Japan’s monozukuri ready to shine once again
Global events such as the covid-19 pandemic,
the war in Ukraine and the U.S.-China decoupling
have forced companies to rethink and diversify
their supply chains as they seek more reliability.
Japanese firms are known for their reliability andadvanced technology, and thus are in an interesting position due to the weakened yen, with observers believing this is a very unique opportunity forJapanese monozukuri to shine once again.
“The covid-19 pandemic and U.S.-China decoupling have created chaos for overseas companies.
However, Japanese companies have previously
experienced similar disruptions caused by events
like the Lehman Shock and the burst of theeconomic bubble,” says Yoshinori Abe, Presidentof EIWA Corporation, a trading firm specializing in inspection, measurement and analysis
equipment. “These experiences have led Japanese companies to develop countermeasures tonavigate such challenges, while the depreciationof the yen has prompted many companies torelocate their production bases back to Japan.”Monozukuri – the manufacturing philosophy
focusing on craftsmanship and constant innovation – is another factor that sets Japanesecompanies apart from regional competitors. “Atthe heart of Japanese monozukuri lies a commitment to achieving the highest levels of qualityand reliability,” states Naoki Matsumoto, President of Matsumoto Kosan, a manufacturer ofhigh-precision parts for the automotives, medicaland telecommunications industries. “Japan’s unwavering dedication to producing one-of-a-kind,
top-notch products has garnered significant global
recognition, exemplified by the success of products
like the iPhone [which is made up of many Japanese parts]. When global companies meticulously
compare and evaluate products from Japan, China,and India, they consistently choose Japanese offerings for their exceptional quality and reliability.”
Also important to the Japanese manufacturing philosophy are the concepts of gemba
and kaizen, as highlighted by Nobuo Okita,
President of Okita Iron Works. “Gemba, which
is a Japanese word that translates to ‘the place
where action happens’, combines quality control,
customer satisfaction, and corporate culture intoa melting pot symbolizing Japanese workplaces.
Regarding the capabilities of gemba, I think that
the Japanese people are very good at pursuing
improvements, under the kaizen philosophyof continual improvement. In terms of quality
control, Japanese people tend to raise the barfor quality further than any other country on theplanet, beyond any standard criteria required.”
One focus of Maintech’s monozukuri is its Dryer
Section Passivation (DSP) Technology for paper
manufacturing, which the company aims to makethe global standard in line with its ambition toexpand internationally. “We have some competi-tors in the U.S. and Europe who just copied ourtechnology. However, their chemical performance
is not so good. Right now, we have over 800 applications across the world. We plan to increase
the figure in Asia, Europe and North America
and expect to reach the 1,000 mark in a fewyears,” says company president Hiroshi Sekiya.
“With the expansion of the e-commerce business,the demand for corrugated packaging has been
increasing worldwide and is expected to increaseby 24.5% in the next 10 years. In the U.S. quite afew paper machines have converted from printing
and writing grades to paperboard. I believe that
this global trend will definitely give us many opportunities to expand our DSP business worldwide.”
One of the world’s leading high-tension washer manufacturers, Ono Manufacturing is also
expanding its international presence and plans
to better serve the North American market
with the establishment of a new manufacturing
facility. “Producing washers in the U.S. is oneof my personal dreams and it is finally coming
true,” says chairman Mamoru Ono. “We are aiming for mass production that meets Americanstandards. The first step is to bring new AIDA
press machinery, and currently, we are planningon bringing just a single washer. This is because
there is no equivalent machine in the American
market. We will use this AIDA press machine toproduce products that meet U.S. specifications.”

Harnessing 3D tech to the Max
A specialist winch manufacturer, Maxpull is using CAD technology to provide anenhanced customer experience.

New BMW-Air series with many
advantages
The Japanese manufacturer Maxpull has made it easier than ever forcustomers to get the full lowdown
on its world-class industrial winches.
Visitors to the company’s website
can now peruse 3D, interactive CAD
representations of its winches, withboth exterior and interior views ofproducts. Created using Fujitsu’s
iCAD platform, the cutting-edge
feature also allows graphics to be
downloaded on files compatible
with a range of design software.
“This epoch-making systemenables you to easily and intuitively view and operate 3D dataon a smartphone, tablet or PC,”says Maxpull’s president, Koichi
Ono. “Our sales staff can easily explain the winch’s internal
structure without bringing theactual machine to the customer
and disassembling it on the spot.”
Accessing the new tool requires
no prior registration, Mr. Ono adds:“We felt that for true user-friendliness, we needed to cut out thetime spent logging in or signingup before obtaining product data.”

Industry-first feature with 3D
views of the winch
Among Maxpull’s wide varietyof winches, a stand-out item is theupdated BMW Single-Phase 100V.
Boasting enhanced compactness, it

can be installed in narrow spaces; inaddition, the winch now has a longer
continuous operating time. “Since“We aim to make thisservice easily accessible
for customers.”
Koichi Ono, President,
Maxpull Machinery &Engineering Co., Ltd.

CAD files compatible with awide range of design software
its launch last year, sales have beensteadily increasing,” Mr. Ono reveals.
Such expertly-crafted products
have made Maxpull a domestic
leader – and the company has a
growing global reach, too, aided
by its presence on the French
online B2B marketplace Virtual
Expo and its participation in international trade fairs in several
countries. Furthermore, it is preparing to hold its own exhibition,in an online-offline format.

“With the pandemic, the culture has changed from offline toonline,” Mr. Ono says. “However, ifthe information you need requires
all five senses, an online exhibition
isn’t ideal. What’s more, on-thespot negotiations can be slower.
That’s why we’re planning a hybrid
exhibition in which we select andinvite visitors interested in an online event to attend in person as
our main target.”www.maxpull.co.jp/english