not addict ourselves to "skill" of craftsman

We have enthusiasm and system for it in ASANO

Katou reviewed that he was busy with the work when starting to work in Asano. When asked “when to get off work”, he found that he could not tell office hours from off-duty time. He always worked overtime. Even on holidays, he also thought about his work.

At that time, the trial parts of automobiles to be produced is as many as that of today. However, he, who started with arrangement, could not be entrusted with important jobs. Moreover, his superiors were given the priority to use devices and tools with high performance. Under this circumstance, Katou pondered on the blade of tools that cannot be used, practiced day after day and looked forward to the day when he could cut according to the drawings.

“It may be assumed today that experience was valuable”, Katou says while clinching his broad hand. He acquires knowledge from his experience, which makes him confident. Katou says smoothly that “what was different from today was that I could experience the theories and principles of product manufacturing because there used to be much handwork and background work items. I could make a product by feeling of palm and skin just like his breathing. Even when the process is unsuccessful, I can find reasons from myself.”

When he joined the wire cut group, he used wire cut electrical discharge machines (EDM)(*5) to process metal such as kirksite, produce bracket(*6)moulds and copper terminal(*7) moulds, which are indispensable components in the electric vehicle. From this sense, this also endowed him with precious working experience.

Sometime later, he got a drawing and completed the mould according to the drawing on his own. Even so, Katou did not change his modesty. Currently, not only Katou but also the staff members in the company own the virtue. When asked about the best technology he had, he described it as “a job that cannot be done by a person alone”.

Asano, a company which does not manufacture products in volume but is the first to produce trial products, is always groping its way. Asano improves customers’ expectations by living up to their requirements, which is an indispensable attitude in business. Katou, who grew up by watching his superiors work hard, thought that he could not be complacent with his specialty.

Katou, the pride of "Stars of Asano, recalled that he also made customers dissatisfied. He added that he did not disappoint the customers by working hard. Even today, he would feel happy when recalling the past. We can see that Katou is not complacent with his skills and always looks forward to getting improved form his words that “I will never fling in the towel with my perseverance even if I do not have an adept skill”.

We noticed a thing when entering the company that a table, named as Asano production system (APS), pasted on the wall to implement small-scale improvement activities, plays an important part in the improvement activity to enhance productivity. Such improvement activities are common among manufacturing companies, but Asano does more than these. The improved productivity by way of this improvement activity directly links with added value calculated by time and effectiveness measured by the department.

This is called the Amoeba management(*8) system. At Asano, each department is budget-independent and has full responsibility for their own losses and benefits and staff members treat their work like the proprietor. Katou thinks that the corporate culture does not only need craftsmanship, but also need to calculate time and cost accurately. In fact, the company still needs to introduce devices even if having professional technicians, gain quotations from suppliers and choose the most appropriate devices. By paying attention to artisan culture, the company also needs to control time and cost under Amoeba management conditions. That is to say, the Asano mode combines the advantages of Amoeba management and craftsmanship.