According to a survey by Japan Auto Parts Industries Association (JAPIA), Japanese auto parts manufacturers had, as overseas local companies, 152 manufacturing firms and 60 sales firms, and some instances of transfer of technology to local companies abroad, as of May, 1985.
In comparison to the previous survey in 1983, the number of companies operating abroad has increased by 23 manufacturing companies, 5 sales companies and 89 instances of technology grant, and in particular the progress in Taiwan, South Korea and the US has been marked This rapid progress of parts manufacturers' overseas expansion during these one or two years can be said to have resulted from a conception prevailing among many parts manufacturers that they could survive only by actively implementing their overseas strategy
International advancement of parts manufacturers can be classified by types as follows: companies which mainly pursue technology transfer to locally established companies, namely Akebono Brake Industry, Ltd, Ikeda & Co, Ltd, Tachikawa Spring Co, Ltd, etc, companies which primarily establish local companies abroad, namely Nippon Oil Seal, Mitsuboshi Belt Co, Ltd, Yazaki Corporation, Yuasa Battery Co, Ltd, etc, companies which actively pursue both technology transfer and establishment of local subsidiaries, namely Nippondenso Co., Ltd, NHK Spring Co, Ltd, Kayaba Industry Co, Ltd, etc.
The internationalization of these companies are based on the following.
1) Technical assistance, supply of knockdown parts, capital participation in local assembly companies, and other industrial cooperation intended to contribute to developing countries' fostering their domestic auto industry
2) Endeavour to create a new supply system for automobiles and/or auto parts by linking-up of auto industries in developed and developing countries, such as Japan-US-Korea or Europe-US-Korea, by making the most of their respective strengths and advantages A good example is the system of division of labor between Japan, the U.S and Korea built up by Nippon Sheet Glass Co, Ltd, Libby-Owens-Ford Co. and Hankuk Glass Co, Ltd have built up a plant for car glass in South Korea. In addition to the Korean market, supply to the Japanese market is contemplated
3) Attempt to respond to the aforementioned request by auto makers in the U. S market for competitive Japanese parts manufacturers setting up local plants in the US
4) Attention is paid to the activity of parts manufacturers which are implementing their own international strategy particularly in the North American market They are trying to expand their business with the Big Three, unfettered by their domestic trade relations in Japan, and regard the U. S. market as the pivot for their world strategy For example, Nippon Cable System supplies the Big Three with cable systems Nippon Oil Seal supplies them with oil seals, Izumi Motor Co. supplies Ford, Chrysler and Nissan with steering gears; Yazaki Corporation supplies Chrysler and Nissan with wire harness, Akebono Brake Industry has begun jointly producing brakes with G. M.
Thus a wide variety of international development can be perceived in the activities of Japanese auto parts makers. This indicates that parts makers have begun to get out of the umbrella of auto makers which had guided them in product development, marketing, control techniques and various other aspects, and that they have begun to cut their own path in the course of internationalization of their operation, taking full advantage of the outside pressure for internationalization.
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