Aluminum extruded materials are used in various industries.
Especially in the building materials industry, various products such as window sashes and exterior frame materials utilize them.
"In the past, there was a culture of taking and displaying photos, so we received many requests from picture frame manufacturers."

In recent years, demand for aluminum parts used in machine components, rail materials, case materials, solar panel mounting systems, and heat pump related parts has also been increasing.
Kato Keikinzoku Kogyo has responded to changing needs with the times.

Taiki decided to take over Kato Keikinzoku Kogyo because he learned that the business situation was severe due to COVID-19. There must have been internal conflict.
"I was able to grow as I did because of the company, its employees, and our business partners. I decided to join the company to give back. I also had experience in business improvement in my previous job, so I felt I had a chance of success. I thought that if even I, with my determination to put my life on the line, couldn't make it work, then no one else could."

Taiki believed that business improvement could be achieved by solving problems one by one. However, he found that things didn't go as he expected once he understood the actual situation.
"The expenses I had intended to cut turned out to be essential costs that couldn't be reduced. So, I had no choice but to find other areas to cut."
This is how the revitalization of Kato Keikinzoku Kogyo began.

The area Taiki focused on most was the reform of the internal culture.
At that time, employees were unable to act proactively.
The reason for this was an internal environment where "you get scolded if you fail" and "what managers and administrators say constantly changes".

"Because there was no psychological safety, a culture emerged where people feared failure and didn't act. Therefore, I decided to thoroughly reform this culture."
Taiki conducted training and requested the instructor to "provide training that makes employees genuinely want to embrace the Mission, Vision, and Values (MVV)."
The training started with basic principles like "do not get angry" and "do not yell," and it is said that it took about a year to complete the MVV.

The MVV is the guiding principle that ensures the company's direction remains unwavering.
The mission decided by Taiki, incorporating employee feedback, is "Empathic Die Search."
This single phrase encompasses various meanings.

One meaning is to search for aluminum extrusion dies to provide the products customers require.
This is not merely about the task itself, but also means empathizing with customers and solving their problems.
It also connects to a company-specific strategy of responding to small-lot production and individual customer needs.
Furthermore, it represents the company's stance of responding to what employees want to do and what they seek.

Kato Keikinzoku Kogyo's strength is said to be its ability to manufacture small-lot production with short lead times while adhering to delivery dates.
"While it might seem obvious from other industries, adhering to delivery dates was rare in this industry. I believe the reason we thoroughly enforced strict delivery adherence is that my grandfather, my father, and I all came from different industries."

The belief that adhering to delivery dates is crucial from the customer's perspective is deeply ingrained.
Moreover, the orders they accept are for short lead times and small-lot production.
Astonishingly, they can deliver in one week what would take other companies one month.

"Even before the internal reforms, we were able to achieve short lead times and strict delivery adherence. In short, all our employees are excellent. So, they already possessed the 'power to see things through.' By establishing systems and creating the MVV, internal communication and collaboration have improved. I have nothing but anticipation for how much stronger we can become in the future."

It is said that the MVV has also transformed previously weak areas into strengths.
Supporting this are two of the five values: "Interesting Research" and "Heartfelt Talk."
Researchers accumulate knowledge and experience by experimenting, testing, and failing. The idea is to do such exciting work.
Furthermore, they promote honest discussions and communication while being considerate of others.
By establishing relationships where honest communication is possible and an environment where failure is accepted, new challenges can now be undertaken.

"Unless we challenge new things, the company's technical capabilities will not improve. If we fail, I will take responsibility, and we have a budget set aside for when failures occur."
It is precisely because they can take on challenges with excitement that they can find solutions to customers' problems. In other words, it comes back to "Empathic Die Search."
And when customers come to rely on them, sales then receive many customer problems. By horizontally deploying these, exploring solutions to problems, and taking on challenges, technical capabilities are enhanced, and new strengths emerge. Such an upward cycle has been established.

"Our sales team also enjoys strong trust from customers. Their sales materials change every month. New strengths born from horizontal deployment are added every month."

"I want to make this a company that continues to challenge new things and provide what the world needs," Taiki said about the future.
The current challenge they are working on is support and cooperation with venture companies.
One of these is already taking shape.
The "Sub-Crystalline Grain Aluminum Extruded Material," jointly researched and developed with a venture company, is now ready for manufacturing.
This new material has extremely fine crystal grains. It is said to have minimal enlargement due to heat and low internal residual stress. Therefore, it boasts excellent durability and stability, and its application as a base material for precision forging and precision machining is anticipated.

"We are still in the exploratory phase of how to utilize it, but I intend to develop it as a new business. Also, for the sake of social contribution, I plan to continue supporting the social implementation of venture technologies, leveraging my experience from my previous job."
Kato Keikinzoku Kogyo will continue to take on new challenges to embody "Empathic Die Search."