Manufacturing Frontline :
Realizing Local Production for Local Consumption in Europe — The Challenge of SANYO DENKI Europe’s New Factory
Interview
In this series, we shine a light on the people who work behind the scenes to support SANYO DENKI’s technology, sharing their passion and dedication.
In today’s world, having a manufacturing site is no longer just a means of production—it serves as a symbol of trust, deeply rooted in the local community.
To better meet the needs of the European market, SANYO DENKI Group established a new stepping motor assembly factory in France in 2024. We spoke with the factory manager, a key member of the project, about the strategic significance and locally driven initiatives.
Q1. What is the background for establishing the third assembly factory in the group?
Gilles Ysebaert
SANYO DENKI Group is an internationally operating corporate group. While it is rooted in Japan, its growth has been realized through challenges that transcend borders.
This international orientation brings broad growth opportunities, but also responsibilities to consider local characteristics across the globe. In other words, we must understand global-scale challenges and differentiate our products based on the conditions in each region.
Like other major international companies, local operations are achieved by establishing sustainable resources adapted to the needs of each region.
In Europe, SANYO DENKI Europe (SDE), a group company, has been operating for more than 35 years and contributing to high-level product development. While sharing technology and expertise with customers, the need for the next step had become evident.
In today’s European market, it is crucial for SANYO DENKI to demonstrate that we are a “partner involved in local production.”
This entails the following considerations:
– Compliance with EU regulations and standards
– Environmental responsibility
– Meeting customer partners’ needs
To establish a natural presence and technical leadership in Europe, it was essential for the group to expand its production capacity in the region.
Q2. What is the role of this factory and how does it differ from other assembly sites?
This factory accurately reflects the group’s goals:
– To manufacture high-quality products tailored to individual customer needs.
The foremost focus is on “production that meets actual demand.” Mass production no longer matches market needs.
This factory maintains an inventory of necessary components and assembles a variety of finished products from them.
This enables flexible and quick local production without being constrained by shipping times or customs procedures.
The facility is also equipped to support customers from the prototyping stage of new product development.
We are also committed to addressing the global challenge of reducing environmental impact:
– Component procurement is consolidated twice a year to reduce transportation frequency and avoid using air freight.
– Packaging materials are designed to be reusable at the final product shipment stage.
Q3. What is the factory’s position within the overall group?
This factory is ideally integrated as a sustainable production base adapted to regional characteristics.
Our procurement is planned based on customers’ forecasts. We look ahead to market needs a year in advance, grounded in partnerships with our customers.
Parts are manufactured at our existing production sites and are highly rated by our customers for their quality.
At the SDE assembly factory, incoming parts are inspected and assembled according to demand. Assembly planning is also driven by demand.
In addition to in-process quality control, final performance inspections are conducted after assembly.
This factory enables us to respond locally in Europe while maintaining the same quality level and procedures as our head office and SDP factories.
Q4. What types of products and assemblies are mainly handled at this factory?
A variety of assembly work is conducted at this factory, including:
– Assembly of 42mm stepping motors
– Assembly of stepping motor with leadscrews
– Assembly of stepping motor with encoders
– Assembly of servo motor with gearbox
Q5. Can you describe the atmosphere and team structure at the site?
The launch of this new factory required tremendous energy from all SDE employees. Through this effort, we realized that our existing facilities were unsuitable for the project, and our first major challenge became relocating the office.
Even after selecting the new building, we had to make various adjustments to adapt the facility to its new purpose and prepare for future production.
The full commitment and effort of each employee were remarkable. This factory could not have been realized without their dedication.
Of course, it was not without its challenges. But a shared goal of “creating something together” strengthened the team bond. A company, after all, starts with shared challenges.
Now, we feel the whole team takes pride in the accomplishment of launching this new site.
Q6. What aspects were emphasized in human resource development and workplace environment during the launch?
From a technical standpoint, CE regulations present a significant legal hurdle when importing specific equipment into Europe. This process takes considerable time.
However, thanks to the support from the MC-PE* division team, the equipment was successfully introduced without issues.
Q7. Are there any priority themes being addressed?
With the new production facilities, our top priority is to enhance our presence with customers and be recognized as a reliable development partner.
For SDE, the highest priority is to support the development of custom products for each customer, leading to close support partnerships.
Currently, we are working on 50 to 70 new projects annually:
– 42% related to Motion Company
– 58% related to San Ace Company
These projects are not always produced at SDE. About 70% are intended for mass production at the head office factory.
Thus, full support from the group’s main factories is essential to smoothly advance new product development.
Q8. Lastly, do you have a message for internal and external partners or future colleagues?
SANYO DENKI Group is a reliable partner in the manufacturing industry. We have grown by focusing on our core technologies and commitment to manufacturing quality.
Based on our expertise and the professionalism of our team, we will continue to address global challenges by:
– Achieving environmentally conscious manufacturing in better ways
– Reducing pressure on natural resources through local production
– Deeply understanding industry needs through local operations and optimizing our products
– Bringing the knowledge of our Japan headquarters to European customers
– Strengthening the group’s brand power and expanding our presence further
Summary :
The establishment of this new factory, combining a global outlook with strong local execution, stands as a symbol of SANYO DENKI Group’s new challenge.
With advanced technical expertise and on-the-ground responsiveness, the company is set to further strengthen trust and create value in the European market.
For more information or technical support, contact Micromech’s engineering team and take the first step toward the right Sanyo Denki solution.
