Sho Toriyama, Machinery Section, Workshop Department
Joined the company in 2005
Before joining the company, I spent my days doing research at a vocational development school in Tokyo on a team that took over and improved engines from generation to generation. My mentor on that research team recommended our company as one of the places to work. I am not good at monotonous work and am eager to take on new challenges, so I felt that a job where I would be doing different tasks for each order suited me well, and I decided to join the company.
I was assigned to the Sagamihara Plant (at that time), which was mainly engaged in "maintenance & repair" of worn or damaged parts. Soon after I joined the company, a senior colleague said to me, "If you have experience with general-purpose lathes and milling machines, you should be able to do this," and I was assigned to the job.
The difficult part of "maintenance & repair" is that there are requests to produce parts for which the cause of damage is unknown, or parts that are so old and damaged that their original shape cannot even be determined. In the absence of drawings, we need to be able to imagine and deduce what the symptoms are and what will happen when the parts are assembled, while looking at the conditions of the surrounding parts.
In 2011, the plants were integrated, and now I am in charge of "maintenance & repair" and "manufacturing" at the Narita Plant. During my business trips, I have opportunities to talk directly with customers, and it is rewarding to be trusted and entrusted with the work. I used to be in a position to follow along on business trips, but now I am in a position to take younger members of the team with me, and I aim to be a strict yet well-liked senior staff member.
Kazuya Fujisaki, Welding Section, Workshop Department
Joined the company in 2004
I joined the company in 2004 and am currently the section manager of the welding section. Since joining the company, I have been engaged in welding for nearly 20 years, and welding is a very deep field. In particular, I always find it difficult to minimize distortion in TIG welding, because distortion varies in a complex way depending on the material and shape.
In doing my job, I am happy when I receive a request to work by someone who says, "I want that person (who worked on the previous job) to work on my job," or when a customer is pleased.
I supervise several subordinates, but since I like to communicate with them, I don't find it particularly difficult. In a department where there are both young and experienced workers, I try to create opportunities for everyone to talk together.
It has been several years since I became a welding supervisor, but rather than becoming a manager, I would like to continue to hone my skills in the field and learn various techniques if possible. Recently, the number of craftsmen and companies that can perform "high-temperature welding," which is used to weld cracks in castings such as engine cases, has been decreasing, so I would like to learn such techniques as well.
I love my job so much that I don't have time for hobbies these days, but I enjoy mowing grass at work and at home, growing rice at my parents' house, and other farm work, which is a nice change of pace.
Mr. Weerapperuma Vikum Delshan, Engineering Department
Joined the company in 2020
I came to Japan in 2014 and spent 6 years as a student at a university. After graduation, I joined our company because I wanted to learn "Monozukuri" skills and gain professional experience in a Japanese company.
My job is to design aircraft support equipment. I am currently learning 3D CAD for drafting skills. Anyway, I love manufacturing, so I am absorbed in it while learning. Every day I learn new functions and how to use them, and design various machines and parts.
My hobbies are many, but I often watch foreign movies and dramas on the Internet. Of course, I also watch movies from my home country, Sri Lanka. I also enjoy going for a drive with friends and cooking Sri Lankan food.
Based on my experience of interacting with Japanese people, I would like to become a bridge between Sri Lanka and Japan in the future. I would also like to establish a manufacturing company in Sri Lanka and contribute to economic development. To achieve this goal, I need to have a variety of experiences and learn a lot, and I am sure that I will face difficulties and challenges, but I would like to tackle everything with confidence and a positive attitude.
Kenji Onuki, Sales Department #2
Joined the company in 2014
In the sales department to which I belong, I am responsible for tasks that require English language skills. I am in charge of sales with overseas companies, including HYDRO SYSTEMS KG, a German manufacturer of aircraft maintenance equipment with which we have an agency agreement, as well as with domestic customers of aircraft ground support equipment and space-related equipment manufacturers.
My duties include coordinating contractual relations, placing orders, obtaining quotations, and translating and communicating technical questions from customers. I am also sometimes entrusted with overseas-related tasks in other departments, and I work while communicating with them.
I learned English when I was a student. I took a leave of absence from university and stayed in several countries, including Turkey and Egypt. I became interested in the field of aviation because of the cool aircraft that I boarded during my stay. After that, I decided to join our company, which handles peripheral equipment such as "jacks" for lifting aircrafts for inspection and repair.
Although my work is specialized and sometimes difficult, it is very rewarding. At first, I had no idea about the product drawings, but I learned one by one by checking with the engineers. One job that left a lasting impression on me was when an employee of HYDRO SYSTEMS KG came to Japan to provide training on how to use HYDRO SYSTEMS KG's products to a customer in Japan who was installing them for the first time. I felt a great sense of accomplishment knowing that the content was understood by both parties and that I was able to resolve the customer's questions.
Shinya Manzaki, Engineering Section
Joined the company in 2020
I have loved crafts and machines since I was a child and was interested in ships, airplanes, and rockets. One day, I came across "Space Brothers" and my heart leaned a little toward the aerospace field. I liked making things, so I went on to study in the industrial field. At university, I studied thermodynamics, mechanics, fluid mechanics, and material mechanics, as well as techniques for designing and building machines. As I proceeded with my job search with a focus on the aerospace field, I decided to join the company because of the uniqueness of its products, which are made only here in Japan.
Currently, I am in charge of products for the Ministry of Defense in the design department. The interesting thing about "design" is that the things you think about take shape. In our design work, we often design past products according to the specifications and requests of our customers. Although we do not design from scratch, we make changes to make our products easier to manufacture than in the past and incorporate our own ideas.
I think it is interesting that the products I design and create are used by someone or something, help someone, and make them happy, which is unique to designing. I also sometimes go on business trips to confirm customer requests, and I think one of the interesting aspects is that I get to see and hear about various things on my business trips.