Kochi Seiko Mekki Co., Ltd.

Challenge for "new""difficult""special" items

2-1-12 Hiyoshi-cho, Nankoku-shi, Kochi JAPAN
TEL:088-864-2260
FAX:088-863-5236

[Lines of business]
(various electroplating of) gold, silver, copper,
various alloy plating, tin, nickel, chromium etc.
(others as surface treatment) electroless nickel, electroless tin, anodized aluminium, black oxide finish, acid cleaning, etc.
(machining/assembly) MC/NC turning, milling, grinding, sawing, welding, assembly, etc.

Two wheels as plating and machining

We are established in 1961 as plating manufacturer specialzed for agricultural machinery parts.
At present the order ratio is about half each for plating and machining.
We have joined the machining field to survuce while the production of agricultural machinery is tapering off, but as a result, because of our techniques of surface treatment mainly plating, we are receivingmany orders for special machinery parts which need the surface treatment.
Except for the major manufacturers who have installed the plating facilities within the plant, there are few subcontractors who specialize both in plating and machining, and think that we are the only one in Shikoku area.
2/3 of our clients are outside the prefecture, Setouchi Bay Area at the midpoint, it is spreading out to various areas in western Japan.

Always challenge to create new item

The plating solution needs to be changed according to the material of the product and its purpose of plating and the usage.
The temperature management and agitation are done with full of experiences and techniques, and we have achieved these skills by many years of assiduous effort.
We need to reform according to the progressive technological innovation and this should be supported by human resources.
At our company, most of employees at manufacturing section will be certified as 2nd class technician in 3 to 5 years, and now out of 100 of our employees, 57 are 2nd class technicians and 20 are 1st class technicians.
This is the result of our effort of employee education. We are proud of the very high percentage of technicians within the company and in 2010 we have received an official commendation by Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare as "excellent company related to Trade Skill Tests"

As an independent manufacturing subcontractor

We have established as subsidiary company of agricultural machine manufacturer, but we gradually showing the individual colour and now we became completely individual company.
To run the business as individual company means that whenever there is a problem, we need to solve by ourselves. But at the same time, we are able to receive orders in wide variety and this will improve and upgrade the techniques and skills.
We avoid to depend on certain company and try to receive orders from companies in wide variety of fields by holding 20% of total orders as maximum for each company.

Against shifting to abroad

Before, the main products using the plating parts are electronic components for digital cameras and moble phones.
But from few years ago, orders for electronic related parts are reduced sharply because of appearance of oreign companies or clients themselves are relocated to abroad.
At present we receive orders for parts which cannot be dealt by foreign manufacturers in security and technology side and machining of relatively large items.
The small lot orders of parts which require the time, techniques and devise are left within the domestic. Of course it is a damage even to our company for losing the clients of electronic components, but the domestic needs are our specialities therefore we will improve our techniques to meet these requirements to raise as our main pillar.

Support for earthquake disaster reconstruction

This is related to the fact that number of orders for relatively large items has not reduced, last year we were able to work for reconstruction of Great East Japan Earthquake.
There were continuing request for recovery for parts of power distribution facilities which are damaged by tsunami.
Once the electric equipments are soaked in saltwater, they need to be repaired. The cost is very high to exchange with completely new parts, and therefore in most of the cases they choose the overhaul by dismantle the machines. During this process, there were many parts like contact points which need to be re-plating. There were stains such as salt still remained on the parts and some of them can only be treated by hand which takes time and in an extreme case, we received the order in the morning and need to delivered by evening of the same day.
The situation of tight delivery schedule, time-consuming and overtime work without holidays continued until the New Year.
It was very difficult time, but when we received the calls from clients and hear their happy voice, we felt that we managed to give at least a little support for reconstruction and tiredness immediately diappeared.
Recently the orders are gradually increasing for facilities to inspection and maintenance which are postponed because of disaster reconstruction.

Souvenir of Seto Long-Bridge

At our company, there is a gold plated bolt engraved as "10th April 1988 Memorial for completion of Seto Long-Bridge".
This is a product requested by bolt manufacturer, made of high-carbon chromium bearing steel used for bridge which pretreated with nickel and then plated 0.05micron of gold.
At first the order was about 50 of them, but then after receiving the additional order we made specialized jig in a short time to deal with.
This is an old item, but at the same time, shows the proof of trust for our technology and on the whole, we are proud of ourselves that we related to build a dream bridge of Shikoku area.

Our concern for the environment

Our plating division is centered at main office.
At the plant which is placed adjacent to the 3F of main office building, there are 7 lines for manufacturing small parts called fully automatic barrel plating equipments for gold, silver, nickel and etc. and many other lines for large items which are treated by hand.
Also, there are 2 large tanks capable for 6000 litres of solution at once, and there chrome plating is done for 1-2m roll to wind up the yarn and fiber. Because this treatment requires precision to avoid the eccentricity and surface should remain flawless, this product displays our specialities, the combination of machining and surface treatment techniques.
Because the chrome plating is highly poisonous, we have settled large tank in the pool roomto protect in case of leakage and there is an inspection booth below the pool room.
Also, we try to place the plating tank at 2F, away from the ground in order to avoid the soil contamination.

To become attractive subcontractor

In September 2009, we have bulit Nagaoka plant at Kamisuematsu, Nankoku City, Kochi in order to enhance more of our speciality of surface treatment and machining technologies.
At this plant, there are 16 employees are working at machining of large items for marine vessels, etc.
By this relocation, we are managed to improve the plating process and using for the work place for the parts which need the both machining and surface treatment.

We will do our best as 100% subcontractor whose specialize in technologies for parts machining and surface treatment. We are proud to be able to deal with two of above techniques and by improving them we aim to become the one and only leading subcontractor.