Surprisingly, Nikon technology is playing an important role in a factory producing work clothes commonly worn by construction workers. Ms. Yasuko Murakami, vice chairman of Toraichi Co., Ltd., says that functional work wear should allow craftsmen to do their jobs effectively. Introduced here are belt loop inversing machines.
Can you begin by telling us about your business?
Actually, we started out making jeans. Since then, our company policy has been to provide good quality items at any price. Making jeans allowed us to learn a lot about manufacturing rugged and durable products. We felt we could contribute to society by offering quality products. Because work wear is an indispensable item, we decided to specialize in this field.
I can honestly say that at the beginning we had no intention of engaging in a full-scale business. When we started, we were prepared to make no profit for as long as 10 years. In fact, we made little money out of the business for 13 years (here she laughs). Although we had a few employees, we all worked very hard. "Do your best," was our company motto back then.
Later, Japan's rapid economic growth really boosted the business. Our products were gradually accepted by customers and gained a good reputation in the market. As a result, orders grew to the point where they exceeded our production capacity. We simply had too many orders. This might sound a bit misleading, but if I'm honest, I'd have to admit that we only begrudgingly expanded our production facilities. It was only to keep our customers happy.
It has been around 25 years since we built our first factory at Sanyo-cho, in Okayama Prefecture. Following that, we saw more than 10 factories go up one after another. Nevertheless, we still couldn't keep up with the growing orders. So 10 years ago, we moved into the Chinese market, building a factory in Shanghai. Believe it or not, we weren't interested in expanding, but we didn't want to let our customers down. We've always tried to do our best, and the result is what you see.
You seem very dedicated. Do you plan to shift all production overseas in the future?
To tell you the truth, from the point of view of production costs, manufacturing overseas is unquestionably more appealing. However, it might be difficult to handle urgent requests. It's our company's basic policy to meet any demand from our customers. To this end, we work on each product individually. Our products are often said to be highly original. By trying to meet the needs of each and every work environment, we have seen our lineup grow and grow. Our products continue to develop along with work environments. But remember, we're not only pursuing functionality. Our clothes are there to enjoy working in, and so design and a sense of playfulness are important. Toraichi employs a lot of people for whom work is everything--like me (here she laughs).
Will you tell us why you approached Nikon?
When manufacturing trousers, we need to make belt loops. Each loop must be turned inside out. There are six or eight belt loops to each pair of trousers, so we have to repeat this process as many as 6,000 times a day. Let me explain why this is necessary? First we sew both sides of one piece of cloth to make a tube. At this point, the perforated ends of the cloth are still visible, so we have to turn the whole thing inside out. We originally used a length of wire, passing it through the loop and pull it inside out. This process was repeated all day long and was really boring work that no one wanted to do. It could also lead to hand strain and tendonitis.
To overcome this problem, we decided to consult sewing machine manufacturers about introducing an automated processing system. We visited four or five such manufacturers, only to be told they couldn't help. By chance, our president at that time (current Corporate Adviser) saw in a newspaper about how Nikon had established a subsidiary company that was dealing with custom-made products. That company was called Nikon Technologies Inc., although its operations were later taken over by Nikon Engineering Co., Ltd. I can well remember how excited we were to have found a company that could provide us with what we'd been after for so long. We called Nikon Technology immediately, and our plant manager and I were on the Tokyo train that very evening.
What was your image of Nikon at that time?
To tell you the truth, I didn't know much about Nikon (here she laughs). But some of our employees were surprised at the news that I, then vice president, was going to Tokyo to visit Nikon, "that famous camera manufacturer."
We owed our success to the person in charge who first took our telephone call. I remember wondering why Nikon was giving such an unknown company a chance. I realized afterward how surprised they were (here she laughs) when we suddenly turned up at their office at 9 o'clock the next morning.
I can't help thinking that it was more than just luck that led us to Nikon. If we had not seen that newspaper article, or if someone else had taken our telephone call, I wouldn't be here being interviewed.
You're now using third-generation machines?
Yes, the first models were completed three months after we contacted Nikon. However, they weren't really what we had expected... (here she laughs) The machines employed a suction mechanism. We were concerned that we might have asked them for the impossible. They were experts, but in different fields. Nevertheless, we could see that they were very enthusiastic. They had no real images to go on because they hadn't seen our actual production process. However, I explained as best I could. And, surprisingly, they surpassed our expectations and completed the machines. We were so surprised, and at the same time full of admiration.
The second-generation machines were simplified versions, and these eventually led to the current third-generation machines. Problems we had to overcome were machine settings and adjustments. It was quite difficult to make fine adjustments in the strength of grip springs, belt loop positions, tension, etc. Another problem we had to solve was yarn waste tangling up in the sewing machine. This was really troublesome. We had to somehow overcome these problems. We have tried to modify the machine mechanisms so that cleaning inside is easier. Of course, we use safety measures as well. At present, Toraichi now uses a total of nine belt loop inversion machines. For different material, we slightly adjust the settings. In particular, the 7th and 9th models in the third-generation series feature specifications for heavy cloth, which is actually impossible to do by hand.
By sewing together both sides of a piece of cloth to make it tubular, we can hide the outlet seam inside by turning it inside out. There are six or eight belt loops for each pair of trousers.
What were your impressions when you first saw the machine in operation in the factory?
I was really full of appreciation. I knew that we were no match for a machine. From my long experience, manpower has its limitations. You see how my own hands are in such bad shape. Machines must replace manpower if we are to survive in the market.
It's only because we clearly believed that machines were indispensable. When you want to develop an effective special-purpose machine you should go to an expert or a specialized company. The belt loop inversion machine is a good example.
To be honest, we've invested quite a lot of money in this. But, from a long-term management point of view, we believe we can recoup the investment. The answer is in using the machine. If it's poorly designed, it'll malfunction frequently. This only leads to poor results. I am quite willing to share the results of this machine with other people in the industry, and introduce it to other companies.
Has the machine improved efficiency?
If one machine works for one hour, for example, the volume of production will probably be equal to manual operations. However, the machine never tires and works all day long without resting. At first, I thought that one person could handle two machines at the most. However, one person can actually operate four or five machines at one time because it's very easy. Therefore, production volume increases as the number of machines does. If we introduce five machines, the production volume expands five times per one person. Even if an inexperienced person handles only two machines, the production volume doubles. As a result, the more machines we introduce, the more production costs fall. Although this might seem to be nothing special, it's really great for us!
What are you aiming for now?
As the number of employees increases, it's important that we pursue profits more seriously than we did when the company was founded. However, I wish we could manufacture all our products in Japan, and not depend on the low wages of overseas. This is my dream. I think we must return our facilities to Japan. Then I think everything will go well. We can do nothing without improving company performance. Overseas manufacturing is necessary for the time being for the company to survive. However, we should not depend on overseas production. When I recall how hard it was at the end of the war, I know that nothing is impossible. I hope our employees are skilled enough to do their jobs, and I will show clear leadership. Each of us has to fulfill our respective roles. Toraichi will continue to do its best, so I hope Nikon will also continue to take on new challenges.
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