Series models in order
to streamline the lineup. The result of these undertakings will be to lower our
current cost to sales ratio of 66 % to 60 %, thereby raising our unit manpower
productivity.
The Mori Seiki Qualified Peripherals logo.
Mori-8 – 800 Units/Month Production System
The machine tool industry sees significant fluctuations in orders, so we have
set ourselves a goal of a production capacity of 800 units per month at peak
times, in order to deliver orders on time even when they are pouring in. Doing
this will require the boosting of our machining capacity, which we will achieve
through facilities investment, and greater productivity, which we will achieve
by expanding our Chiba Campus.
At Mori Seiki, we are innovators in the area of assembly, having first introduced
the revolutionary cell production method to the industry, and we will continue
to expand its applicability and productivity in the future. Our auto-campground
system prepares all the parts needed for a machine ahead of time, so they are
ready and waiting when the operator begins assembly. Our system of parts management
using QR codes has also helped reduce assembly time, making it possible to cut
the lead time from order to delivery.
At the same time, as demonstrated by our equity investment in Watanabe Seikosho,
a manufacturer of cast products, we are also boosting our SCM (supply chain management)
strategy. All of these efforts put together will allow us to raise our current
monthly production capacity of 600 units to 800 units.
The " Mori-568PLAN " – a mid-term business plan for building a stable corporate
model independent of the business environment. In order to become a company that
customers can rely upon for their production assets, everyone here at Mori Seiki
will work together to reach this goal.

Cell production line using the auto campground system.
Mori-568PLAN March 2008 Goals
