ABSTRACT
The mini carmakers are very confident in their ability to earn a profit from mini-lot production. Mass production, when applied to car manufacturing, is hardly profitable if the volume of production is insufficient; such a small output can justify neither the huge investment of equipment necessary for new model development, nor the running costs of an organisation as large as an automobile factory. When compared to major carmakers, mini carmakers like Takada or Press Kogyo can complete the model development process in a shorter period of time, that is, usually within two and a half years. Carmakers from the Japanese automobile industry have been increasing the number of vehicle assembly operations which they assign to parts manufacturers. Assembly lines at mini carmakers are more flexible than those at major carmakers. Mini carmakers have been continuously making great efforts to further reduce the number of dies used for stamping outer panels.
