Nidec to invest ¥100 billion to eliminate overtime work

OSAKA – Japanese motor maker Nidec Corp. said Thursday it plans to invest ¥100 billion ($878 million) on robots and supercomputers to eliminate overtime work for its 10,000 group employees in Japan by 2020. The company, which commands a high global market share for small precision motors, is known for its culture of hard work, with founder and Chairman Shigenobu Nagamori setting an example by working from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. But with its workforce diversifying through aggressive midcareer recruitment and acquisitions of overseas companies, Kyoto-based Nidec is taking steps to enhance the work-life balance of its employees. To implement the change, Nidec plans to allocate about ¥50 billion each for its manufacturing division and its noncore division, including development and personnel units. At its factories, the company plans to introduce cutting-edge facilities using robots to reduce operational hours.