Tsukiboshi (Kaga City, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan) has completed the "Tsukiboshi Innovation Plan," a project to renovate the Nagai Plant that has been underway for the past two years. The concept of the "human- and environment-friendly plant" was unveiled at the ceremony on April 15.
The plan is a large-scale project with an investment of 2.2 billion yen that aims to renovate the entire Nagai Plant, the company's core base, by connecting the old and new plants through a single arcade to streamline the flow of people and products.
The expanded "production building," which will serve as a heading plant, and the "cleaning building," which will wash and shot-blast products, are already in operation. The "logistics building," which will house an automated warehouse and be responsible for inspection and shipping, is scheduled to begin operations in May of this year. These plant buildings and existing plants are connected by an arcade, which will ideally streamline the entire plant process, which has become complicated in the course of dealing with a wide variety of products.
The main heading machines that had been dispersed and the models to be newly installed will be consolidated in the production building. Processes were brought into close proximity, and the flow lines for people and products were consolidated into a single all-weather arcade. Truck routes in and out of the plant became more efficient and safer. AGVs (Automated Guided Vehicles) are used to transport products between some plants. Each new building is air-conditioned. Solar panels will be installed in the arcade and logistics building to help reduce utility costs.
The logistics building is a symbolic facility for the company's "office reform" efforts. The company has been reforming its internal work style, starting with the introduction in 2006 of a free-address system in the Development Department's offices, which allows employees to move around freely. This time, the second floor of the logistics building has been converted into a free office space where employees can freely interact with each other, regardless of department. The concept is "an office that feels connected to nature," and the interior design is of such high quality that it is easy to forget at first glance that this is a manufacturing company, encouraging interaction and stimulating employee awareness. The floor air-conditioning system is designed to minimize the burden on the human body, in anticipation of the long hours employees will spend in the office. The logistics building also includes a cafeteria, an open space where employees can socialize, refresh themselves, and conduct business negotiations.
At the dedication ceremony held on March 15, President Wataru Uchimoto explained the plan, "In addition to the hardware reform of the plant, we have implemented three reforms: software reform to review the manufacturing system, and humanware reform to reform the awareness and work styles of employees. We have been implementing three reforms. We have achieved an ideal and satisfactory factory," he said.
Tsukiboshi sales for FY2021 are expected to reach 12.1 billion yen, and the sales target for FY2001 is 13.5 billion yen. The medium-term target for 2025 is sales of 15.0 billion yen. The company's mid-term goal for 2025 is to achieve sales of 15 billion yen and operating income of at least 1 billion yen. The innovation plan will be an important foundation for the production system to meet this performance scale.
