Technology development to contribute to society and YKK AP's employees ability to make it happen

Today, I visited YKK AP's manufacturing and development facilities in Kurobe. The rich natural setting, with a view of the Tateyama Mountain Range, and the factory, with its state-of-the-art technology, created a sense of unity. Kurobe is known as the company's technology headquarters, isn't it? I was explained that this site is the company's principal manufacturing base, featuring in close proximity the Value Verification Center, which conducts evaluation and verification of products, the Partners Support Studio, which makes technical proposals to professional users, and the YKK AP R&D Center, which YKK AP's technologies are gathered. As such, it is able to conduct research and development that incorporates the perspectives of users and professionals, and reflect them in monozukuri with a sense of urgency.

"A company committed to products and manufacturing." Since my appointment as President, I have made this my policy. As a manufacturer, I attach a great deal of importance to monozukuri that takes into account consumers' perspectives. Kurobe is an essential hub for this policy. It is our headquarters for manufacturing and development, and also our front-line worksite.

I understand that you are conducting "user verification" by having customers who use your products participate in the development process.

That's right. We ask monitors of various demographics, including children, the elderly, and people with disabilities, to use our prototypes and to say as much as they can about what they notice, like ease of handling and design. We sometimes get some pretty ruthless opinions, but it's very helpful.
The Value Verification Center also conducts experiments on vibration during transportation. In addition to the quality of our products, we strive to improve the quality of every step of the process: delivery, installation, and after being installed in homes.

At the Value Verification Center, I also saw an experiment in which the windows were subjected to rain, wind, and flying debris. I was amazed at what harsh conditions were being envisioned in the pursuit of safety. Does the Partners Support Studio explain that to professional users?

At the Partners Support Studio, we not only provide explanations, but also have engineers from our Research and Development Division listen to requests and issues from home builders, manufactures, and other professional users, and make proposals based on our technology and quality. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has made it difficult for them to come and visit us, so we deal with them online.

You are also expanding your business overseas. I know that each location has different weather conditions and different needs. How do you address that?

We work to understand the weather, climate, and culture of each country and region, and develop businesses that are rooted in each local community. For example, in the U.S., we develop and manufacture special windows that will not break even if a hurricane hits, and in Taiwan, which is frequently hit by typhoons, we develop and manufacture windows with high watertight performance. Although there are now more overseas companies that have the capability to complete their work locally, the engineers assembled here at the YKK AP R&D Center in Kurobe support research and development in various locations.

I hear you are engaged in many initiatives that address social issues. What is there in terms of contributing to carbon neutrality, for example?

Since the performance of windows, which account for the largest proportion of heat flow in and out, determines the thermal insulation performance of a house, we are proud to say that windows are a product that can play a leading role in reducing CO₂ emissions in the house. Of course, we are also actively working to reduce CO₂ emissions in our business activities.
As a manufacturer, we want to approach carbon neutrality with our technological capabilities. We have been urging on our engineers, and the younger ones in particular seem to be enthusiastic and motivated by this.

In talking with the employees who showed me around the facility today, I felt that everyone was very passionate. How do you cultivate this enthusiasm in your employees?

Actually, I don't really feel that we are cultivating it. YKK AP has always embraced the idea of "three-party sharing," which was advocated by YKK's founder, Tadao Yoshida, and this is a management approach that represents the YKK philosophy of the "Cycle of Goodness." What other companies make for 100 yen, we make for 50 yen through ingenuity and creativity, and the profits generated are split into thirds between our customers, affiliated companies, and ourselves. Our philosophy is to use our share for development and investment, and to create products that are more useful to society. This is a bit off topic, but I am sure you saw many robots in operation on the production line at the manufacturing plant. That was a production line designed and installed by our Machinery and Engineering Department. The robots themselves are purchased, but we are responsible for designing how they operate. We have the soil for our employees to create new things with their own hands and to be helpful for society.

Are you saying that the corporate culture fosters each individual's mindset?

Yes. Our founder also said that "the YKK Group is like a forest." The idea is that each employee, with their various attributes and personalities, is independent but comes together to form a company, just as tall trees, small trees, and various other trees are independent but come together to form a forest.

These are words that go hand in hand with diversity. One of the "Social" themes of ESG, valuing people, is also part of that soil, isn't it?

That's right. The most important thing is our employee ability. To this end, we have established a new position of CHRO (Chief Human Resources Officer) and are working to create a system that allows employees to further develop their abilities and an environment that helps them to showcase them. Through training support and awards, we are developing not only human resources who can grow existing businesses, but also those who can take on the challenge of innovation. We also hold "round-table meetings," in which myself and the directors visit sales and manufacturing locations across the country to talk with employees in an informal setting. All kinds of issues become apparent in the course of these candid conversations. We hear frank comments from female employees, like "I don't know how to build a career here" and "I don't have anyone to serve as a role model."

My research focuses on revitalizing local economies. Having a state-of-the-art research and development, and manufacturing center in a regional city like Kurobe City is ideal for the local economy and provides a sense of hope for the local people. Not only that, but in the time of "living with COVID-19," more and more people prefer to work remotely in rural areas. I think this is an unparalleled environment for these people as well.

We are also proud of the fact that in Kurobe City, we are developing technologies that will be communicated not only to the rest of Japan, but also the rest of the world. The spread of remote work has loosened the restrictions on where people can do their jobs, so you can be in a regional city and immediately connect and work together with people in urban areas and around the world. We intend to capitalize on this advantage while offering a variety of ways to work.

I was really struck by YKK AP's ambition today. I am very much looking forward to seeing the kind of comfortable lifestyles that Kurobe will bring us going forward.