New heat treatment facility established as business continuity planning (BCP) measure.

NSK Ltd. today announced the transfer of part of Fujisawa Plant's heat treatment processes to NSK Toyama Co., Ltd., a NSK Group company. To accommodate this transfer, NSK Toyama recently completed construction of a new heat treatment facility. This move comes as part of a continuous effort to increase quality and productivity, and strengthen the structural resilience of the NSK Group.

Background

NSK Fujisawa Plant has been operating since 1937, with operations focused on making rolling bearings for industrial machinery. The plant handles most major processes including turning, heat treatment, grinding, and assembly. NSK Toyama was established in 1966. Operations center on forging and turning of large-size rolling bearings, such as the bearings used in wind turbines and railcars.

With a view to protect the supply chain in the event of a natural disaster such as an earthquake or flood, NSK decided to transfer part of Fujisawa Plant's heat treatment to NSK Toyama.

This opportunity has also been used to streamline heat treatment processes and introduce leading edge technologies that improve quality and are environmentally friendly. NSK Toyoma is also working to introduce autonomous transport of parts between processes to further increase safety and efficiency.