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Upcoming Editions
· 56th WCM Programme: 19–23 October 2026 | Apply now (World Class Manufacturing - October session | EU-Japan Centre)
· 57th WCM Programme: 1–5 March 2027 | Applications opening soon
About the Programme
Since 1992, the World Class Manufacturing (WCM) programme has welcomed more than a thousand participants from all EU Member States. This intensive five-day training programme is designed for EU decision-makers with an engineering background who wish to gain first-hand insight into the principles behind Japan’s manufacturing excellence.
Japan’s manufacturing industry is globally recognised for its outstanding quality, efficiency, and customer focus. This success is built on proven methodologies such as Total Quality Control (TQC), Total Quality Management (TQM), Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), Just in Time (JIT), and Total Industrial Engineering (TIE). At the heart of these approaches lies the kaizen philosophy of continuous improvement, which plays a central role in refining processes and enhancing product quality.
Through this programme, participants are invited to explore how these world-renowned techniques are applied in practice and to discover the principles that have helped Japanese manufacturers achieve exceptional performance and lasting customer satisfaction.
Objectives
• Discover the Japanese approach to World Class Manufacturing and the principles that underpin its long-standing industrial excellence.
• Learn how Japanese firms achieve superior production efficiency, quality standards, and continuous improvement through proven methodologies.
• Gain first-hand insight into current industry practices and trends through visits to leading manufacturing plants in Japan.
• Experience the real Gemba, the production site itself, where manufacturing processes, quality control, and operational excellence can be observed in practice.
• Exchange perspectives with senior Japanese managers and industry experts to better understand how these methods can be applied within your own organisation.