Sakamura Machine Co.,Ltd.(Kyoto) celebrated its 60th anniversary in March this year since its establishment in 1959. Known as a leading manufacturer of horizontal multi-stage forging machines, the company began when the founder Yoshikazu Sakamura started producing cold headers in Osaka in 1947.
In addition to the company, there are a total of 11 companies as “Sakamura Group”, and it is widely known as a leading company in the industry that supplies cold and hot forging machines, dies such as punch pins, dies, and screw products. ing. We interviewed President Takayuki Nakano about his progress, current situation, and future ambitions.
--Celebrating the 60th anniversary
I would like to thank the customers who have supported our company so far and all of our partner companies. As we celebrated the 60th anniversary, we were considering rebuilding the head office and factory, but we would like to move forward with the office building in about 20 years. With regard to the factory, we are rebuilding the 5th factory, which will be aged in the near future, and renovating it 4 years ago and connecting it with the 3rd factory that has introduced a 100-ton crane, in particular, to improve the efficiency of manufacturing large machines.
About 40 years have passed since I joined the company, but compared to the time when the production of bolts and nuts was mainstream, the size of formers has increased and the number of stages has increased. It is growing. Initially there were many engine-related parts, but with the increase in the size of the former, the number of cases producing mission-related parts increased. Of course, there are advances in molds and cold heading technology, but it can be said that the former has developed along with the development of the automobile industry.
--Recent efforts
The times have changed, and in recent years AI and IoT have become a hot topic as a shortage of human resources due to the declining birthrate and next-generation manufacturing. As far as the former is concerned, changeover and automation are eternal themes. For example, we have developed the “SP Robot” as a device that prevents dents on finished products. We will automate the box packing that has been done manually by using robots, and we will continue to create a line that can contribute to automation in the field.
Also, as with SP robots, there is a production management system “S-IoT” specializing in production by formers as an item to be exhibited at MF-TOKYO.
The use of IT technology on site is now indispensable, which simplifies the work and contributes to reducing the burden. It also leads to the “three S (simple, speed, service)” that Mr. Sakamura often used.
--What are your future aspirations?
4 years have passed since September, when the founder, Chairman Sakamura, passed away. Now that the chairman who has been the centripetal force of the Sakamura Group has disappeared, “How to become a corporate entity that can exert synergistic effects as a group” becomes an issue.
For example, as the industrial policy will change drastically with the administration of the time, it should be considered as a base that will never change the management philosophy because it is an uncertain and rapidly changing era.
The Sakamura group is based on the founding of the founder, and today is the reason why customers have brought up the Sakamura machine and the Sakamura group. In the future, we will continue to provide machines that can produce high value-added parts under the management philosophy of “Pursuing customer-first principle and pursuing performance No. 1 forging processing technology and service”. I believe that is our mission.
by Shun Otsuki
President & Editor in Chief
KINSAN FASTENER NEWS
