Zhejiang JFE Shoji Steel Products Co., Ltd (KSZ) hosted the Sixth Annual Overseas Plant Manager Conference on September 12. The Technical Planning & Support Department organized this event, which drew 37 managers from 13 JFE Group companies.

The conference, which has been held annually at overseas plants since 2017, has two main purposes. The first is to share information on improvements that different Group companies have made in accordance with the plant operation standards the Technical Planning & Support Department established. The second is to encourage other companies to adopt these improvements. It also serves as a forum where plant managers at Group companies can communicate.

The event began with a presentation on KSZ’s efforts this year to automate its operations and facilities and ensure that its facilities are fundamentally safe. A tour of the plant was next, allowing conference participants to watch KSZ’s improvements in practice and see how the plant is managed.

This was a meaningful experience for the participants, who were able to ask questions about KSZ’s approach to automation as well as the difficulties it faced, all while taking a closeup look at the equipment.

The afternoon featured active group discussions on topics such as the use and sharing information of safety equipment at each of the Group’s locations. These sessions reaffirmed the importance of exchanging opinions and sharing information between Group companies.

The Technical Planning & Support Department will continue to plan and host activities like the Overseas Plant Manager Conference to help Group companies upgrade their plant management capabilities.