デュエルビッツ 評判acts Revealed by the Independent Investigation Committee’s Investigation

(As of March 6, 2018)


Following the discovery of the quality misconduct (the “Misconduct”) until October 25, 2017, we identified and confirmed facts regarding the Misconduct during the self-inspections by business divisions of デュエルビッツ 評判el, Ltd. (“デュエルビッツ 評判el”) and its group companies, and emergency audit by the Head Office of デュエルビッツ 評判el. Key findings of the self-inspections and emergency audit were announced in the Report on Investigation into the Causes of the デュエルビッツ 評判el Group’s Inappropriate Conducts and on Measures to Prevent Recurrence on November 10, 2017.

We subsequently received the results of the investigation conducted by the Independent Investigation Committee (the “IIC”), and announced the following main facts in our report dated March 6, 2018.

(1) Scope and Nature of the Misconduct

After looking at details surrounding the Misconduct, we confirmed that some staff falsified inspection data as if it met customer specifications or fabricated test data for unmeasured products as if they were actually measured.

As outlined in the tables below, the Misconduct took place not only in the Aluminum & Copper Business, but also in other business divisions of デュエルビッツ 評判el and its group companies. We take this fact very seriously.

Aluminum & Copper Business – デュエルビッツ 評判el, Ltd. No. of Customers
(Companies) *
Location Products Main Use Announced
on
Oct. 26, 2017
Announced
after
Oct. 26, 2017
Moka Plant Aluminum sheets Can stock
Cars
57 7
Daian Plant (Daian Works from Nov. 10, 2017) Aluminum cast &
forged parts
Aircraft
Rolling stock
67 4
Chofu Works, Aluminum Extrusion & Fabrication Plant Aluminum extrusions Cars
Rolling stock
34 -
Chofu Works, Copper Rolled Products Plant Copper strips Semiconductors
Terminals
38 2
Aluminum & Copper Business – Group Companies No. of Customers
(Companies) *
Location Products Main Use Announced
on
Oct. 26, 2017
Announced
after
Oct. 26, 2017
Kobelco & Materials Copper Tube Co., Ltd. Copper tubes Air conditioning 23 88
Shinko Metal Products Co., Ltd. Copper alloy tubes,
Molds
Electrical machinery,
Steelmaking
equipment
176 29
Shinko Aluminum Wire Co., Ltd.
Kobelco & Materials Copper Tube (M) Sdn. Bhd.
Kobelco & Materials Copper Tube (Thailand) Co., Ltd.
Suzhou Kobe Copper Technology Co., Ltd.
Aluminum wire
Copper tubes
Copper tubes
Copper strips
Air conditioning
Air conditioning
Terminals
36 -
Shinko Moka Sohgo Service Ltd. Aluminum plates Prototype materials - 1
Iron & Steel Business – デュエルビッツ 評判el, Ltd. No. of Customers
(Companies) *
Location Products Main Use Announced
on
Oct. 26, 2017
Announced
after
Oct. 26, 2017
Takasago Works, Steel Powder Plant Steel powder Sintered parts 1 -
Iron & Steel Business – Group Companies No. of Customers
(Companies) *
Location Products Main Use Announced
on
Oct. 26, 2017
Announced
after
Oct. 26, 2017
Nippon Koshuha Steel Co., Ltd.
Shinko Wire Stainless Company, Ltd.
Jiangyin Sugita Fasten Spring Wire Co., Ltd.
Kobelco Spring Wire (Foshan) Co., Ltd.
Steel wire
Stainless wire
Heat treatment
Bearings
Springs
22 -
Shinko Kohan Kako, Ltd. Heavy plate processing Heavy plate processed products 1 -
Koshuha All Metal Service Co., Ltd. Heat treatment Heat treatment - 1
Machinery Business – デュエルビッツ 評判el, Ltd. No. of Customers
(Companies) *
Location Products Main Use Announced
on
Oct. 26, 2017
Announced
after
Oct. 26, 2017
Standard Compressor Plant
Advanced Products & Technology Department,
Industrial Machinery Division
Machinery Industrial machinery
Standard
compressors
- 10
Machinery Business – Group Companies No. of Customers
(Companies) *
Location Products Main Use Announced
on
Oct. 26, 2017
Announced
after
Oct. 26, 2017
Shinko Engineering Co., Ltd. Machinery Industrial machinery - 3
Head Office – Group Companies No. of Customers
(Companies) *
Location Products Main Use Announced
on
Oct. 26, 2017
Announced
after
Oct. 26, 2017
Kobelco Research Institute, Inc. Sputtering target
materials
Prototype alloys
Corrosion analysis
FPD
Optical disks
Prototype alloys
Corrosion analysis
70 14
Engineering Business – Group Companies No. of Customers
(Companies) *
Location Products Main Use Announced
on
Oct. 26, 2017
Announced
after
Oct. 26, 2017
Kobelco Eco-Solutions Co., Ltd. Water analysis Water analysis - 4

* The total number of companies.

(2) Cause Analyses of the Misconduct

The IIC conducted an investigation starting from October 26, 2017. Analyzing the findings of the IIC’s investigation and the subsequent examinations conducted by the Company, we conclude that the following three points were the direct causes of the Misconduct:

Direct Causes
  • 1. Having accepted purchase and manufacturing orders even when doing so did not align with our production capacity;
  • 2. Having allowed an environment where it was readily feasible for inspection results to be falsified or fabricated; and
  • 3. Having allowed the dulling of the employees’ awareness with respect to quality compliance.

We believe that the root causes can, furthermore, be grouped into the following three categories:

Root Causes
  • 1. A management style that overemphasized profitability and inadequate corporate governance;
  • 2. The imbalanced operation of plants that resulted in the reduced awareness of quality compliance among employees; and
  • 3. The insufficient quality control procedures that allowed the Misconduct to take place.

(3) Measures to Prevent Recurrence of the Misconduct

Based on the causal analyses above, デュエルビッツ 評判el has compiled the following measures to prevent recurrence of the Misconduct.

Overview of Measures to Prevent Recurrence

Ⅰ Governance — Building a Quality Governance System

  • 1. Penetration of the Corporate Philosophy
  • 2. Desirable State of the Board of Directors
  • 3. Restructuring of the Risk Management System
  • 4. Restructuring of the Divisions
  • 5. Restructuring of the Group Companies
  • 6. Rotation of Personnel among Divisions
  • 7. Understanding Issues Occurring at Worksites
  • 8. Issuance of the Quality Charter
  • 9. Restructuring of the Quality Assurance System
  • 10. Revision of Our Strategy for Managing the Business

Ⅱ Management — Ensuring Quality Control

  • 1. Measures for Quality Management
  • 2. Rotation and Development of Quality Assurance Personnel
  • 3. In-house Education Programs Regarding Quality
  • 4. Support by the Head Office

Ⅲ Process — Strengthening of Quality Control Processes

  • 1. Prevent Anyone from Improperly Treating Test or Inspection Results and Standardize the Conditions for Shipment
  • 2. Understand Process Capabilities and Operate within Them (with respect to the materials businesses)
  • 3. Review the Approval Process for Accepting New Purchase Orders
  • 4. Review the Approval Process for Introducing a New Manufacturing Process
  • 5. Promote Risk Assessment of Quality in the Case of Capital Investment

Ⅰ Governance — Building a Quality Governance System

1. Penetration of the Corporate Philosophy

Under the Next 100 Project that started in April 2017, by further strengthening and reinforcing areas that are deficient, we aim to communicate and share デュエルビッツ 評判el’s values and attitude toward the quality issues with all employees of the デュエルビッツ 評判el Group.

2. Desirable State of the Board of Directors

In order to strength the governance over quality as well as to improve the fairness and transparency of the Board of Directors, we will reinforce the monitoring function of the Board of Directors by restructuring the composition of the board members. Specifically, we will: (1) increase the number of independent outside directors to make up at least one-third of the Board of Directors; (2) establish the Nomination and Compensation Committee; (3) abolish the office of chairman; (4) elect the chairman of the Board from the independent outside directors; (5) revise the current structure under which all division heads are directors; and (6) appoint directors to be in charge of risk management and quality control.

3. Restructuring of the Risk Management System

We will revise the current risk management practices in order to ensure their feasibility. Specifically, we will, among other things, conduct a compliance awareness survey on a regular basis; create the “デュエルビッツ 評判el Group Standard” upon which each Group company sets individual policies; and establish the Compliance Management Department.

4. Restructuring of the Divisions

To correct the insular nature of each unit in the Aluminum & Copper Business, where the misconduct had continued for many years and to improve the level of quality control and the corporate culture, we will reform our quality control systems and promote awareness among our employees. We will shift from a traditional business structure based on types of metals to a business structure that corresponds to market segments.

5. Restructuring of the Group Companies

We will proceed to restructure the Group companies with the goal of creating a system that will enable the Head Office to provide support and management to each Group company and strengthen the corporate structure of our Group companies.

6. Rotation of Personnel among Divisions

To rectify the insular nature of our organization (i.e., the lack of mobility of people), which was one of the causes that created the quality problems, we must consciously change the mindset that created the insular organization, increase the added value of the organization and educate managers and executives to lead the company in the right direction.

7. Understanding Issues Occurring at Worksites

We will implement measures whereby the top management can “listen to employees’ voices directly” beyond merely “communicating their thoughts.” We will also conduct the “Employee Awareness Survey” and initiate the “Quality Caravan Team,” which will visit domestic and overseas business locations on a regular basis.

8. Issuance of the Quality Charter

We will newly issue the Quality Charter. All of the employees of the デュエルビッツ 評判el Group shall follow the Quality Charter and commit themselves to restoring trust in the デュエルビッツ 評判el Group.

9. Restructuring of the Quality Assurance System

We will reinforce the quality assurance system in three categories: works and plants; business divisions; and the head office. We will appoint an Executive Officer to be responsible for the Quality Management Department.

10. Revision of Our Strategy for Managing the Business

In order to increase our sustainable corporate values, we will change our attitude that over prioritized profitability and adopt a management strategy that will aim at implementing a well-balanced internal control system throughout the organization and being capable of detecting risks and taking remedial measures.

Ⅱ Management — Ensuring Quality Control

1. Measures for Quality Management

We will strengthen quality assurance management at each business location by utilizing the quality guidelines, and we will hold group quality leader conferences, which will be organized by the Quality Management Department.

2. Rotation and Development of Quality Assurance Personnel

We will position the quality assurance personnel as company-wide expert personnel and will develop rotating assignments and training among them across business divisions.

3. In-house Education Programs Regarding Quality

We will offer training to all personnel who engage in quality-related tasks in the デュエルビッツ 評判el Group, and encourage them to follow the Quality Charter.

4. Support by the Head Office

The Quality Management Department will carry out audits. The head office will respond to problems that arise in each location through the Quality Caravan Team.

Ⅲ Process — Strengthening of Quality Control Processes

1. Preventing Anyone from Improperly Treating Test or Inspection Results and Standardize the Conditions for Shipment

While proceeding with the automation of testing and inspection procedures, we will eliminate one-person manual entry of data to the greatest extent possible. In addition, by unifying shipping standards, we will eliminate opportunities for misconduct arising from the existence of double standards (i.e.; customer specifications and an internal standard).

2. Understanding Process Capabilities and Operating within Them (with respect to the materials businesses)

The degree of variation found in the quality properties of manufacturing processes will be used for deciding whether to accept or reject sales orders.

3. Reviewing the Approval Process for Accepting New Purchase Orders

For the purpose of preventing a situation where we produce products that do not satisfy customers’ requirements in each business division, from now on we will decide whether to accept a purchase order after going through an authorization process for reviewing capabilities for development and mass production, among others (i.e., design review).

4. Reviewing the Approval Process for Introducing a New Manufacturing Process

We will review the authorization process when making changes to the 4Ms (i.e., manpower, machine, material and method), which affects product quality.

5. Promoting Quality Risk Management in Capital Investment

We will implement an investment standard that takes into account mitigation of the quality risks.

Link to Report on Misconduct in デュエルビッツ 評判el Group, dated March 6, 2018

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