CONTENT BY THE WORLDFOLIO

High-mix, low-volume: Japanese monozukuri
prevails in competitive global landscapeThe ‘Made in Japan’ brand has long
been synonymous with high quality.
And behind the superior Japanesequality that Nippon manufacturers
offer is the monozukuri philosophy,
which focuses on craftsmanship,
attention to detail and the constantpursuit of innovation to meet client, market and societal demands.
And while Japan has faced stiffer
competition in recent decades
from regional competitors thathave surpassed it in mass production markets, Japanese companies
still dominate when it comes tohigh-mix-low-volume manufacturing and niche B2B ﬁelds wheremonozukuri quality still prevails.
“In terms of price, we cannot,
as a Japanese company, compete
directly in the arena of mass production, but the Chinese weakness
is that they have to mass produce
or else they cannot have a return on
investment from the facility,” says
Masuya Mori, President of Sanden
Retail Systems, a manufacturer ofcommercial cooling and heating
systems. “Japanese companies haveshifted themselves to high-mix-lowvolume manufacturing. That is the
only way to compete with Chinese
mass production. I believe one of
the means for Japanese companies
to survive and compete against the
Chinese mass production is to havehigh-mix-low-volume, high-quality,
value-added products.”
Monozukuri is indeed key to thisendeavor. Giving his take on themonozukuri concept, Ryukichi Sato,
President of Enuma Chain, says:“There are two types of monozukuri in our opinion: one is for major
manufacturers, and the other is for
end-users who use our products.
We are a manufacturer of industrial and motorcycle chains, and we
supply them to a great many major
manufacturers, including Kawasaki,
Kubota, Toyota Industries and Iseki. In terms of our manufacturing,
we believe that our monozukuri
is to provide the highest quality

while meeting the demands of eachmanufacturer and being nurturedby the manufacturer.”
Fine-tuning is another monozukuri concept when it comes tothe pursuit of the highest quality,
as highlighted by Yasuhiko Isobe,
President of Mutoh Holdings, amanufacturer of inkjet printers.
“The technology we possess isable to make very fine adjustments. We are able to combine thestrengths of Japanese chemical
manufacturing with the strengths
of Japanese electronics and mechanical expertise. These elements
need to be ﬁnely tuned in order tobring out the best features of alarge-scale, large-format printer,”he says. “I personally feel thisability to ﬁne tune has become
the core competency of Japanesemonozukuri and the reason Japan
will remain a leading power.”
To consolidate its monozukuri
competencies, Moripax, which
specializes in plastic trays for theMasuya Mori,
President, Sanden Retail Systems
logistics industry, established its
Technovation Center in 2021. “TheTechnovation Center is the coresite for our monozukuri where all
key functions for one-stop monozukuri are gathered (planning, design,mock-ups, mass-production prototype, QA),” explains president Yuko
Sumida. “Once a customer approvesa prototype, we can then move on
to mass production. QA follows,
and then ﬁnally we can deliver the
product to the end user. Our group
can offer a one-stop shop for packaging needs. That is why I say ‘total
packaging’ is a core strength.”Integrated systems facilitating manufacturing automation
With expertise in machine tool peripheral equipment specialized in chucking,rotating, and holding technologies, Matsumoto Machine offers its clients
integrated solutions to improve factory productivity and efﬁciency.
ment parts, and system integration
to its manufacturing clients.

“We ﬁnd joy andsatisfaction in solving
our customer’s problems.
It has led us to invent
dedicated peripheral
equipment for a wide
variety of workpieces.”
Kaname Matsumoto,President, Matsumoto
Machine Co., Ltd.
When it comes to factory machinery and automation solutions, Japan
still rules the roost thanks to small,agile and innovative companies like
Matsumoto Machine, which supplies
chucking solutions, rotating solutions,holding solutions, special parts, ele-

Autotilting rotary table
In 1948, Eiichi Matsumoto established the company with a mission toincrease productivity and enterprisevalue for its clients. Seventy-ﬁve
years on and that mission still guides
Matsumoto Machine and current
president Kaname Matsumoto,with the company at the forefrontof developing factory automation
and robotics solutions for Japanesecompanies facing an ever-increasing
shortage of human operators due tothe nation’s aging population.
“Production line efﬁciency and robot utilization are the main businessfor us right now. By analyzing thefunctions of automation in manufacturing, new ideas can spring forth,”says Mr. Matsumoto. “Matsumoto
Machine already has a proven trackrecord for system integration forcustomers’ existing production lines.
In the future, I see an escalation inthis segment and we are looking
positively at system integration andfactory automation.”Smartterrace AIO
Among the latest solutions developed by Matsumoto Machine
are ROBO-QJC, an automatic chuckjaw replacement system, and Smart
Terrace AIO, a one-stop solutionthat makes use of the company’s
extensive experience and for which

Mr. Matsumoto
sees applications
for clients in several industries. “Itis used in the metalmachine processing
industry, however,Big bore
I would say that
we are looking to rotary tablediversify that and the equipment
can be utilized in a number of different applications.”
In terms of global expansion efforts, Matsumoto Machine has grownits customer base in the U.S. since itestablished a presence there in 1989,
and aims to ﬁnd more international
partners that can support its ambitions to bring Japanese monozukuri(manufacturing craftsmanship) to
more clients around the world.

mmkchuck.com/en

CONTENT BY THE WORLDFOLIO

Teikoku ready to provide next-gen
pumping globally
Teikoku Electric provides fully customizable canned motor pumps for a range
of industries.
“When we take on aclient, we hand-makeeach unit.”
Yoshihiro Koroyasu,
President & CEO,
Teikoku Electric
Mfg. Co., Ltd.

SMEs can offer clients high-mix,
low-volume customized products.
Since these markets are small, larger players normally stay away, as
highlighted by Yoshihiro Koroyasu,
president of canned water pump
manufacturer Teikoku Electric,
whose products are used in several
industries such as fine chemicals,
petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals,
power generation and food.
With over 50 years in the business and a proven track record
worldwide, Teikoku Electric provides canned motor pumps thatare fully customizable in order tomeet the often complex requirements of its customers.

“Most of our clients are in thechemical industry, and their demands are not only hard to satisfy,
but also diverse in nature. Often
they will ask us for products thatcan meet American standards.
Large companies do not reallywant to meet these demands as
they find them too niche and too
customized to individual clients’needs,” Mr. Koroyasu says. “Thatis why when we take on a client,
we hand-make each unit. We areoperating on the complete opposite end of standardization. Large
companies simply cannot addressthese kinds of highly complicatedrequests, and we find our clientsare very happy with our customized approach.”
These days, client and industry
demands are indeed largely influenced by green policies. Mitsubishi
Heavy Industries, for example, has
introduced an initiative involving
the mixing of ammonia with coal
to produce power while reducing the amount of coal. “We asa company have many years ofexperience in pump production, so
we want them to use our pumps

API685 Canned Motor Pump

Metering Pump

Japan excels when it comes to niche
B2B manufacturing markets, where
small, agile and innovative Japanese

Head officein their process. Specifically, wemean the pumps used to supply
ammonia,” adds Mr. Koroyasu.
Teikoku Electric’s clients canalso use its pumps in biomass
power generation as well as offshore wind power and in the transportation of ammonia for hydrogen power. As such, Mr. Koroyasu
hopes to see his company play abigger part in the green energy
revolution in the coming years.
“Unfortunately, being an SME, we
are only able to acquire a tiny partof the market share for the powerindustry, but I am hoping that themix of ammonia and coal that I
mentioned earlier starts to take

Head office factory“When liquid or water enters
our competitor’s products, it has
direct contact with the motor, andthus their motors have a short life
expectancy. For maintenance, theclients need to replace the motor
itself, which is significant in termsof cost. Our products are canned,
so access to the motor is blocked,
especially for liquids like water,” thepresident explains. “The life expectancy of our motors is much longer
than our competitors. I would say

Canned Motor Pump standard type cutaway model
off so that we may capture a larger that our competitor’s wet motor
share of the market with our pumps. pumps have a life expectancy ofThis business is an entry point for around five years, however, ourus to establish a large presence in canned motor pumps can expect
the power industry. Biomass energy a lifespan of around 10 years or
and wind power are also key points more. That is double the amountfor the future of the power industry, of our competitors, and that cost
so I can see these also becoming saving is appreciated by our clients.”
As the company looks to growentry points for our company.”
One particular product that internationally, Australia, China,
has great potential in the power the U.S. and India hold the mostindustry is the company’s Type BP potential for Teikoku Electric, which
Vertical Boiler Circulation Pump, already has seven overseas sites.
which can upgrade and replace Mr. Koroyasu adds: “We want towet stator-type boiler circulation enhance production and service
pumps used in power generation businesses at these sites as eachstations. A major advantage is the still has extra room for growth.”
fact that the pump requires little
to no maintenance, a process thatis costly and time-consuming for
www.teikokudenki.co.jp/english
many clients.

CONTENT BY THE WORLDFOLIO

Swacoo to develop high-precisionmaterials for EVs
Swacoo aims to leverage its technological capabilities as a manufacturer of materials
for electronic devices to attract customers for in-demand components for nextgeneration electric and self- driving vehicles.

Parts for office equipment
Swacoo has had its finger on thepulse of change since its establishment in 1971, providing high-precision processed parts and materials
for a range of electronic devices.
In the 2000s, with the spreadof mobile phones and smartphones,
Swacoo acquired production capacity and quality control knowhow by supplying LCD backlightparts and OCA for displays for major companies. These partnerships
helped Swacoo to significantly im-

prove its production techniques
and quality control.
Having built up its excellent technological know-how over the years
developing parts and materials foroffice printers, lithium-ion batteries(LiBs) for electronic devices, andcamera lenses for digital cameras
and cellphones, the company today
continues to work with smartphone

Optical film for large displays
makers and Japanese device, module, and materials manufacturers,
while also shifting its focus to elec-

tric vehicles (EVs). Company president Kazuaki Ikegamii sees major“Our strategy is to findnew businesses anddevelop new products
together with device/
module manufacturers
and raw material
manufacturers.”
Kazuaki Ikegamii, President,
Swacoo Co., Ltd.

OCA for displays
opportunities for business growththrough two main strategies: lowcost processing technology for partsfor EV LiBs; and patented opticalfilm technology for large electronic
displays in said vehicles.
“Our strategy is to find new
businesses and develop new products together with device/module
manufacturers and raw material
manufacturers, and there are great

business opportunities when innovation occurs,” he explains. “By having
a tight-knit relationship with theseproviders and presenting them with
Swacoo’s technology, know-how,and capabilities, we want to continue moving forward and finding
new markets globally.”www.swacoo.co.jp

The finest quality for the highest precision springs
Mikuro Spring is a leading spring manufacturer and a pioneer in this field that is now searching for newopportunities in sophisticated industries.
technologies and micro spring
manufacturing techniques,
working with local companies

Spring and human hair
When it comes to being a pioneerin the field, look no further than
Mikuro Spring, a leading springprocessing manufacturer founded in the 1950s. Society has
moved on a lot in that time andwith it so too has the company,
deploying its products successfully in a variety of applications
worldwide — including electrical and medical devices, and automotive parts — pulling on joint
efforts to achieve its success.
“We do not only rely on ourown strength,” explains company
president Takuya Kojima, high-“We want to become a leading company in spring
solutions for the semiconductor testing industry.”
Takuya Kojima, President, Mikuro Spring Co., Ltd.
lighting the world’s smallest superfine springs his company produces. “We also rely on the mutual
efforts of our suppliers. We areblessed that we have such good
surroundings with a number ofcompanies that complement our
technology. It is a combination ofmany things, with many stages,
to reach our level of excellence.”
More collaboration is desired,says Mr. Kojima, particularly
with overseas partners.
“We want to expand to the U.S.
and Europe by setting up an R&D
center to promote our unique

Wavy springwith similar ideas and establishing partnerships through M&A
activities. We know this is challenging and timing is crucial.”
With a new plant being built todouble the capacity, the outlook
for the coming years is bright.
“Our main goal right now is
to become a leading global company and I would like to achievethat in the next five years,” says
Mr. Kojima. “We want to introduce more of our products andtechnologies to the world.”
https://mikuro-spring.com/en

CONTENT BY THE WORLDFOLIO

Tomei Plant
in Tochigi, Japan

Nano-level precision reaching
the diamond standard“Specialized areas
require high quality
and uniqueness whichfurther inspires ourdevelopment skills.”
Hiromi Ishizuka,
Representative Director,
Tomei Diamond Corporation

When it comes to the processing of diamond powders for polishing, grinding and cutting, Tomei Diamond Corporation
sets the standards on which clients in the automotive, construction and semiconductor industries depend.
Since pioneering the production of
artificial diamonds for industrial
use in 1961, Tomei Diamond Corporation (TDC) has excelled in theprocessing of diamonds for polishing, grinding and cutting. The company’s ultra-precision materials areindispensable to manufacturers inthe semiconductor, automotive andconstruction industries, who highly
value TDC’s ability to provide material of consistent quality and shapethat ensures precision down to thenanometer and micron level.
Over the years, TDC has developed a variety of materials, including PCD for non-ferrous metal cutting tools, cBN powder for grinding
abrasives for ferrous metals, PcBN
for cutting tools for ferrous metals,
and boron-doped CVD diamonds
for use as an electrode material.

ISBN-V“We have focused on the researchand development of industrial synthetic diamonds, especially micronand nanodiamond powders, andhave built up a reputable position in
the precision ﬁeld,” states TDC representative director Hiromi Ishizuka.
“Another strength we have is that wehave our own unique development
and improvement capabilities. Our
diamond powders have sharp edges,
or as we call them angular acute edges, which makes them serve multiple
high-end purposes. Our production
may take longer compared to othercompanies, but we ensure that theshape and size is the most appropriate for diamond powders.”

TED-2
In the case of the semiconductor
industry, applications for diamondpowders include tools used for
grinding ingot periphery, diamondwire saws, wafer-edge chamfering, back grinding and dicing. In
the case of SiC (silicon carbide)
semiconductors, diamond powder
is sometimes used for wafer polishing itself, so it is expected that theuse of diamond powder will further
increase in the SiC era.
“Our main target is semiconductors since this industry has a limited number of players. We havebeen collaborating with many ofthe major Japanese players in thisindustry,” adds Ms. Ishizuka. “Fromthis point, we also aim to expand
and collaborate with overseas
companies. Our products are used

for cutting silicon material, but weare now focusing on the next generation of semiconductor material,silicon carbide, to which we areproviding a new type of solution
for cutting, grinding and polishing.”
Indeed partnership and collaboration will be key to TDC’s success,with the company working withpeers as well as customers to enhance product development. As eachcustomer has different toolmaking
know-how, TDC works in partnership to provide abrasive grains tailored to the customer’s speciﬁc products, and through trial and error,
products with superior performanceare developed as a result.

cBN CupType Wheel
Regarding application researchin the ﬁeld of ultra-high pressure,
TDC is looking for partners whowant to use its ultra-high pressure
facilities for research and development. “We do this because thedevelopment of new products in theﬁeld of ultra-high pressure meansthat we can expand the market inwhich we can operate,” Ms. Ishizuka explains. “We receive various
inquiries from public and private
research institutes and private com-panies, and provide total support
until development is realized andthe product is commercialized.”With 90% of its sales comingfrom the domestic market, TDC
aims to grow its presence globally,
with the company establishing anofﬁce in Georgetown, Kentucky in
2022 to support its expansion in
the U.S. semiconductor market.

PCD Special Type
“When we did a global search, we
discovered that the U.S. has the mostﬂourishing semiconductor industry.
Considering that the national government is leading the advancementin the semiconductor industry, we
decided to have our base in the U.S.,”
the TDC director reveals. “We feelthe importance of the international
market, and we are aware that weshould focus more on growing ouroverseas bases and have a bigger
international sales ratio.”

www.tomeidiamond.co.jp/en

CONTENT BY THE WORLDFOLIO

Fittings firm TAKIGEN out tocontribute to the EV revolution
A manufacturer with expertise in products such as handles, locks and hinges, TAKIGEN
is now looking to apply its know-how to ﬁttings for electric-vehicle chargers.

Standard EV charger Lock
Since TAKIGEN was founded in
1910, it has established itself as
a leading manufacturer of industrial ﬁttings.
The extensive range of approximately 8,000 types of sealing
ﬁttings – handles, locks, hinges,
etc. – are professionally manufactured for customers in a wide
range of industries.
Customer feedback is key toproduct development at TAKIGEN, whose quality commitment
is typical of manufacturing inJapan. While competitors elsewhere in Asia may offer lower
prices, can they provide the samedependability?
“Japan is unique for its quality control,” President Mitsugu
Tanaka says. “Not only in termsof functionality and appearance,
Quick EV charger lockbut also the materials we use.
“Companies in China and Korea industry, for which the company
have been able to copy products now produces ﬁttings for electriclike ours, but our customvehicle (EV) charging stations.
“We have been making aers continue to purchaseour products because,holder for the charging guneven though they may
for the past eight years,”
be more costly, they are
Mr. Tanaka says. “Whendefect free and safer.”
it comes to charging staTAKIGEN’s clientstions, we are behind in Japan
hail from sectors suchcompared to Europe, but thisas heavy electrical maequipment will be increaschinery and semiingly installed here.”
Takigen is working
conductor manuon EV-related products
facturing – as well Make new products
because they requireas the automotive with TAKIGEN create“We really take good
aftercare of thecustomers after werelease the product, sothat our customers feelsafe in our hands.”
Mitsugu Tanaka, President,
TAKIGEN MFG. CO., LTD.
functions that have never been
available before. The company isdeveloping new ﬁttings in areas
such as solar power generation, rechargeable batteries and robotics.
“If we don’t have a keyword forsomething, we create it,” Mr. Tanaka says. “Through our research, we
aim to develop good products thatwill be suitable for that market.”www.takigen.com

JASCO: the surface treatment specialists
Since its foundation in 1968, JASCO has continued to support the development of environmentally-friendly plating.

“We are proud that
our high quality andtrack record of zincplating-related agents,
the mainstay of anticorrosion technology
today, are among thebest in the industry.”
Shigeyoshi Wada, President,
Nippon Hyomen Kagaku
A ﬁrm that regards itself as a B2C
company, in the last half century
JASCO has established an international reputation as a surface
treatment specialist.
According to company president Shigeyoshi Wada, however,what really sets JASCO apart is
its “unique” after-sales follow-up
services: “Our business is not justselling products. We take care of
our customers and users moving
forward to ensure that we canaddress any challenges or issues
related to our products.”

metal requires surface treatment.
For OEMs manufacturing engine
vehicles, therefore, JASCO remains
a pivotal link. Mr. Wada adds: “Ourcompany can meet various requests
by providing one-stop services. We
might be a small group, but wehave a long history and have accumulated signiﬁcant expertise over
the years” – expertise which OEMs
specializing in the development ofengine vehicles necessarily lack.

explains, “these local companies
cannot satisfy regulations from
U.S. and European companies,” astate of affairs which has led to
JASCO signiﬁcantly expanding its
U.S. and European customer base.

JASCO’S anti-corrosion
technology in use

And with the majority of thecompany’s clients coming from theautomotive and electronic sectors,
seismic changes are afoot.
While stressing a desire to keep
one step ahead of competitors, Mr.
Wada also emphasizes the importance of continuity. The shift toelectric vehicles (EVs), he says, will
not eliminate metal from cars, and50th anniversary logo
Looking to the future, JASCO
will continue to target Japanesemanufacturers, particularly thoseworking abroad, providing surface
treatments which local competitors cannot match in terms of quality. “In many cases,” Mr. Wada

And with the company soon tocelebrate its 60th anniversary, Mr.
Wada has no doubt that JASCO’s
customer base remains key.
“As surface treatment professionals,” he concludes, “we believethat increasing customer convenience will lead to growth.”

www.jasco-kk.co.jp/english

CONTENT BY THE WORLDFOLIO

Taiyo Fastener: crafting cost-effective, quality
and sustainable connections through hitozukuri
Taiyo Fastener is leveraging technology and sustainability to drive innovation across its supply chain with aclear understanding of the investment in employee, partner and societal happiness.
Taiyo Fastener, founded in1972, has been manufacturinghigh-quality fasteners for over
35 years in Japan. President
Kenji Mabuchi shares how thecompany practices monozukuri , which has evolved into amodern manufacturing philosophy focused on quality, cost,and delivery (QCD) and grewfrom the craftsmen brought inat the beginning.

“Our management philosophy is: promotehappiness, both economically and that of ouremployees; contribute to the prosperity ofour business partners; and contribute to thedevelopment and happiness of society.”
Kenji Mabuchi, President, Taiyo Fastener“I believe that monozukuri
is hitozukuri , making things ismaking people,” the president
says. “Since we want to passdown the technologies thatwere brought by these engineers, we tried to put theminto a written format, known
as Taiyo Fastener’s philosophy.”
The company’s automationof production lines, focus on
employees’ health, and theadoption of new technologies
have allowed it to adapt to thechanges brought by Japan’s aging population.
“Automation enables us todo the production processwith fewer people. Our oldest
employee is 76 years old, but
he is still healthy and working so actively,” the president
reveals. “Although our official
retirement age is 60, we havea system that allows our employees to continue working
later. Breaking from our maletradition, we have recently been
actively hiring young women as
operators for the production
line, so that they will be able touse the machines.”
The arrival of COVID-19
proved to be an importanttime for the company, withpositive actions being under-

taken despite a slight decline
in revenue.
“We were able to provide
employees with educational
training to nurture the next
generation of leaders, and management strategy training todeepen the thinking of executive
candidates,” says Mr. Mabuchi.
“In addition, we launched a new
product development project,
fostered awareness of taking
on new challenges, and createda foundation for cultivating a
spirit of challenge, creating a
new flow for our company.

“It’s taking shape and I hopethat we can continue this andbuild a strong corporate entity
as a company.”
Returning to the theme ofquality, the president highlights a key difference with
Taiyo Fastener.
“Manufacturers in China andTaiwan pick out and get rid ofdefective products after mass
production. In our case, we try
not to send defective elements
to the next step during the production process. We only takethe good ones to the next phaseand this avoids producing defective products, which controls
the quality.”

The need to continually innovate to keep pace with industry
developments is clear and Taiyo
launched a new product, the Kapal Bolt, which is cost-effective,
sustainable, and saves on labor.
“We try to approach and listen to the needs or problems ofcompanies that could be our potential customers so that we candeliver their requirements to the
production line,” explains Mr.
Mabuchi. “We focused on the labor cost compared to the cost of
the fasteners themselves. Even
though the labor cost in China
and Southeast Asia is still low,
it has recently risen. We thoughtthat we should concentrate on
how to shorten the labor time
for the workforce and the Kapal
Bolt does that.”

For this development, collaboration with other businesses
is seen to have a significant role.
“In the domestic market,
we have a lot of friends andpartners, and overseas we havea good joint venture in Thailand,” says the president. “We
are trying to produce products
through that company and export them to Europe and the
US. Listening to the customers
in those markets also helps in
the expansion of our products
in Japan and Thailand.
“We have some friends inIndonesia with whom we cancollaborate on development. We
would like to continue this kindof relationship and internationally we are looking at Asian
countries, especially Indonesia
and Vietnam.”“We do pay attention to SDGs
and product development earmarks sustainable longevity
and environmentally friendly
materials. We manufacture titanium screws, for example.
Titanium is a material that canachieve corrosion resistance,
strength, and weight reduction. Our other screws are also
used in JAXA’s unmanned lunar
probe ‘OMOTENASHI’.

With clear management philosophies of promoting happiness and prosperity to employees, partners and society as awhole, Mr. Mabuchi is devoted
to them being achieved before
he steps away as president.
“We support people all over
the world with unlimited possibilities. ‘Always by you’ is ourwatchword.”
www.taiyo-fastener.co.jp

CONTENT BY THE WORLDFOLIO

Game-changing digital press solutions

For both digital and conventional presses, providing sustainable solutions is Miyakoshi’s specialty. This uniquemachine builder in Japan has made inroads into the global ﬂexible packaging and labels market.

Packaging example of MJP30AXF
Innovation often involves taking a traditional industry andrevamping it for the modern
age. One of the companies pushing its sector forwards with its
holistic approach is Japanese
printing machinery firm Miyakoshi Printing Machinery.

in line with postprinting processing, along withits data printing
solutions.
Sustainability is ofgreat concern in the printing industry, especially withlabels and ﬂexible packaging
printing, and company president Toru Miyakoshi reveals his
firm is focusing on providing
eco-friendly solutions. Miyakoshi
is developing presses based onwater-based ink and drying technologies such as its MJP30AXF
inkjet printer for ﬂexible packaging. These water-based ink

Pr i n t i n g i n J a p a n d a te sback centuries and the country was the first in Asia toadopt the Gutenberg press.
Miyakoshi, founded in 1946,
taps into the industry’s tradition of monozukuri with its
machinery for printing andpost-printing processes. The
company was Japan’s first to
develop digital inkjet printers
and it has continued this forward-thinking approach with
its custom-made label printingpresses that come equipped

MEL13A
presses drastically reduce carbon emissions.
The company is also embracing the AI revolution with its“Yaless AI” system and offset label press MLP13M. As
Mr. Miyakoshi details: “Thissystem assists inexperienced
operators to sustain good print

MJP30AXF

quality and at the same time
reduces label stock wastage bymore than 30%.” Miyakoshi’s
growth has enabled it to create
a European subsidiary basedin Spain, and the two arms ofthe company worked together
to develop its compact andcost-effective MEL13A label
printing machine. By producing 80 percent of its mechanical parts in-house, Miyakoshi
both reduces costs and ensures quality.
The company is targeting
further growth in Europe andChina, with an eye on potential
development in Southeast Asia,
but Mr. Miyakoshi stressed that
expansion must be made witha guarantee that quality standards can be maintained.

https://miyakoshi.co.jp/english

Hikari Dendoki: trading firm supports
Japan’s key semiconductor players

Toshihiro Nakao, President,
Hikari Dendoki Co., Ltd.
As a trading company specializing in
production goods for customers suchas semiconductors and electronics,

Hikari Dendoki provides products
and services to some of the biggest
Japanese companies in the industry.
With partnerships with the
likes of ROHM, Tokyo Electron,
Oriental Motor, NSK and IAI,
Hikari Dendoki gathers top-levelmarket information so that it canmake the best proposals to its
clients to ensure the selection of
the optimal combination.
“I think that is one of our greatest strengths,” says president Toshihiro Nakao. “We gather information about technological innovation

and with that knowledge we makeproposals that contribute to thecustomers’ monozukuri.”An acute understanding of customer needs is also a key facetof Hikari Dendoki’s success, withthe company providing technicaltraining to its sales reps on all
relevant areas, such as mechanics,
motion control, and networking,before deploying them to deal
with clients face-to-face and learn
about their speciﬁc requirements.
Mr. Nakao adds: “We work quickly to match customer needs andgive the best advice on products,
like which is the cheapest, the fastest delivery time, the smallest, thebest combination, we give them asmuch information as they need.”

HIKARI DENDOKI Co., Ltd. contributes to the manufacturing industry
through face-to-face sales, and continues to shine for the beneﬁt of people and society.

CONTENT BY THE WORLDFOLIO

Quality and precision: the Mutoh Way
Founded in 1952, Mutoh Holdings has established itself as a world leader in large-format inkjet printers.

“Mutoh promotes thedevelopment of originaltechnology, expertiseand design quality, andestablishes production
systems that are able
to ﬂexibly and quickly
respond to user needs.”
Yasuhiko Isobe, President,
Mutoh Holdings Co., Ltd.
A company that crafts highquality, high-precision products, Mutoh Holdings specializes in large-format inkjet
printers, following the Japanese principle of monozukuri– the pursuit of perfection in
manufacturing. For customers
in Japan and around the world,
the Tokyo-based firm is alsoa trusted provider of printersupplies and maintenance, 3D
printers, design and measurement devices, and IT solutions.

Head ofﬁce“Mutoh Industry was established upon the development of
the Drafter®, which is a drafting board used for designing,”says the company’s president,
Yasuhiko Isobe. “That was 70
years ago, and all our growthsince then has led to what weare today – a hardware andsoftware manufacturer with a
primary product that integrates
a range of different technologies. Our large-format printers
can adapt to any type of ink.”
In Mr. Isobe’s view, monozukuri comes down to Japanese manufacturers’ devotion
to honing their products.
“For things like printers, thetechnology needs to beprecise without leeway,”
he explains. “Let’s say ourlarge-format printers take10 hours to make. Five of
those hours are required for
assembly, so you might ask
what we do with the remaining five. We spend that timefine-tuning and checking.”
While Mutoh has establishedoverseas locations in Europe,
the United States and Australia,
its commitment to a meticulous
manufacturing process meansits factories have remained onhome soil. “Our production requires the kind of engineeringexpertise that can only be foundin Japan,” Mr. Isobe says.
Mutoh is dedicated to ensuring that its products contributeto a greener future. The use of
eco-friendly inks is key to thisdrive, starting with the switchfrom solvent ink to eco-solvents.
“Solvent ink isn’t environmentally friendly,” Mr. Isobe says.
“It contains volatile organic
compounds and when they dryout, a chemical vapor is emitted.
It’s been the preferred choice,especially for large signs anddisplays, because it’s highly resistant to sunlight. However, ink
with the same performance now
exists in an eco-friendly form.
“Another new type of ink
we’re focusing on is UV ink;
it dries up and stabilizes im-

mediately after printing using
UV light, so it’s considered ecofriendly. However, it doesn’t
h ave a s t ro n g re s i s t a n c eagainst sunlight, so we have yet
to utilize it for printing signage.
There’s also water-based ink
that’s very eco-friendly,
but there’s a limited

XPJ-1462UF
amount of media that it canbe printed on. Normal paper isfine, but magazine paper thathas a sheen doesn’t absorb theink, so it’s not printable on thiskind of media.”
Among the newest printers
to come off Mutoh’s production line is the XPJ-1462UF, theindustry’s first ever mediumsized UV flatbed. “The plan for
the next two to three years is totransition to mostly eco-friendly inks,” Mr. Isobe concludes.

MF-900The company’s latest products also reflect the rise of
3D printers. For example, the
new Value 3D Magix MF-900
is able to model carbon fibercontaining materials – a capability that’s highly sought

after by customers wishingto create prototypes for jigs
and parts.
“As of today, we consider
3D printing to be booming,
even if business-wise it’s yet
to be that lucrative,” Mr. Isobe
says. “In fact, we act as anagent for an American largescale 3D printing company. For
now, the use of 3D printers is
confined to making models or
mockups, and as a 3D printerdealer we have incorporated
their use, but that use is limited
to the production of parts that
require less sophistication. In
terms of 3D printers, our focus
is not on large-scale and ismore directed to mid-to-smallscale printers.”
Among the IT products developed by Mutoh, there area range of CAD tools, as wellas the firm’s state-of-the-art
VerteLith RIP software, which
offers users complete control
over the printing process –from workflow optimization,
to color and layout management, to job preview functions.
What’s more, customers canalso subscribe to Mutoh Club,an exclusive web service thatprovides news and release
information, allows you tocheck your printer’s status remotely with the Mutoh Status
Monitor, and makes the latest
manuals and printer drivers
available for download.
When it comes to international business, Mutoh doesn’tplan to branch out from thet h re e ove r s e a s re g i o n s i nwhich it is already present,
Mr. Isobe says: “Our emphasisright now is on North America,
Europe and Australia. The reason we’re focused on developed nations is that we provide
not only printers, but also ink.
If we sell in Asia to countries
like China, they tend to only
purchase the printer and not
the ink. They want to cut costs
and therefore use cheaper, inferior ink. That business style
is not desirable for us.”www.mutoh-hd.co.jp/en

CONTENT BY THE WORLDFOLIOFor King Printing, the power of printing is strong minded people
King Printing has been providing tailored printing solutions since its foundation in 1917.

“We believe in the
power of visualcommunication tocreate a more enjoyable
and beautiful world.”
Window display
For more than a century, King
Printing has provided the printing industry with its special materials and unique know-how.
With high-quality, large-format inkjet printing and precise
color tuning, allied to a company structure that prioritizes

Reproduction of cultural properties

Yuki Mitsuhiro, President,
King Printing Co., Ltd.

client satisfaction, the firm is ing our organization in order tonow looking to consolidate its maintain high standards.”
Having entered the Taiwanesepresence in the overseas market.
The secret to King Printing’s market in 2011, the company is
success, however, according planning the next steps in its interto company president Yuki national development. Mr. Mitsuhiro
Mitsuhiro, is its highly skilled adds: “We plan to enter a Southeast Asian counemployees. “Ultry this year, andtimately, people,
aim to expand
rather than sysour business totems, contributefour more counto products, so
tries by 2030.”
I’m focusing on
U l t i m a t e l y,
educating peothe aim is tople and foster- High-speed UV inkjet printerOutdoor ads
establish strong links between
the company’s domestic andoverseas branches so that facilities, equipment and materials
are better aligned. “By doing so,
it will enable us to provide thesame high-quality products andservices anywhere in the world.”
King Printing will challenge thecare and sensitivity with which
Japanese companies develop
their products so that they canbe replicated on a global level.

www.kingprinting.co.jp

The block-building system for the future
Staying true to its BBS concept, NKE Corporation produces high-performance factory devices.
The thousands of individual parts
which make up complex manufacturing systems are the building
blocks of companies around theworld. Japanese ﬁrm NKE has built
its success through the creation of asystem to seamlessly merge these
individual blocks into tailor-madesolutions for its customers.

BBS concept
Founded in 1968, NKE’s expertiseis in factory automation devices andcomponents. However, the company’s true added value comes from its
Block Building System (BBS) concept. This system develops “blocks”
by identifying predictable, stable,seeks to “leaveand common basic patterns in a
only meaningseemingly complex system andful tasks to hustandardizing them into a
man beings andreproducible form.
These blocks,
let machines dosuch as cylinwhat machines can do”.
ders, conveyors,
An example of this prinConveyor
and air grippers,
ciple in action is the combecome NKE’s “standard units” with pany’s Airsapo back brace, whicha high degree of performance and contains an artiﬁcial muscle built
reliability. The blocks are then used using the BBS concept and increasto create modular solutions and es the wearer’s physical mobility.
equipment for customers, loweringcosts and increasing proﬁtability.
The BBS approach standardizes the
response to any variable, ensuring a
logical, coherent, and reproducible
operational process.
NKE places its focus on the details of the monozukuri process to
identify each customer’s needs,
and has people at the heart of its“Humanized Automation” principle,
which has been key to the company’s expansion into ﬁelds such as
Airsaponursing and agriculture. Company
The innovative ideas NKE propresident Michikazu Nakamura explains that humanized automation vides come from the freedom“Our engineers have apassion to contribute tosociety and solve social
problems using thetechnology they have.”
Michikazu Nakamura,President, NKE Corporation
given to the company’s engineers
and their passion for monozukuri.
The company has expanded into
China, Thailand and Vietnam, andMr. Nakamura says NKE is always
on the lookout for opportunities togrow in other countries where it canlearn from the local market.
www.nke.co.jp

CONTENT BY THE WORLDFOLIO“We have applications
for our technology
in the automotive,
medical, and eventhe semiconductor
industry.”
Yuko Sumida, President,
Moripax Co., Ltd.

Moripax aims to change the future of logistics
with total packaging solutions
Playing a hidden but indispensable role behind the scenes, Moripax aims to change
the future of logistics through its innovation, while also becoming a key supporterof a sustainable circular economy.
Supporting its B2B clients, Moripax
specializes in the supply of plastic
trays – niche products that are essential in several industries.
Two companies fall under thegroup’s umbrella: Moripax andMorioka – the former a trading
company established in 1979, andthe latter a manufacturing firm established in 1959. Having expertiseas both a trader and manufacturer
has been key to the group’s success. “Another core strength of ourcompany is the total packaging weoffer to our clients, as well as thedesign and plans we can create forclients in our Technovation Center,” adds president Yuko Sumida.

Tray for thin-glass
Ms. Sumida is one of the few
female presidents in Japan’s stilllargely male-dominated executive world, having taken over in2019 following the sudden andtragic death of her father, theTray for parts
former president, who oversaw
the development of the company’s
thermoforming method and expansion into several industries.
“Thermoforming as you know isa huge industrial sector, yet nicheat the same time. It is essential, yetthere are many different playerswith specific needs and applications,” she says.
“My father saw an opportunity
to expand our thermoforming capabilities to other fields beyond
pure packaging. Now we haveapplications for our technology
in the automotive, medical, andeven the semiconductor industry.”
The loss of her father marked
a big turning point for the company, with Ms. Sumida’s biggest
achievement thus far being theestablishment of the Technovation Center, which is representative of the company’s goal ofchanging the future of logistics,

and a fulfillment of an idea started by her predecessor. “We lost
him, so as his daughter, I wanted
to be the one that brought his
dream into reality.”“The Technovation Center isthe core site for our ‘monozukuri’
where all key functions are gathered (planning, design, mock-ups,
mass-production prototype, QA).
Before, these functions were scattered in different factories, causing longer lead times, information
was misled and quality was notstable, along with other effects.

Sewing goods
After combining these functions
together, our possibilities and capability of ‘monozukuri’ has beenbroadened and we are able towork more closely with our clients
to meet their packaging needs
by offering a one-stop shop for
packaging solutions. That is why
I said ‘total packaging’ is a corestrength,” she explains.

QA tools
Collaboration is also key tothe company’s product development. Ms. Sumida highlights theimportance of nakama (comrades) throughout Moripax’s
history, and the Japanese enterprise – which already has
operations in Hong Kong andChina – aims to gain more global
partners as it expands its international operations.
As a plastic-related enterprise,environmental concerns are an
inevitable issue for Moripax.
Partnerships, both domestic andinternational, will also be key forthe company when it comes to its
ambitions in supporting green andsustainable development. “Wehave tried to build this sustainable platform with our stakeholders because it is something wecannot achieve alone,” adds Ms.
Sumida. “Through collaboration,
we affiliate with companies so we
can achieve this goal together.”www.moripax.co.jp

CONTENT BY THE WORLDFOLIO

Fire and Disaster Prevention Specialists Aim
for the Next Generation of Disaster Prevention
Since its foundation in 1955, NDC continues to provide ﬁre safety
solutions to a wide range of industries.

“We are a totalsolutions provider
for ﬁre and disasterprevention thatanswers all needs.”
Eiichi Tohyama, President,
Nippon Dry Chemical Co., Ltd.
Founded in 1955, Nippon Dry
Chemical delivers solutions for ﬁresafety across numerous industries
and has risen to the challenge ofdifferentiating its products fromothers on the market.

“This is my most demanding chal- cal in explaining how
lenge,” says company president Ei- the ﬁre suppression
ichi Tohyama, who introduces us to agent works,” says
the Quick splasher, as “a ﬁreﬁghting Mr. Tohyama. “We
know the logic, we
device like never before”.
“Quick splasher can prevent know the chemistry, and we aregasoline ﬁres before they start. It able to explain to customers which
is ﬁlled with 2.5 liters of ﬁre sup- system would be the most appropressant, which can be instantly priate one for them.”
Given that the industry is someemitted from two nozzles over awide area in as little as 1.8 seconds. what conservative, the president
The foam or Aqueous ﬁlm
highlights the importanceof collaboration for effecforming foam covers thetive disaster prevention.
oil surface and suppresses“We are joining withgasoline evaporation. The
danger of gasoline ﬁres is that
an Australian company called
the vapor is quick to inﬂame.
Xtralis, a 100% subsidiary
After 10 seconds, it catchesof Honeywell, to obtain therights to market a productﬁre, and boom, it’s over.”called VESDA – Very Early
Of course, multiple ﬁreﬁghtSmoke Detection Apparatus –ing solutions are needed andwhich allows them to detect
the technical team at NDC
trace amounts of smoke.”are well equipped.
With a mission to im“Analysis of the mostappropriate agent is criti- Quick splasher prove Japan’s ﬁre protection

VESDA
environment by introducing new ﬁredetection technology like VESDA
and providing customers with anenvironmentally friendly PFOAfree ﬁre extinguishing agent, Mr.
Tohyama believes NDC can change
the conventional approach to ﬁreprevention and aim for the next
generation of disaster prevention.
“If we were able to achieve thismission, Japanese society would
become much safer,” he says, withpositive hopes for the coming years.

www.ndc-group.co.jp/english

The highest security is made in Japan
Starting with high-quality surveillance cameras, Japan Security System has expanded into AI to ensure optimalsafety and efﬁciency.

Edge AI
Hiroyuki Takahata,
Senior Vice President,
Japan Security System Co., Ltd.
Founded in 2001, Japan Security System (JSS) has grown
to become a leader in video
surveillance in Japan. Thesedays, its products can be found
all across the country, including public offices, apartments,
department stores, convenience
stores and hospitals.
“We noticed the demand for
greater quality products and recognized the lower quality of imported cameras, so we decided toColor barcode Chameleon CodeR“The facial image platform
take matters into our own hands.
We still procured the components collects data including gender,from overseas, but then modiﬁed emotional states and number ofand reassembled them, with all visits,” explains Mr. Takahata. “Itof the ﬁne tuning being done in- is useful in terms of marketinghouse here in Japan. That is the and resource planning.
“It also helps us offer our clifeature of our ‘Made in Japan’series, which we want to make ents services to, for example, ascertain remotely
available to overif our camerasseas markets.”are functioning
As digitalas expected. It
technology adhas definitely
vances, JSS isenhanced ourlooking to AI
business.”solutions to enMr. Takahata
hance its prodMain products
believes the fuuct offering.

Izumi Kaku, President,
Japan Security System Co., Ltd.
ture will see the company contribute to a safer and more secure environment through theirsecurity cameras while also providing solutions through software and hardware to promotea more digitalized society.
“In ﬁve years I would like tobe able to share the good news
and many exciting stories thatwill put a smile on faces.”www.js-sys.com