The relatively new company - Sobhi Craft Poland- is the first plant of the Japanese Sobhi Group that operates in Europe. In its short existence during a bit more than one decade Sobhi Craft Poland developed its potential increasing its competitiveness and is now one of the best automotive suppliers in Europe, delivering to eight different countries, enclosing among other destinations such economies and markets as that of Germany, France, or Belgium. Manufacturing Journal had the opportunity to interview Mr. Tomasz Chodór, the board member of SCPL and Mr. Keiichiro Asano Administration Director who told us a bit more about the competitive enterprise and its way to success.
Some history
Sobhi Craft Poland forms part of the 1958 founded Sobhi Group, an extensive enterprise that employs around 5000 staff members and has seven factories all over the world. In the first few years of the existence of SCPL the activities of the company were dedicated mainly to the LCD products. This was how the cooperation with the nearby located TV set company -Sharp has begun. Together with a relatively strong collapse just a few years after its foundation came the crucial moment for the enterprise, a moment that turned out to be the real milestone – SCPL reoriented its activities, learned how to survive and recover. It was this very experience that made it strong, open for the arising challenges and opportunities. The determination to survive made that today the question of ”jumping into an un-known market” does not sound awkward anymore and is nothing new, being much more and on the contrary, the proof of the fact that you can, if your will is strong enough. The company located in Ostaszewo, close to the city of Toruń, that once started its operations in 2008 as an LCD Business, after a sharp shock managed the business shift, profiling itself as a leading automotive supplier.
The insider view. Products, quality, and principles
Nowadays Sobhi delivers its products to such worldwide known companies as Toyota Boshoku, Denso, Toyoda Gosei, Makita, Panasonic, Fuji Kiko and Clarion, providing mainly pressed components. The company works not only with normal steel, but also with copper, stainless steel, and aluminum. The basic production profile is presswork and automatic rifling, as well as welding. The products include principally (80% of the production) automotive parts - being these batteries, compressors, seats, airbags, engine brackets or steering columns and other parts. It specializes also in production and design of stamping dies. The other 20% takes the production of the life stuff appliances, such as boilers, TV sets, air conditioners or audio appliances, household goods or construction parts. The SCPL’s drive to stay at the forefront and be able to adjust to the newest developments, meet the market demands and respond to its customers’ expectations has always been important and makes the company open for new challenges and technologies. Equipped with modern technology that guarantees quality and efficiency of the production processes, SCPL is constantly working on renovating of its industrial facilities, investing in better equipment, in faster, more efficient, and up-to-dated machines and production technologies. The machine park is mainly based on mechanical presses (150 T- 500 T), allowing the processing of material ranging from 0,3mm do 8mm of thickness. The enterprise also distinguishes itself by the extremely high degree of computerization of the management systems and automatization of the production lines. Among other services it offers mainly: In-house tooling production (60 tools/year), Immediate maintenance and repair of dies, In-house tooling design as well as project realization from design to mass production. The strive for continuous quality improvement and innovation, as well as commitment to top quality are the real key points in the consolidation of its prestige. The company is also environment-oriented, trying to reduce the negative impact its activities have on the natural environment. This includes recycling work and care for the natural resources as well as environmentally friendly waste management. The company’s policy in this respect also includes the raising of the employees’ awareness to the environmental issues. The SCPL’s production activities are carried out basing on the requirements of ISO 140001:2015 standard, applying technologies with the highest possible added value and the minimum use of resources.
Looking into the future: goals & plans
The year of 2020 is for the SCPL the Year of Innovation. One of the plans for the time to come includes the increasing of productivity through automation, reduction of downtime, reduction of raw material and management of the factory space. Another aim is building a network of new business contacts and acquiring new cooperation partners. Another focal point shall be developing and facilitating cooperation between the different departments of the enterprise. SCPL is strongly interested in encouraging and supporting innovations, being this one of the main and most important aims in the company planning; the enterprise is also trying to keep up with the latest developments on the international markets. The production does not stop despite the
COVID-19 situation and the consequent recession. On the contrary: the enterprise is considering the production of such appliances as Fpp3(High-Quality) Masks, all delivery robots, or window flames. The specific point and principle of the company is the “One Family Mind principle”, meaning removing any borders between the members of the company and promoting the attitude that being one company and one family everybody shall move into the same direction.
Special achievements, awards, and prizes
Awards do not just mean a synthesis of the achievements that make the brand of the company but are much more also a strong motivation and a stimulus for further development and activities, a challenge to respond to. Sobhi Craft Poland has enough accomplishments it can show the world. Among the most important certifications the company got we can find the Best Quality Award, Best Supplier Award from the Denso Group for the best supplier of compressors components in 2017 (2017) and Best Delivery Award (2017) from Toyota Boshoku Europe with its Golden Statuette Award. The enterprise has also several times got the No.1 Supplier Award from the Japanese Automotive company. SCPL has quality certificates of IATF 16949, ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, and pursues the aim of carrying out its production activities according to these standards.
