NTN Corporation (hereinafter referred to as NTN) has been awarded three stars again in the 7th Nikkei Intelligent Management Survey conducted by Nihon Keizai Shimbun (hereinafter referred to as NKEI) to select advanced companies that have revolutionised production by reforming their working methods, an honour it has received for the fifth consecutive year. This is the fifth consecutive year that NTN has received this honour.
The survey, which was conducted by NIKKEI SHIMBUN in 2017, is a comprehensive survey of corporate strengths that covers listed companies and key unlisted companies throughout Japan. The survey focuses on three key elements, namely “human resource activation” to achieve diverse and flexible work styles, “innovation” to develop new businesses, and “market development”, which are defined as “intelligent”. These factors are defined as “intelligent management” and are used to comprehensively evaluate the strength of a company.
In this year’s survey, NTN was highly rated for its outstanding performance in the key area of “Innovation”. This is due to NTN’s strong performance not only in strengthening its existing businesses, but also in actively developing new businesses and new products that are ahead of their time.
For example
In the field of after-sales service, NTN has successfully developed a rolling bearing with built-in sensors called the “Talking Bearing,” which can effectively monitor the condition of the bearing to predict possible risks.
In addition, in response to the trend toward electric vehicles, NTN has developed high-speed deep groove ball bearings for the e-Axle with ultra-high rotational speeds, as well as “insulation-coated bearings” that are resistant to galvanic corrosion. These innovative products will undoubtedly provide NTN with a strong advantage in the highly competitive market.
In addition to this
The NTN Next Generation Collaboration Research Institute, a collaboration between NTN and Osaka University, has also improved the integration of bearings through the use of AI and IoT. This model of collaboration not only further enhances NTN’s technological capabilities, but also opens up new possibilities for the industry as a whole.
Looking ahead
NTN will continue to strengthen cooperation with external organisations to create new businesses and advance technological innovations. At the same time, we will work to create a workplace environment that enables all types of human resources to fulfil their abilities, and to enhance the company’s brand influence, in order to further strengthen our “Intelligent Management” strategy.