Precision polishing for your ideal vision.
From fine finishes to restoring old items,
rooted in the desire to "make good things."
-
Kobayashi Co., Ltd.
- Metal polishing・Metal grinding・Other metal processing
Junichi Kobayashi
- Prefecture
- Ibaraki
- Business Activities
- Metal polishing・Metal grinding・Other metal processing
- Company Name
- Kobayashi Co., Ltd.
- Representative Name
- Junichi Kobayashi
- Location
-
〒307-0015
204, Kashikubo, Yuki-shi, Ibaraki, Japan
- Phone Number
- 0296-32-2640
- Website
Factory Stories
From Dairy Farming to the World of Manufacturing
Kobayashi Co., Ltd. was founded in 1971 by Junichi Kobayashi's father, the second-generation owner.
"My father was engaged in agriculture and dairy farming. However, he couldn't take any days off throughout the year, and his livelihood was difficult, so he decided to move into a new field."
At that time, there were multiple subcontracting factories in Yuki City, Ibaraki Prefecture, that manufactured cameras.
Therefore, farmers often took on piecework manufacturing camera parts during the winter months when there was no farm work.
However, dairy farming is busy even in winter, so he couldn't supplement his income with piecework.
So, he decided to quit dairy farming and acquire skills at a polishing factory.
"At that time, there was no need to buy many large machines for polishing. If you had reliable skills and perseverance, you could enter the business. That's why I think my father was able to take the plunge and become independent."
Appointed as Second-Generation President at the Young Age of 25
By the time he was in high school, Junichi had already decided to work in manufacturing with his father.
This was because he grew up watching his father and loved manufacturing things like plastic models.
However, he said he had little awareness of being the successor to the company.
However, about three years after Junichi joined Kobayashi, when he was 25, his father suddenly passed away due to illness, and he had to take over as president.
"Suddenly, with pressure on both shoulders, I wasn't really managing the company; I was just doing my best to keep things moving in front of me."
Even in such a situation, the company was able to continue because employees of his father's generation supported him.
Polishing Technology Expanded Across Two Generations
Kobayashi Co., Ltd. primarily focused on buffing the exterior parts of cameras.
However, the situation changed after the oil shock, a few years after its founding.
"Camera manufacturing shifted overseas. Then, materials changed from metal to plastic, and the demand for camera polishing decreased."
Therefore, while searching for work other than camera parts, they also began to perform barrel polishing and shot blasting to expand their polishing capabilities.
One of the polishing processes they newly started and continue to this day is deburring.
After Junichi took over, they introduced barrel polishing and shot blasting equipment and began to work on them in earnest. They also added sandblasting to further expand their polishing range.
"We became able to meet various needs, not only for the beautiful finish of buffing but also for matte finishes created by shot blasting and sandblasting. I believe the smooth introduction was possible because my father had already built a broad foundation in polishing."
Stable Quality Achieved Through Expanded Expertise
Having various polishing technologies is one of Kobayashi Co., Ltd.'s strengths, but an even greater strength is its ability to provide stable quality.
In polishing, it is difficult to achieve the same results even when using the same machine.
At Kobayashi Co., Ltd., it took a long time to achieve the stable quality they have today.
"By accumulating experience through failures, we've gained the ability to visualize what processes are needed to achieve a certain finish for a given material."
Based on the foundation cultivated through repeated trials, changing conditions such as machine application time and rotation speed, they conduct tests and make adjustments to meet customer requests.
And by documenting the necessary conditions for the process found through testing into work instruction sheets, they achieve stable quality.
"By creating clear instruction sheets, like a cooking recipe, almost anyone can produce nearly the same result. If quality were left solely to individual skill, it would vary."
The Origin: A Desire to Create Good Products
The finished state achieved by polishing is difficult to specify in a drawing.
Also, customers cannot concretely imagine what differences polishing will make to the finish.
Therefore, Junichi creates several types of samples so that customers can compare them and choose what they prefer.
He also thoroughly listens to what customers are looking for and advises on the best method to achieve their desired outcome.
At the root of Junichi's stance is the desire to 'create good products.'
"I'm happy when I own good products myself. So, the origin is the desire to make good products and make customers and users happy."
While the actual polishing work is entrusted to employees, Kobayashi also attends prototyping before full-scale operation. This is to ensure a good match between customer expectations and quality manufacturing.
Polishing's Role: Basic Skincare
The role of polishing is generally difficult to convey.
At Kobayashi Co., Ltd., they describe it as 'basic skincare for metal.'
"You can apply makeup beautifully by preparing your skin to make it adhere well, right? Polishing is like the basic skincare needed to make makeup adhere well."
Parts fresh from the die/mold have rough surfaces and burrs remaining. Polishing enhances safety and completes them beautifully.
"I think the appeal of polishing is being able to feel the parts transform beautifully in our own hands."
He believes it is necessary for young craftsmen to also experience the appeal and role of polishing.
Therefore, they have started activities to actively communicate how their work is utilized, such as the polishing of the round handrails on Tokaido Shinkansen seats.
"Polishing is often unseen work from the outside, so we are trying to make it as visible as possible. I believe that by understanding their own work, their awareness of polishing will also change."
Challenging the Possibilities of Polishing to Connect Past and Future
Kobayashi Co., Ltd. plays a role in beautifully finishing newly created products and parts by applying polishing.
What Kobayashi Co., Ltd. wants to challenge next is the restoration of old products.
"I want to revitalize old motorcycles, cars, and watches from 30 or 40 years ago and create restored items. Old items have a simple structure, but their quality is excellent."
Even severely dirty, scratched, or rusted items can be beautifully revived by utilizing polishing technology.
"It's not just about polishing and returning them to their original state; it would be great if we could add something new by collaborating with other companies, like painting shops."
Junichi lives in a house over 100 years old in Yuki City, a town where tradition thrives.
He knows that carefully crafted old items can be further improved by working on them.
Polishing not only creates new things but also has the power to restore old ones.
Furthermore, it is possible to add new innovations to old items.
We look forward to seeing how Kobayashi Co., Ltd. will connect the past and future with its cultivated polishing technology.
