Casio to Automate Output of Low-End Watches

August 10, 2018

Tokyo- Casio Computer Co. said Thursday that it will in late August start automated production of low-priced watches at its plant in Yamagata Prefecture, northeastern Japan.

The automation will halve production costs from the current level, the company said.

To be assembled automatically at the plant, located in the city of Higashine, is the A159WA long-selling digital watch series, which was launched in 1989 and is now sold for slightly over 2,000 yen apiece.

Global sales of the series total several million units, accounting for slightly over 10 pct of Casio's overall watch sales. Its popularity as a "cheap Casio" has been rekindled in recent years in Japan.

According to Casio, a manual assembling line requires 14 workers. But after the fully automated line is installed, only five workers will be necessary, to place components on the line.

The company plans to transfer part of its overseas production to the plant in the future. Jiji Press