―What were the actual steps that you took to change attitudes at the workplace?

What I’ve always said is that we need to raise the basic wage. I believe our employees should not have to rely on overtime pay to support their lives – they should be able to live off their basic wage. So when I talk about raising the basic wage, I want our employees to also raise the value of the roles they play in the company. In manufacturing, that means “make excellent products quickly.” The company cannot do that alone – it needs the employees to be engaged in that process. So we began some projects where employees could come up with ideas and suggestions as to how we could do better as a company. For example, one project resulted in suggestions and proposals as to how we can improve the procedures that we engage in when processing industrial machinery and equipment. Over half of our employees held a position of responsibility in this project, and it became common practice for employees to engage in these proposals and decisions.

―How did you spark the dramatic recovery at Shinko Mold?

The most important factor in the recovery was the technology that we held internally. We did not lose any employees to restructuring after the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy. When manufacturers start to shed employees, they are essentially finished. In order to survive and thrive in the manufacturing industry, a company needs technology. We had confidence that we could sell the benefits of this technology, so I reassured the workforce that we would continue to grow sales on the back of this expertise. The employees took me at my word and we were able to share a vision of the company going forward.

―Can you tell us about the Shinko Mold Family?

The Shinko Mold Family is a web system whereby the families and children of our employees can go online to access movies and photos of what we do at work. Our business hit a busy patch in 2012 and since then we have increased the number of employees working overtime and shift work – and unfortunately, this means that our employees are spending less time with their families. So it is important for us as a company to ensure that families have time set aside for important life events such as school ceremonies, etc. We wanted to provide a portal so that family members could also see how hard our employees were working on growing the business. I remember myself as a child seeing my father at work and feeling proud. I wanted the families of our employees to be able to see their parents at work and to feel secure and proud of their achievements.

At the end of each year, we open up the plant to families so that they can visit and pound mochi rice cakes together. Including the employees, clients, and family members, we get around 300 people visiting the plant at this time.

―Lastly, what is your vision for the future?

We are looking to continue the revival of “Made in Japan” manufacturing as well as establishing Shinko Mold as a brand in our industry. In the five years to date, we have been modest in trying to regain our position at the pinnacle of the manufacturing industry. Looking to the future, we need to focus on manufacturing products that make our customers happy, so that we are clearly the number one partner in terms of customer satisfaction. I see this as the first page in our company history, where we can look back and say that we worked really hard to turn things around then. I want the families of our employees to see and understand how hard our employees are working and to support them in their endeavors.