Manufacturing and Logistics

YKK AP is committed to an "integrated production system," in which the company itself handles everything from materials, components, and production equipment to processing and assembly. Our insistence on such a system enables us to develop technology quickly, control costs throughout the supply chain, and guarantee reliable quality.

In addition, all manufacturing processes are carried out at YKK AP's domestic and overseas manufacturing sites. This includes processing the glass used for our mainstay products such as vinyl windows from raw sheets, melting the raw metal for the aluminum materials we use, and blending the raw materials for vinyl.

Even the development and manufacture of components, which constitute the backbone of our products, is carried out in-house. In addition, an in-house division called Machinery and Engineering is responsible for the development and manufacture of equipment for making our products. We are working to further enhance our technological competitiveness through seamless collaboration between the Machinery and Engineering Department and the research and manufacturing divisions.

YKK AP aims to promote logistics efficiency and productivity improvement to realize sustainable logistics.

In specific terms, we utilize a system called "unit load" to efficiently transport goods in unitized loads such as pallets and containers, while our proprietary "Y-Caps" system aims to stack pallets efficiently on truck beds. Together, these enable us to determine the optimal combination of products and pallets, thereby improving truck loading efficiency and enabling optimal dispatch administration.

Moreover, we have introduced the "MOVO Berth" truck reservation system at manufacturing and logistics sites nationwide. This allows users to reserve truck entry times and loading times, and check in and out upon arrival and departure from the site using a dedicated app installed on their mobile devices or phones. This means that factories and logistics sites are able to ascertain arrival times and numbers of trucks in advance.
We are also working to reduce the time required for various logistics processes, such as conducting joint transportation with other companies.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Area DC (Distribution Center), a storage-type logistics site for residential windows, doors, and exterior products, ensures lead times and reduces the number of overnight long-distance shipments through inventory management based on demand forecasts in which shipment status is subdivided by item and by area.

Shelf-transporting robots have been installed on the premises, and a Goods To Person (GTP) system, in which robots carry inventory storage shelves to the operators, is in operation.

Workers can perform picking and sorting for 100 trucks at once while remaining in their fixed positions, leading to labor and personnel savings. The same technology has also been introduced at a vinyl window plant in the U.S.A., which began operations in 2023.

Going forward, we will continue to promote logistics DX and robotics with the aim of achieving sustainable logistics.

Another important issue is to create a safe and healthy workplace for employees involved in manufacturing. We are creating a stress-free and fulfilling workplace by installing airconditioning equipment and air-conditioned clothing to combat heat, and improving the environment of the cafeterias and restrooms. To enhance safety, we also continue to conduct regular equipment and machinery safety audits every three years to ensure the intrinsic safety of our equipment. In addition, we have been identifying and improving "shortcut behaviors" and "troublesome tasks" in the workplace in order to eliminate all unsafe practices, and we will provide training to workplace leaders to incorporate hazard prediction into their training, further strengthening safety awareness.