Techno Olympics Competition at KUK

Each year Komatsu UK organises an internal competition in which employees from every department across the business are encouraged to participate in different disciplines, in the hope of being crowned the winner. The competition is also open to our European sister plants and a key group of suppliers who provide parts/services for Komatsu UK. Participation is encouraged, as we believe there are mutual benefits to be gained from exchanging skills, experience and technical know-how.

We also invite visitors to the factory on the day to watch the final of the competition and have a go themselves. Visitors can try their hand at welding, torque tightening and decal application, with the winners getting a prize during the awards presentation. Visitors will also be able to have a go at driving an excavator.

The overall aim of the competition is to:

• Raise the overall skill level and technical knowledge.

• Ensure the highest quality products are manufactured.

• Improve understanding of KES (Komatsu Engineering Standards).

• Encourage training and development.

At Komatsu, quality is at the forefront of everything we do. The Techno Olympics is one way we emphasise the importance of quality and pride of work to our employees and supply chain. Every competitor has a specified training schedule ahead of their final competition. This training provides a unique experience for the employee to learn. After the competition has been held, there is the opportunity for selected competitors to compete in Japan against representatives from Komatsu Companies from all around the world.

The disciplines include:

• Welding - where the competitor will be assessed on the measurement of plates, marking up, burning and welding to create a total welded box.

• Painting – where the competitor will be assessed during each operation for speed, organisation, method, paint usage, gloss level, paint thickness and dimensional accuracy.

• Assembly – where the competition challenges the operator’s quality, speed, knowledge of Komatsu Engineering Standards and tightening torques.