Inherited technical skill,On-site responsiveness,and development capabilities.Kawakatsu Tekkousho: The 'unsung hero'.
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Kawakatsu Tekkousho Co., Ltd.
- steel fabrication, assembly, machine maintenance
Katsuya Ishikawa
- Prefecture
- Aichi
- Business Activities
- steel fabrication, assembly, machine maintenance
- Company Name
- Kawakatsu Tekkousho Co., Ltd.
- Representative Name
- Katsuya Ishikawa
- Location
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〒457-0841
3-15-8 Toyoda, Minami-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi, Japan
- Phone Number
- 052-611-1125
- Website
Factory Stories
Roots of Kawakatsu Tekkousho
The current president is the 4th generation. His great-grandfather, Toutaro Ishikawa, started the business as a sole proprietor, making hoes with a hammer and selling them at morning markets. That was the beginning of Kawakatsu, but Toutaro passed away around the age of 40.
"I can't do such tough work; I'll become a craftsman." His grandfather, Sadakatsu Ishikawa, said that and went to Osaka for training. He returned and started Kawakatsu Tekkousho as a sole proprietor. He was involved in welding reinforcing bars for foundations and on-site assembly at the Kurobe Dam. Unlike today, there was no CAD back then; manual work was the norm. "Even for drilling holes, we'd punch multiple times, and if there were no bolts, we'd heat the iron, quickly throw it up, and hammer it into the hole."
It was a site where work could only be done with such craftsmanship, drawing on the ground and processing materials on the spot. There were times when deadlines were tight and workers died from overwork, but his grandfather, Sadakatsu Ishikawa, overcame these challenges with his inherent technical skills.
Kawakatsu's DNA
Today, Sadakatsu was chosen as a founding member of a machinery and equipment manufacturer that now boasts 10 billion yen in annual sales, and he was involved in the development of machinery and equipment. His development method was unique. There were no drawings; it was a world where materials were handed over for processing, and measurements were taken at actual size to determine what materials were needed for a specific part.
He would listen to requests, produce items on the spot without design drawings, and then the design team would create drawings based on those items. This was the reverse of the usual order, but by repeating this process, he shaped machinery and equipment for plywood processing. At that site, Sadakatsu was called "the god of craftsmen."
"Originally, the standard in manufacturing is to have solid drawings and then give them shape, but he would just think for himself and make things first; that's how it was."
It's easy to say but very difficult work. Having watched it firsthand, while saying "I can't do such hard work," the technical skills have been inherited. The DNA of Kawakatsu, which began in his great-grandfather's generation, is still passed down today.
What is Technical Skill?
"I think it's like a special move that a company possesses." Even with metal materials, they are not all the same. In hydraulic lifts, wheels run on the frame's rails to raise and lower. If the frame is bent, the wheels will derail.
If a worker is on the lift and it derails, it could lead to a major accident. "Therefore, it must be straightened to a level where it won't derail. If you just weld some random part next to the rail where the wheels run, it will definitely bend."
If you heat the frame with fire to correct a bend, the iron's material can harden, affecting its strength. Moreover, there's no theory like "if you heat it for 3 minutes with this fire temperature and intensity, it will bend 3 millimeters." It's different in summer and winter.
In such cases, it's the inherent Kawakatsu spirit. His grandfather developed his own hydraulic "distortion removal machine." "We developed a hydraulic distortion removal machine that doesn't use fire, and we assemble the framework after straightening the material, so we can produce more precise products."
However, just having the machine doesn't mean anyone can do it. "It takes about 5 to 7 years to be able to do it independently. This is because each person's 'eye' for it is different. Ultimately, you remove distortion by eye." Distortion removal is a vital technology for Kawakatsu's business.
Kawakatsu's Current Position
Kawakatsu Tekkousho has 12 employees. Originally, steel fabrication (framework, etc.) for hydraulic lift components, installation work, and dismantling were the main businesses, so iron processing and machinery installation (including maintenance) have long been the two pillars.
"Our greatest strength is our ability to build machines from scratch." The development of our proprietary product, the KAWAKATSU AIR10 spray can puncturing machine, was prompted by the voice of the director of a recycling plant where we were performing maintenance work. However, we were not enthusiastic at first because we had no experience developing machines.
"At first, I probably thought it was impossible. The previous president didn't work on it for two years after being asked. Two years later, the director asked if we were still considering the spray can puncturing machine, and the previous president called me and said, 'The director seems serious about wanting this machine, so think about it and make it for him.' The request from the previous president was sudden."
For now, we repeatedly interviewed customers. Design was also necessary, as we couldn't just build to fit existing items like in the past. "Ultimately, we are helped by people." We repeated prototyping with the design team, but a mountain of detailed problems emerged.
"We went through trial and error, discarding countless springs to test their strength, as every single part was a prototype." This is how the AIR10 was completed. Its appearance hasn't changed much from today, but at the time, it wasn't at a marketable level, so we made repeated improvements. Now, the AIR10 is active in waste treatment plants nationwide.
The AIR10, packed with Kawakatsu's technology, boasts high precision in each component and high strength to withstand harsh operating environments. It is said that there have been no malfunctions as long as it is not used incorrectly. With this development as a starting point, we intend to continue developing machinery and equipment that meet customer needs.
Our Commitment to Maintenance
Kawakatsu's strengths are the reliable technical skills cultivated in steel fabrication, exemplified by distortion removal, and on-site responsiveness. These strengths are leveraged in machinery and equipment maintenance. Katsuhiko Ishikawa, the former president and father, had a strong commitment to maintenance.
"Since we undertook all machinery and equipment maintenance for a company handling plastic waste in Nagoya, the previous president often told employees that we were supporting Nagoya's plastic waste processing."
We aimed to be a company with light footwork, establishing a system to go fix things immediately if they broke. Why rely on Kawakatsu? It's not just because of our agility. Many companies that manufacture only manufacture, and those that do on-site construction or maintenance only do that. But Kawakatsu can handle both at a high level.
"If we find a hole in a machine during maintenance, we can fix it right there. But if it's a vendor who only repairs machines or replaces parts, they might say they can't do welding."
Maintenance sites are also places where every second counts. If a line stops at a waste treatment plant, a large amount of waste cannot be processed, leading to serious problems. "Even when we were working normally at our factory, if a problem occurred and we received a call from the waste treatment plant's maintenance staff, we would respond immediately and fix the faulty machinery by the next morning." Kawakatsu possesses the technical skill and on-site responsiveness to handle even such unreasonable demands. That's why we are highly valued.
"What makes maintenance work most gratifying and rewarding is seeing the customers' joy right before your eyes. When customers say 'That was great, you saved us,' and are happy, that's the reward. Our employees also get to experience that immensely." Maintenance will continue to be a crucial pillar for Kawakatsu.
Kawakatsu's Future
Kawakatsu's strengths are the reliable technical skills cultivated in steel fabrication, exemplified by distortion removal, and the on-site responsiveness gained through maintenance. Furthermore, development capabilities have also been acquired. Where do we aim to go from here?
"We want to be the unsung heroes of manufacturing. This includes the framework and production of steel structures, as well as machinery installation and maintenance. Since we create parts that are not visible to people, I think we become the 'unsung heroes'."
Both now and in the past, we possess the technical skills necessary to create things, supporting manufacturing from behind the scenes. We aim to be a company needed by people, local communities, and society, bringing smiles to those we work with.
