Real-Time Inventory Management and On-Site Transformation Achieved Through the Introduction of “PEGASUS”

Minebea AccessSolutions Thai Ltd.

We spoke with Mr. Hiroaki Morikawa, Managing Director of Minebea AccessSolutions Thai Ltd., about his experience and the results of introducing PEGASUS.

“By introducing PEGASUS, the inventory recorded in the system and the actual inventory began to match precisely, which improved management accuracy.
Furthermore, by performing receiving and shipping operations with handheld scanners, the data links directly to the production management system, resulting in less manual work. This has enabled us to achieve a certain level of labor savings.”
— Hiroaki Morikawa (Minebea AccessSolutions Thai Ltd.)

From the left: Mr. Morikawa of Minebea AccessSolutions Thai, Mr. Nozaki of Tomas Tech

About Minebea AccessSolutions Thai Ltd.

Usage Status / Scope of Implementation

Usage Status

• In the inspection warehouse, unified management of receiving, inventory, and shipping was implemented using QR code scanning.
• The core system (AS400) is linked, enabling real-time sharing of receiving schedules, receiving records, and shipping records.
• Uniform labels are issued nationwide; by attaching them, inconsistencies in label specifications were eliminated.
• An operational structure was established in which both Thai and Japanese on-site staff can operate the system.

Issues Before Implementation

• Inventory labels differed depending on the location and person in charge, and no unified rules existed.
• With Excel and manual input–based inventory management, confirmation, aggregation, and real-time visualization were difficult.
• Inventory information was stored only with specific personnel, resulting in situations where “no one knows who has what.”
• Due to restrictions on going to work during the COVID-19 pandemic, on-site staff could not come in, causing delays in inventory checks and operational disruptions.

Effects of Implementation

• Inventory data and actual inventory now match with higher accuracy, achieving zero discrepancies.
• By standardizing receiving/shipping operations, manual work decreased and two warehouse staff were reduced.
• By standardizing label formats, inconsistency caused by differing locations and personnel was eliminated.
• Real-time visualization improved, enabling sharing of numerical data across departments and strengthening coordination between departments.

Purpose of Implementation / Background

Please tell us the purpose of the implementation.

“When a specific person in charge was absent, we could not determine the location of parts. We decided to change this to inventory management that anyone can verify at a glance.”

“With sudden changes in the business environment and the supply chain, as well as increasing risks in parts procurement, we strongly felt the need to ‘make inventory visible so that anyone can operate it,’ which raised awareness of the issue.”
— Mr. Morikawa (Minebea AccessSolutions Thai Ltd.)

Why was the conventional operation unable to cope?

With conventional Excel + manual-input operations, human error, loss of accuracy in aggregation, and lack of real-time understanding had become chronic problems.
In particular, label specifications were not unified, and operations varied depending on the on-site staff and suppliers, accelerating dependency on individuals and the “black box” state.

“We were using labels from various manufacturers, or even issuing our own, and they were all inconsistent. Quantities and input were also done manually, so only the person in charge understood the inventory information.”
— Mr. Morikawa (Minebea AccessSolutions Thai Ltd.)

To break out of this situation, it was decided that a system and unified operational flow were essential, and Tomas Tech’s PEGASUS was selected.

4. Implementation Process / Reasons for Selection

Why did you choose Tomas Tech / PEGASUS

“When I looked at the website, I felt they seemed to think from the user’s perspective. Even during the first visit, they joined the site with helmets, and their attitude of getting directly involved with the workplace gave me confidence.”
— Mr. Morikawa (Minebea AccessSolutions Thai Ltd.)

Among several vendor comparisons conducted, the decisive factors were that Tomas Tech worked very closely with on-site operations and provided customization and system configuration that reflected the opinions of on-site staff.
Additionally, the ability to integrate with AS400 and support multiple languages (Japanese, Thai, and English) were also important requirements.

Implementation Process (Overview)

• Preparation Phase: On-site hearing, organizing label specifications, organizing AS400 linkage requirements.
• Design Phase: Design related to receiving / inventory / shipping barcodes and system linkage, label issuance structure.
• Testing / Operation Phase: Six-month test operation at the Thai site, completion of the main release.
• Operation Phase: On-site operation, creation of operation manuals by both Japanese and Thai staff, implementation of operation reviews.

“They reflected the on-site requests as they were, such as the display layout for responsibility and the finishing requirements of label issuance.”
— Mr. Morikawa (Minebea AccessSolutions Thai Ltd.)

“By scanning QR codes, we made it possible to perform inventory inquiries and receiving/shipping data entry. The key was integration with AS400 by Minebea AccessSolutions.”
— Mr. Nozaki

5. Effects of Implementation (Details)

Quantitative Effects

• By digitizing manual input into scanning operations, work time was reduced (equivalent to an 80% reduction in input work).
• Reduction of two warehouse staff led to a decrease in fixed labor.
• Inventory accuracy: Achieved zero discrepancies between actual inventory and system inventory.

Qualitative Effects

• A structure was created in which departments can discuss and share the same numerical data, strengthening coordination among inventory, purchasing, and production departments across departmental boundaries.
• Inventory management shifted from being dependent on individuals to system-based operation, creating a structure in which inventory locations can be understood even when the person in charge is absent.
• With system usage taking root, awareness reform at the site progressed, and a culture of “making judgments based on data” has begun to permeate.

“Inventory data accuracy has improved, and input errors have disappeared. Work efficiency has also increased, leading to labor savings.”
— Mr. Morikawa (Minebea AccessSolutions Thai Ltd.)

Future Outlook

Starting with improvements in inventory management in the inspection warehouse, Minebea AccessSolutions Thai Ltd. is planning to expand the management framework across the entire company by positioning PEGASUS at the core and extending the scope to “work-in-process inventory.”

“Following the inspection warehouse, we are proceeding so that work-in-process inventory will also be managed by PEGASUS. In the future, we aim to build a structure in which inventory for the entire factory can be centrally managed.”
— Mr. Morikawa (Minebea AccessSolutions Thai Ltd.)

Going forward, effects are expected to extend globally to supply chain improvements, including inventory reduction, optimization of packaging materials, and reduction of transportation costs.

A Word from the Person in Charge

Tomas Tech – Mr. Nozaki：

“At Minebea AccessSolutions Thai, both the Japanese and Thai teams cooperated and proceeded with implementation, improving while incorporating on-site feedback. This was a major factor in the project’s success.”

8. Summary

In this implementation, rather than simply installing a system, we succeeded in transforming the inventory management mechanism into one where “anyone” can “accurately” understand inventory status.

By breaking away from operations dependent on specific individuals and building a foundation for real-time visualization, this contributes to further strengthening of the production–purchasing–procurement structure in the future.