|
 |
Financial Information:
Annual Report 2004
 |
|
Production,
Sales, and R&D |
|
Geographical Change
in Ball Bearing Production
(Based on production quantity) |
|
Shift of Production Base
of Standard Ball Bearings |
|
Shift of Production Base of Small•Standard
Ball Screws
(Production: Millions of yen, month)
 |
 |
 |
NSK’s basic policy is to develop technologically differentiated
products that will accurately fill a customers’ latent
needs, to produce products in the most appropriate locations
in terms of cost of production and customer demand,
and to market products via our global sales network, which
enables us to respond swiftly to customer needs. In February
2004, we reorganized our corporate structure to enable each
of our business divisions to take complete responsibility for
its own products, from the initial research and development
stage through to production and finally sales. This reorganization
will enable our businesses to better respond to rapidly
changing user demand as well as be more aware of their
respective profit responsibilities.
Production
Production locations are selected on the basis of a variety of
factors. For high-value-added custom-made products such as
our automotive components, we undertake market-oriented
production in the regions where customers have production
bases. For commodity products, such as standard ball bearings,
we are transferring to optimum production bases in lowcost
areas such as China and Poland.
The fluctuation in demand for precision machinery and parts
is particularly strong. We are therefore consolidating production
of small to standard sized ball screws at NSK Kyushu Co., Ltd., which
has achieved higher production efficiency for these types
of ball screws. In addition, we are shifting labor expenses from
fixed costs to variable costs by employing more part-time and
contract employees. Finally, we are reducing inventories by
shortening lead times.
R&D Staff
 |
|
Published Patent Applications
 |
|
Ratio of R&D Expenses to Net Sales
|
Marketing and Sales
Utilizing our global sales network, comprising 120 sales bases
in 24 countries, we are able to remain abreast of customer
needs as well as achieve just-in-time delivery.
Research and Development
The Fujisawa Research and Development Center is the heart of
NSK’s R&D system. Basic technologies that support all of our
products, in addition to developing new products and applications
for each of our product categories, namely, bearings,
automotive components, and precision machinery and parts
are developed here. The technological expertise of our
researchers is the key to creating differentiated products.
Bearing that in mind, we hired 49 new researchers in fiscal
2003, bringing our total R&D staff to 1,207. In fiscal 2004, we
plan to hire more than 100 additional R&D personnel. On average,
we devote just under 2% of net sales to R&D annually. In
fiscal 2003, we recorded ¥8.7 billion in R&D expenses.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Achievement |
|
| |
Industrial machinery bearings |
|
|
• Commercialization of Sealed Robust Bearings
• Developmement of Water Tough Bearings for Steel Rolling Mills |
|
| |
Automotive products |
|
|
• Development of Long-Life Bearings for Engine Accessories
• Development of High-Durability Tapet Roller Bearings “NSK LCube
Series”
• Commercialization of the Center Clamp Lower Pivot Tilt and Telescopic
Steering Column
• Commercialization of the Low Collapsible Force Intermediate Shaft
• Development of the “Balls and Keys Slider” |
|
| |
Precision machinery and parts |
|
|
• Expansion of the BSS Series High-speed and Low-noise Ball Screws
• Commercialization of Roller Guides (RA35, 45, and 55)
• Product release of 6th Generation Photofabrication Equipment for
LCD Color Filter Production
• Development of the “Permanent Magnet Type” Megatorque
Motor
• Development of Megatorque Motors with Absolute Sensors |
|
|
|
