I was appointed as Senior Managing Director in May 2021. I have learned a lot from my role as a supervisor, and I have gained a broader perspective and a stronger sense of responsibility. What I have felt once again is that each employee's attitude, passion, way of thinking, and pride in their work is the origin of Yamaichi Electronics' uniqueness and quality in manufacturing. The employees' pride in their work is also my pride and makes my work worthwhile.

The challenge for me in my overseeing role is to build a structure and system that will allow Yamaichi Metals to function properly. I am conscious of three important keywords: stability, optimization, and prosperity of the company. I would like to think and act in order to achieve this, and I would also like to place importance on things that I can share with everyone in the company.

Especially in these days of rapid change, I feel that there is an increasing need for "optimization" to keep up with the times. For example, as the working population declines in the future, we need to make Yamaichi an attractive company where young people who have just graduated from high school as well as those who have retired can work with peace of mind. It would be nice to be able to join that company, and to have people say that they are glad to have joined Yamaichi.

Because we have furnaces, we cannot change our 24-hour operation, so we need to build a system that will allow us to streamline our work, save manpower, shorten overtime and work on holidays, and increase our base. One theme is to find a way of working that suits Yamaichi Metals, rather than just embodying general work style reforms. What makes a company attractive varies from person to person, but I believe that part of what makes a company attractive is that people are happy to be here and happy to work with Yamaichi Metals. There are some areas that we have not been able to reach within our company, but I would like to work together with all of our employees to create a company that is more useful to society.

Looking back, in 2016 when I first joined the company, I was assigned to the Sales Department after three shifts of line training, in 2018 I became Director and General Manager of the Sales Department, in January 2009 I also became General Manager of the Manufacturing Department, and in May of the same year I became Senior Managing Director. Learning in a short time with an eye on business succession was also a theme, but I am keenly aware that I have managed to make it this far because of the support of everyone.

Yamaichi Kinzoku has been in business for 61 years since May 2009, and we are now on our way to our next goal of 100 weeks in business. Last year, we were fortunate to have an opportunity to work with artist Mariko Takahashi to create a logo for our company. At the same time, we are planning to develop branding to promote our business. We hope that this will lead to an increase in the number of Yamaichi Metals fans, both inside and outside the company.

I’m in charge of the process for burning the surface of aluminum cans. The roasting-furnace settings have a major effect on the pellet quality. Therefore, I have to carefully monitor the roasting-furnace values. When aluminum cans include moisture, it affects the flames. In cases like this, I adjust the number of aluminum cans fed into the furnace as well as the oxygen level and control the roasting conditions based on factors such as the weather. I also do a comprehensive roast-line check once every hour, at which point I investigate the causes of and respond to any abnormalities I find. As I work, I constantly keep best practices in mind.

As I work to maintain the level of quality required in the factory, I get feedback in the form of results and the quality output by our downstream process on any given day. However, what I find truly rewarding is when the result is of exceptionally high quality. When this happens, I immediately check my daily report, analyze the relevant factors, and then exploit them to improve the quality. Even though I do the same kind of work every day, I constantly strive to improve the quality as the raw materials and environment change.

I've been a team leader since 2019. I will do my best to put the safety of my team members first, while learning how to deal with problems on a daily basis.

I’m in charge of the process for using our electric furnace to melt pellets, remove impurities, and make them into masses (ingots). My mission is to create ingots that offer quality that is as stable as possible based on our production schedule. My work therefore includes not only machine operation but also certain quality control work, including component analysis. I’m proud of the fact that we’ve earned the absolute trust of our customers in terms of our quality and delivery dates. Those of us who work here consider this a result of our thorough quality control and the efforts of our operators.

When the components are stable and we end up with a beautiful finished product, I experience an indescribable sort of joy. I’m always similarly happy when the members of my team finish their work for the day on time without any problems or accidents.

Yamaichi Metal is the only company I know of that can recycle not only aluminum cans but also aluminum laminate foil. Every year, we find meaning in the fact that we are able to recycle such a huge amount of aluminum foil that would typically be discarded, incinerated, or thrown into landfills. In addition, we’re proud to be able to significantly contribute to the natural environment and society through our recycling.

I am in charge of production control operations. My main tasks are to create production schedules, inspect incoming aluminum cans and aluminum laminated foils, and check product yield and quality before shipping. I also assist in the allocation of trucks for receiving and shipping. I work closely with the Manufacturing Section to check the work of both parties to maintain a high level of quality and efficiency.

Among them, we pay special attention to the creation of production schedules. Every day, we check the daily production volume and always reflect it in our mid- to long-term plan, keeping in mind the risk of sudden increase or decrease in orders or machine trouble.

As the chief of the Materials Management Section, I am now in a position to play a part in the management of the plant. In the future, I will work to improve the efficiency of management operations for not only "products" but also "human resources" and "capital," and strive to improve production volume and quality. With an eye on the future global environment, we will revitalize our recycling business even more than now and contribute to our corporate philosophy of "co-existence and co-prosperity.

I am in charge of crushing aluminum laminate foil, which is necessary for burning aluminum cans. In order to produce high quality pellets, it is necessary to burn them at a stable temperature so that the temperature does not drop below a certain level. I crush various kinds of aluminum foils by adjusting them according to the weather conditions and the values of the roasting furnace in order to ensure stable combustion.

I work with a sense of urgency every day because I am entrusted with work that is directly related to quality. I feel a sense of accomplishment when I am able to consistently deliver high quality. I am proud to be able to contribute to society through recycling work, which is something only Yamaichi Metals can do, amidst all the noise about environmental problems.

日The total demand for aluminum cans in Japan is about 21.7 billion cans. Of this, a whopping 97.9% of aluminum cans are recycled and reused as aluminum cans or something else. (According to the Aluminum Can Recycling Association, 2019). Up to 20% of these aluminum cans are recycled at our plant in Mishima. When I changed jobs, I was only interested in the employment conditions, but as I learned more about the business and got to know the senior employees working there, I realized once again that our business is very useful for improving the global environment.

As an assistant, I am in charge of accounting. In the morning, I start by checking the market prices of domestic and overseas raw materials and materials in each company's newspaper. In accounting work, I try to handle data and numbers with particular care. In addition to double-checking by a third party, I try not to repeat the mistakes I made in the past. If there is anything I don't understand in my work, my senior employees are always willing to help and guide me.

I am also in charge of dealing with customers when they come to the office for business negotiations or factory tours. Whether it is a familiar customer or a first-time visitor, the way we respond to them gives them an impression of the company. That's why I always want to welcome them with a bright and cheerful smile.

When I first joined the company, my work tended to be "work," but since I have come to recognize that it is one of the most important jobs for the company, the way I face it has changed. In the future, I would like to keep a bird's eye view and complete the tasks in front of me one by one.