History |
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Kenwood's forerunner is founded in Japan and markets products under the "Trio" trademark. |
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Kenwood Japan establishes its first oversea production base in Singapore known as “Trio-Kenwood |
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Singapore Pte. Ltd." (former name of Kenwood Electronics Technologies (S)Pte Ltd). It is located at the |
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northern part of Singapore, Toa Payoh. Eleven pioneer staff is recruited to attend oversea training in |
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Japan. |
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Initially there are 2 audio equipment production lines: Amplifier and Tuner assembly lines. |
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Audio Production lines increase to 4 due to active localisation of activities closer to the customer source. |
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The manufactured products are Home and Car Audio products. Kenwood Singapore expands production |
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facility by leasing one production floor to cope with increased production orders. |
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1986 |
Kenwood Singapore starts Car Audio equipment production. |
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1987 |
Expansion of production activities had led to construction of a second factory in Ang Mo Kio to |
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accommodate the overwhelming demand for Kenwood home and car audio products. |
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1988 |
Kenwood Singapore officially established Ang Mo KIo factory. It is the largest Kenwood’s factory |
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worldwide. |
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By end 1990, Kenwood Singapore chalked up a turnover of S$334 million in sales with 16 production |
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lines. This success has prompted Kenwood
Singapore to establish a subsidiary company, Kenwood |
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Malaysia ( now known as Kenwood Electronics Technologies Sdn Bhd) in Johore Bahru, Malaysia. |
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1992 |
Kenwood Singapore initiates to build a robust and reliable quality management system, and embarks |
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on a program to achieve ISO 9002 certification. Kenwood Singapore is the first in Kenwood to have been |
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certified to ISO 9002 Quality Management System standard. |
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1993 |
Kenwood's sales performance was affected by price competition and adverse effects of highly |
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appreciated yen. These factors forced Kenwood to reconsider its global corporate strategy in order to |
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stay competitive while retaining the traditional standards of Kenwood excellence. |
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1994 |
To keep the competitive edge, Kenwood Corporation decides to restructure Singapore's operation to |
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higher value-add products assemblies while moving into technology intensive activities. With this |
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note, Kenwood Singapore started its first production of telecommunications equipment. Kenwood |
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Singapore became the first factory to produce Home Audio, Car Audio and Telecommunication products. |
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1995 |
Japan’s Kenwood moving R&D, 30% of its communication production to Singapore. |
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1996 |
Kenwood Singapore (Trio-Kenwood Singapore Pte Ltd) is now known by its new name, "Kenwood |
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Electronics Technologies(S) Pte Ltd" with effect from 01/04/1996. |
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Company has totally transformed its production focus from a Home and Car Audio assembly base to |
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that of Telecommunications. |
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Kenwood Corporation chooses Singapore as its first overseas Research and Development Centre, |
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reaping the advantage of Singapore's pool of potential talent and strong economic and political stability. |
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Company establishes its new Sales and Marketing Division to handle Asia-Pacific markets for Radio |
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Communication products. |
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Company started its first Telephone production. |
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1997 |
Kenwood Singapore expands Research and Development team by four fold (from ten to forty) and |
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witnesses the intensification of overseas training to meet future product design needs. |
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1998 |
Kenwood Singapore starts GSM mobile phone production. |
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Kenwood is certified as one of the Approved Training Centres for the Certificate of Competency in |
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Electronics Manufacturing (CoCEM) by Institute of Technical Education (ITE) in Singapore. |
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Kenwood Singapore initiates Innovation in its manufacturing division and identifies the year as |
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“INNOVATION 98" to improve both production and business processes. Re-engineering and rigorous |
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innovation activities are carried out. |
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Kenwood Singapore attains ISO 9001 Quality Management System certification. |
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1999 |
Kenwood Singapore attains ISO 14001 Environmental Management System certification. |
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Kenwood's Singapore-made radios beat all. Wins ‘Retailer Choice’ award at Las Vegas Electronics Show. |
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In 2000, Singapore factory produces 90% of total communication products, including high end |
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transceivers, for Kenwood Corp.
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2001 |
Kenwood Singapore forms Stratgeic Manufacturing Partnership with Add-Plus to set up factory in |
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Bintan, Indonesia and produce low-end transceivers. |
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2002 |
Kenwood Singapore terminates its Telephone Production business and increases Transceiver |
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Production. |
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Kenwood Singapore begins to rethink and re-engineer its manufacturing business to remain ever |
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competitive amid increasing production orders. |
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2003 |
6 Sigma team is formed on Sep 2003. |
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Kenwood Singapore unfolds its ambitious plan to become the best manufacturing factory in Kenwood |
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group and be one of the best manufacturing companies in the world. |
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2004 |
Kenwood Asia Manufacturing HQ is established in Singapore on Apr 2004 under the management |
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of Kenwood Singapore leaders. |
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Kenwood Singapore establishes Supplier Quality Verification team in May 2004 to focus in enhancing |
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suppliers’ quality performance as a means to improve total product quality. |
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In Jun 2004, company-wide innovation activities are rigorously carried out and won commends |
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from Kenwood Corporation that Kenwood Singapore is one of the best factories in Kenwood Group. |
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Kenwood Singapore starts its first Lead-Free production in Jun 2004. |
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In Oct 2004, Kenwood Singapore unveils its strategy to ‘involve’ suppliers in its quality innovation |
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endeavors and renames its “Incoming Inspection” section to “Supplier Quality Management” section |
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to best reflect its changing roles. With its expertise and knowledge, Kenwood Singapore proactively |
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and rigorously participates in many suppliers’ programs to improve their quality level and performance. |
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The results were so successful that Kenwood Singapore decided to eliminate Incoming inspection at |
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factory end. |
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2005 |
In Jan 2005, there are significant achievements and breakthrough in designing new and flexible |
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production methods. Production and capacity flexibility is significantly enhanced. |
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In Feb 2005, Kenwood Singapore changes its mention of “Suppliers” to “Business Partners” to |
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accord the growing importance suppliers had with Kenwood to partnering for business successes. |
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To demonstrate the importance of business partners contribution to Kenwood Singapore, Top |
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management embarks on a special program for selected business partners - “Business Partner Quality |
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and Innovation Collaboration” tour. |
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In Dec 2005, Kenwood Singapore rethinks training strategies and introduces E-Learning Intranet. |
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In Jan 2006, Kenwood decides to benchmark its performance to world class level and Introduces |
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Key Performance Indicator benchmarked to Best-In-Class measurements. |
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In May 2006, Kenwood Singapore initiates Supply Chain Management to improve distribution |
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efficiency, business partners’ quality and performance, and lean management. |
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In Jun 2006, Kenwood Singapore submits application to participate in Singapore’s Manufacturing |
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Excellence Award (Maxa) 2006, which is partnered by Economic Development Board (EDB), |
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Mckinsey & Company, and Singapore MIT Alliance (SMA). |
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Kenwood Singapore wins the Maxa 2006 Finalists award in 30 Oct 2006. A celebration of manufacturing |
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excellence in Singapore factory! |
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2007 |
In Jan 2007, Kenwood Singapore achieves “Singapore 1000 Company” ranking by DP. |
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In May 2007, Kenwood Singapore signs Research collaboration on peripheral technologies with |
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Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University (NTU). |
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In May 2007, Kenwood Singapore submits application for Maxa 2007 award. |
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In May 2007, Kenwood Singapore hosts strategy exchanges cum factory tour for Mckinsey & Company |
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Asia Leadership team. |
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In Jun 2007, Kenwood Singapore implements 6 Sigma company–wide and in Supply Chain. |
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