VAIO notebooks are made in Toyoshina, Azumino City in Nagano Prefecture, within easy view of Japan’s stunning Northern Alps. The new VAIO TX is one of the many VAIO models crafted there. Many expect it to be a sterile, state-of-the-art facility because it’s a high-tech computer plant. In reality, though, there’s not a single automated belt conveyer.
Instead, this sophisticated facility is built around the cell-production idea. A few experts at independent production stations—or cells—are responsible for building an entire PC, from mounting components and assembling to final processing and inspection. Unlike conventional production lines, the cell method allows workers to give full attention even to the smallest details at their permanent workstations.
Since small teams of workers make each VAIO from start to finish, they have remarkable sense of responsibility and tend to thoroughly motivate themselves. The result is the sort of tender loving care that insures full satisfaction for every user.
The traceability system records the manufacturing history of every unit produced. And we continue remembering our products once they leave the plant. We can do this better because all production data on finished products and their components are carefully recorded.
Such VAIO production processes are somewhat similar to what you might find on Japan’s best farms, where each piece of produce is carefully grown, harvested and delivered to gourmet markets and restaurants.
Mere production efficiency has never been our priority, because we believe that VAIO’s signature quality cannot be achieved though mass production. It’s not about quality control for reducing defect rates; it’s about building true quality into even the smallest details.
All VAIO models are personally assembled with this sort of total care using only the most carefully selected components. That’s the best way we’ve discovered to satisfy our millions of customers around the world. |