Tanzania clinches first African KAIZEN Award, proceeds to International
Tanzania emerged as the winner of the Continental Textile Industries competition, with A to Z Textile Mills declared the winner of the KAIZEN Award.
The Arusha-based A to Z Textile Mills was conferred with the award in a competition organized by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which took place in Tunis, Tunisia; now Tanzania will proceed to the Global KAIZEN Competition schedule in Tokyo, Japan on August 28–30, 2019.
Speaking on the competition after arriving from Tunisia, A to Z KAIZEN Co-Coordinator, Mr. Ruben Lyanga, said that Tanzania competed against eight African countries which were represented by 16 industries, whereby they prepared and presented activities done under KAIZEN and success achieved.
The countries are South Africa, Kenya, Namibia, Tunisia, Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Zambia.
Kaizen is a method to enhance productivity and quality by continuously making small efforts that add up to a big result. It is a general term that encompasses several techniques.
Those include setting in order, shining, sorting, standardizing and sustaining for increased productivity in quantity and quality.
Mr. Lyanga further said that aside presentations, judges visit respective industries, and for the case of A to Z, the judges were convinced that Tanzania was the best in implementation of KAIZEN.
The competition drew the attention of industries from different sectors, and before participating at continental level, A to Z emerged the winner at the Tanzania KAIZEN Award Competition held in Dar es Salaam on March 1st this year, and was regulated by the Ministry of Industries, and Trade and KAIZEN Tanzania, and was selected to represent the country in Tunis.
Commenting on behalf of A to Z CEO, Mr. Kalpesh Shah, Foreign Trade Manager, Mr. Sylvester Kazi dedicated the award to President John Magufuli who is leading the industrial drive, as well as to all Tanzanians.
Mr. Kazi said that Dr. Magufuli is the one eligible for the award due to his determined contributions to improve the country’s economy through industries, and requested him to receive the award via an assistant who will be sent to take it to Dar es Salaam.
A to Z Textile Mills Ltd which is situated at Kisongo area in Arusha, began with a single sewing machine in the 1960s, expanding to presently includes 11 companies within the group that offers a wide series of products and services in both local and international markets.
Among other products, it manufactures polyester and Long-Lasting Insecticidal Bed Nets (LLINS) in an effort to tackle malaria.
