Content from Global Kigyo

Content from Global Kigyo

Stretching and moving the key to rubber expansion
Mutsubishi Rubber is living up to the properties of its iconic product with ongoing versatility and diversity.

Goji Wada, President and Representative,
Mutsubishi Rubber Co., Ltd.

It is one thing for a company to know its
principal product inside out. But it’s taking
it to another level when you understand it sowell that you can learn from its properties.
Japanese firm Mutsubishi Rubber Co., Ltd.
has been working with its titular material
for one hundred years. Given the way thecompany has been celebrated for its ability
to adapt and move, you’d be forgiven forthinking they have taken some lessons fromits flexibility. The company supplies diverse
fields such as railways, shipbuilding, civilengineering, water supply, energy and steel,among others. It offers an innovative rangeof resilient rubber products used for countless applications. This is all made possible
because of a production system allowing
everything to be completed within a single
factory. From material
development to design, performance verification testing to manufacturing. “Rubberproducts are required to contain gases, shield
against radioactivity, and seal bearings fromoil and dust, as well as for anti-vibration andshock absorbers,” said company President
Goji Wada.
“Mutsubishi Rubber deals with rubbermaterials that stretch and contract. We provide only one product that specializes withina very niche market with manual labor. Thisis a strategy that only an agile company withan integrated production system can make,”foundations by importing techniques from
Wada said. One of the firm’s most important
the British industrial revolution. It has
products is its range of seals for industrial
since developed and evolved to drive its
and climate-related safety. Following theown innovation and research into rubber
2011 Tohoku earthquake and subsequent
technologies. Throughout the last century,
Fukushima nuclear accident, product sales
the company has worked in the development
were impacted by energy industry trends.
of Japanese rail infrastructure, the steel inThe business has since enjoyed a rise in
dustry, pharmaceuticals, and components fordemand for rubber shell and seal covers tonuclear plants. “Since we are now celebrating
protect against tsunamis, floods and storms.
our 100th anniversary, we, therefore, have
Researchers have
100 years of knowledge
also developed a new door “We are an agile company within this niche field,”shield product for use inwith an integrated
Wada said. “For the past
the energy industry andproduction system that
100 years, we have createdbeyond. “It can be said
allows us to keep brusnew technology andthat this has contributed
hing up on our technology products, but this was ourto improving the safety ofand product expertise all base technology. We are
nuclear facilities againstthe time.”
an agile company with annatural disasters,”Wada
integrated production sysGoji Wadasaid. “We are developing
tem that allows us to keep
products that protect from earthquakes,
brushing up on our technology and productlightning, typhoons, and tsunamis, as wellexpertise all the time.”
as solving problems with aging infrastrucMutsubishi products have been usedture,” he added. Mutsubishi’s ability to lookaround the world, with a strong track record
towards the future,of sales in Asia, Europe, Africa, North Amemaking new plansrica and Australia. The company plans toand inventions,begin its next 100 years by aiming for furtheris built on its richinternational success. “Looking to the future,
history of the last
we will continue to expand our presence
100 years.
within these markets,” Wada said. “We willIn their early days, The Victaulic Co.,
continue to maintain our spirit of developof Japan Ltd. requested a specialist from
ment, and with the motto of ‘creation fromThe Victory Pipe Joint Co., Ltd. in thescratch’, we would like to introduce JapaneseUK, which helped Mutsubishi lay strong
manufacturing products to the world.”