There is a growing trend of automation today. You were at the leading edge of that trend at the time.

I guess that, back then, our company was lagging behind in automation like others. So, we thought we should focus on what we were lagging behind in.
After that, I got interested in mission-critical systems. When I engaged in a product transfer project, I switched from production engineering to production management. And I went on to move to the plant management department. Then, I moved to planning departments such as production planning and business planning. After working on mission-critical systems temporarily while engaging in planning, I served as division chief and then worked in the headquarters. And that has brought me to my current position.

You overcame a tremendous hurdle. We also introduced ERP several years ago, and we had a hard time, too. Customizing ERP to adapt to our existing system would cost money. So, we tried to adapt our business processes to ERP, which turned out to be quite difficult. Every department spent a year identifying problems, by running our existing system and the ERP system at the same time for testing. There was no major confusion when we put the ERP system into operation, but the testing process took an enormous number of person-hours.

Your company’s ERP system remains in stable operation, doesn't it?

The increased accuracy of our system’s data is now our weapon. If we enter correct inputs, we will certainly get correct outputs, which allows us to understand data easily and accurately. I think it also helps us make management decisions quicker.

That’s great. Personally, I think that’s what is important about Japan’s monozukuri. Japan’s monozukuri is characterized by high quality and safety. We want to stay committed to providing safe products. As a manufacturer of measuring instruments, we always think about what to do to make sure our products deliver accurate measurement results.

That’s what we all should focus on. Otherwise, we will not be able to survive.

Could you tell us also about the brand slogan you created this year?

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the foundation of our company, and we wanted to create something that employees could empathize with. Our company was originally established as a nation policy concern with investments of five major companies to manufacture parts for fighter planes. There was no founder’s philosophy. So, we decided to define our purpose and create our brand slogan. We built a branding project with the participation of all generations of employees, both at home and abroad and both men and women. And, in a vote by all employees, “Creating Solutions Together” was selected from among three final candidates.

It reflects our determination to pursue automation technology and promote co-creation further, as well as to bring about a richer future by solving environmental and social issues, through creativity and innovation in collaboration with customers, business partners, and CKD employees. I think we should stay committed to this brand slogan.

It will be great that, when your company marks the 100th anniversary, employees of the future will appreciate the decision that the president serving at the 80th anniversary made to create this brand slogan.

That may lead to future business opportunities.

Putting aside profit making, these initiatives make it easy for employees to see that they are contributing to society through technology. I think that, once this is understood by all employees, they will become more motivated and willing to engage.

That’s good. I find your ESG-based development initiatives very useful.

Is there any activity you are particularly focused on in terms of decarbonization?

In addition to initiatives related to products, we are making efforts to switch to more productive equipment and LED lamps and install solar power generators. Also, we have introduced green electricity to the plant where we manufacture highly durable component products. Year by year, we are stepping up efforts not to emit CO₂ in the course of manufacturing as well.

We have two CO₂ emissions reduction targets. One is to cut the real total CO₂ emissions by half in 2030 from the FY2022 level. The other is to half the CO₂ emission intensity from the FY2013 level. We are also working to meet the government’s goal of achieving net zero CO₂ emissions by 2050.

What about internal programs for employees?

My predecessor worked really hard to implement such programs. So, I have been doing my best to carry on those programs. At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we set up a crisis management committee to review our work styles, embracing new work arrangements such as teleworking, staggered working hours, and temporary permission for commuting by car. After introducing these arrangements, we saw our productivity increase. Employees with small children use these work arrangements as they see fit for their work, and we still have the teleworking system in place.

We also have an on-site day-care center on the left just after the main gate of our headquarters building. This day-care center symbolizes our commitment to pursuing diversity. When we discussed where to build the day-care center, the then chairman was adamant that it should be located in front of the company building. So, we built it right next to the main gate. Now, employees are happy with this idea of building a day-care center near the main gate, because, whenever something comes up, they can readily check on their children they entrust to the center. We are also seeing an increasing number of competent women join our company.

Being the CEO of a measuring instrument manufacturer, I am very flattered to hear that.

You have purchased many different types of measuring instruments since long ago.

When it comes to measuring instruments, we have a really long relationship.

In the mid-1980s, your company purchased our valves for your semiconductor manufacturing equipment, but those valves were defective. Your engineers gave us advice and worked together with our engineers to improve the durability of our valves. During this process, they measured valve durability using your measuring instruments and, based on the advice from your engineers, succeeded in developing valves strong enough to withstand 10 million durability tests for the first time in Japan.

Hearing this behind-the-scenes story from our salespeople before this interview brought home to me the trouble our defective valves caused to you and that your technical know-how has been indispensable for the high durability that we boast today. I talked feelingly about these things with them.

I didn’t know about it. Your pneumatic and fluid control equipment is the vital base for our instruments. I hope the two companies will keep working together going forward.

What do you expect from us?

We expect a lot from you. The materials we handle are in the form of gas or fluid. So, I would like to see you try aggressively to develop products that can handle things that have been invisible or impossible to measure in the past. Also, it will be nice if we have a product that allows us to take a close look at the state of junction or adhesion.

We are doing our best every day to make it possible to evaluate what has been invisible in the past. We will introduce new products to you as they become available.

Hearing your talk, I feel that your situation is very similar to ours.

This is about our precision measuring instrument business. In the past, measuring instruments have been used in the laboratory. But, now, plant personnel are beginning to use them on production lines to improve the quality of production. And that requires automation. We also see automation as a keyword. We provide you with sensors and other devices to achieve automation, and it will be exciting to see these products used in combination with your automation system.

Previously, many of our measuring instruments were intended for internal combustion engines of automobiles. But, with the auto industry making a big shift to EVs, we have been working on charge and discharge test system for batteries, and automation is required in this area as well. You said you also want to try many things with regard to batteries. It will be wonderful if we could work together in approaching the battery industry.

Yes, they are the preceding and succeeding processes. We will be happy to cooperate with you.