CONTENT BY THE WORLDFOLIO

Fukoku: From one-man venture to world leader
through a focus on quality and innovation
Having grown into the world leader in wiper blade rubber production over the last 68 years, Fukoku’s
dedication to constant innovation enables the company to produce custom-made solutions for the automotive
industry and beyond.
Trusted carmakers like Toyota
and Nissan’s reputations havebeen built on superior build quality and reliability. And behindthese car manufacturing giants
lie the Japanese SMEs that produce their vehicles’ high-quality
and high-performing parts which
together work in perfect unison.
These specialized SMEs, which
form the backbone of the Japanese automotive industry’s success, are dedicated to the tenetsof monozukuri, focusing not juston quality and durability, but also
a commitment to constant innovation. This innovation allows
them to create groundbreaking
products which meet the changing needs of an automotive industry undergoing a revolution.
Since its establishment in 1953,
Fukoku has become the world’s
leading producer of wiper blade
rubber, using innovative technology proven consistent over manyyears to cement its international
reputation. The company produces
a range of high-performance rubber products for the automotive
industry, such as pioneering antivibration products created withcomposite technologies. These
custom-made products have also
allowed Fukoku to expand into
more industries including construction machinery and railroads.
This expansion is based onwhat the company calls the‘Fukoku Way’. “It’s about being
responsive to the needs of thewider community, not just talking about our company but also
beyond that, to our stakeholders and the company’s contacts
around the globe,” Takashi Ogawa, President of Fukoku, explains.
“The slogan is not ‘Yes, we can’but ‘Yes, we do’ because we put
a lot of effort into what we do.”
The company’s commitment
to R&D has also been a cornerstone of its growth. “Our R&D
fuels us from the design pointof view. Later on we switch tothe manufacturing site to actually implement those ideas thatare coming out from the R&D“You have to continue
adjusting your bestpractices and you haveto look from a widerperspective”
Takashi Ogawa,President,Fukoku Co., Ltd.

offices,” says Mr. Ogawa. “Timing is also very important, being
capable of producing and delivering the products on time issomething that is also a featureof Japanese monozukuri.”
Faced with the global megacompetition, Fukoku constantly
adjusts its best practices, preventing less costly alternatives frombeing able to replicate the performance of its superior products. An

example of this is Fukoku’s development of a rubber surface treatment for its flagship wiper blade
rubber. This treatment, which issteps ahead of its competitors’,
ensures increased efficiency andperformance in the wiper blades.
The company’s technology
means it is able to bond rubber
and metal, as well as blending
rubber with other materials. By
ensuring the best materials forcustomer needs in all aspects ofits production, Fukoku’s products
can help increase the safety andcomfort of automobiles.
Whilst the automotive industry accounts for 80% of Fukoku’ssales, the company is also focusedon growing the other 20% of its
business in a wider range of industries, including healthcare. “It’s a
new kind of approach from ourcompany. Some time ago the company introduced this bio-related
section, leading to our healthcare
department developing cell culture bags and cell culture medium,” Mr. Ogawa explains.
“First of all, the major producthere is the culture bag itself. The
bag is made from our technologies developed in house and basedon our rubber technologies. We
came to the realization that it’s
not just the infusion bags, butalso cultivating the cells inside theculture bags. We are conducting
research with the aim of realizing
safe and efficient cell culture. (Refer to our video treatise: https://www.jove.com/video/57922). It
is something that might help in
the medical field. The customers
have also been satisfied in thisregard,” explains Mr. Ogawa.
The ‘Fukoku Way’ not only encompasses tailoring solutions tocustomers, but also creating a
warmhearted atmosphere within
the company. This atmosphere is
aimed at ensuring every employee
in the company perfectly understands the goals they are aiming for, and what the company’s
principles are as a whole. “Thedream is very ambitious. It is tocreate the ‘atmosphere’ not only
among the company’s employees
but also for our customers and everybody related to the company,”
Mr. Ogawa proudly states. “Weaim to be an institution where nowords are needed to understandeach other perfectly on what goals
we’re aiming for.”www.fukoku-rubber.co.jp