Yazaki Corporation Business Report FY ended Jun. 2016
Recent Years
Financial Overview
-Sales for the fiscal year ended in June 2016 reached JPY 17,404 billion, an increase of 7.0% from the previous year's result. In addition, operating profit also improved y/y, which ultimately netted a profit.
Recent Development
Full color Head-up Display (HUD)
-The Company has developed a full color head-up display (HUD) with a large display area. By raising magnification factor of the optical system, the display area has significantly been expanded by 11 times that of the past product. The new HUD displays images on the windshield. The conventional product uses a vacuum fluorescent display (VFD) as the light source and projects single color images of green, while the new product adopts a full-color liquid crystal display. The distance between the aspherical mirror and the display device has been reduced by increasing magnification factor of the optical system. While maintaining the unit size, the display area has been enlarged from 31.4 mm by 62.8 mm to 90 mm by 240 mm. The aspherical surface technology to correct distorted images and the technology to correct images of the display device enabled projecting sharp images. (From an article in the Nikkan Jidosha Shimbun on December 1, 2015)
AC Standard Charger "iesta" Awarded the 2014 Good Design Award
-The AC Standard Charger "iesta" was awarded the 2014 Good Design Award. The "iesta" is a wall mounted charger for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. It is has a simple design and attractive appearance, blending right into the exterior walls of homes. It has only two operating switches. In addition, it is light and easy to carry. Used with a compact electric connector, it is compact and simple to operate. In order to prevent it from being used by unauthorized persons, it requires user authorization.
R&D Activities
Company participating in the IoT Consortium sponsored by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
-The Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) held a plenary meeting to establish an IoT (Internet of Things) promotion consortium toward the proliferation of IoT technologies in the society. At the plenary meeting, METI and MIC formally inaugurated the promotion consortium. The IoT consortium aims to promote utilization of IoT technologies and other innovative technologies associated with big data and artificial intelligence (AI) across companies and industries. Besides automakers, JTEKT Corporation, Bridgestone Corporation, Yazaki Corporation and other Japanese parts suppliers will participate in. (From an article in the Nikkan Jidosha Shimbun on October 26, 2015)
Product Development
Compact ESC Unit Case
-In FY ended Jun. 2016, the Company changed the shape of the ESC unit case, enabling the case to be fastened directly to the circuit board. Previously, a bus bar was required. It is also 30% smaller than conventional cases. And because the Company changed the design to the Yazaki-made press fit that doesn’t need soldering, the case is also much easier for customers to install during the production process. The same technology is also being used in ABS units.
Relay box more compact and recyclable
-In FY ended Jun. 2016, the Company achieved developing a new relay box that is 30% more compact and 15% lighter than conventional ones. This was achieved by changing the layout of the parts and modularizing the box. In addition, only one type of plastic material is being used, because of using insert bus bar, making the box more easily recyclable at the end of its life. Due to these enhancements, the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of CO2 emissions fell by 14%.
Investment Outside Japan
-During the fiscal year that ended in June 2016, the Company established new production plants in India, Mexico, Indonesia, Romania, and Guatemala.
-During the fiscal year that ended in June 2016, the Company launched production of automotive meters and low-voltage wires in South Africa.
-During the fiscal year that ended in June 2016, the Company launched digital tachograph operations in Thailand.
Withdrawal of wire-harness production in Samoa
-In Oct. 2016, the Company announced that it will discontinue production of wire harnesses at its subsidiary in Samoa, Yazaki EDS Samoa Ltd., as its major customer plans to withdraw from vehicle production in Australia. Yazaki EDS Samoa was established in 1996 and currently has a workforce of approximately 740 employees. (From a press release on October 11, 2016)