At the Sales & Production Control Sect. of the Sakai Plant, we aim to raise the copper recycling rate so that alloy scraps generated through machining are circulated internally. We send these alloy scraps to Naoshima Smelter & Refinery and Onahama Smelter & Refinery to ensure that they are reused. This kind of resource circulation has gained attention from customers in recent years. How about the Sambo Plant?

At the Technology & Development Dept., we are improving manufacturing processes and expanding sales for developed alloys, such as MOFC®-HR. We are focusing on sales activities for automotive component and electronic equipment manufacturers. Our main focus is on preventing plate warping, which is an issue in improving copper plate yields. How about the Wakamatsu Plant?

As a member of the Production Control Dept., I connect sales and manufacturing, communicating customer orders to the manufacturing sites. I act as a liaison between the two parties to prevent any delays. We are gaining more new customers and meeting the demand for finished copper products, including automotive applications.

To enhance processes, we share pain points across departments and exchange opinions to drive improvements. For example, we can simulate process improvements at the Copper & Copper Alloy Development Center or seek help from the Sheets Sect. of the Sambo Plant, where Mr. Fujita works. I believe these are strengths unique  to our company. Additionally, the Technology & Development Dept., to which I belong, has three locations in Japan and holds monthly technical interaction meetings to exchange opinions and introduce each other’s work. Moving forward, I would like to see even more active interaction to leverage our strengths.

When we installed a new melting facility at the Sakai Plant, we needed to consider various viewpoints, including legal and budget require- ments, so it was impossible to imple- ment the plan with only engineers. To address this large-scale issue, we formed an interdivisional task force aimed at resolving all relevant con- cerns.

I find that expectations for our 100% recycled materials are increasing as eco-friendly products. We have recently increased our casting of recycled materials, so we would like to collaborate with the Sambo Plant on this. In addition, the demand for aerospace applications is growing along with social expectations. One of the strengths of our materials is their stable and uniform quality, which fosters trust among customers due to minimal performance fluctuations.

Speaking of resource circulation, I previously worked in the Raw Material Section, where I was involved in sending scraps generated at the Wakamatsu Plant to Onahama Smelter & Refinery for casting. By-products generated in-house are reused within the company. This approach will expand the options for raw materials we can utilize. I hope to see more initiatives like this in the future.

As part of the Sales & Production Control Sect., I will strengthen our collaboration with relevant parties to maximize the copper recycling rate and expand the use of alloy scraps by ensuring the smooth delivery of products and raw materials.

After hearing insights from across the company, I once again realized that every site is aligned in the same direction. I recognized that the items I handle are also important in another departments, which reaffirmed that we are on the right path.

Rather than collaborating  only when an issue arises, we should encourage more people to learn about the operations of various departments at an earlier stage to foster collaboration. This will allow us to harness our potential. One of our company’s strengths lies in our ability to support all processes, from upstream to downstream. To leverage this strength, it is important to increase interaction.