Originality and Technology for the Future!

Eikou Kougyou, Co., Ltd.

1307 Hataeda
Nankoku City, Kochi, JAPAN 783-0023

Tel 088-864-1116
Fax 088-864-1119

Founded: July 1980
Homepage: http://eikous.jp/

<Main Business>
We have three main pillars of business: development of original products, OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) work, and processing of parts. We are a general metal processing company trusted by over 50 clients and an OEM for one of the largest manufactures in Japan.

(Photo: Aerial photo of the head office neighborhood. The building on the right is the corporate headquarters. The buildings in the center and on the left are factories. The Kokubu River runs north of the premises.)

Over thirty years of history in manufacturing, aiming for further advancement

At the time of the company's founding in 1980, we had only three employees and a 140-sq.-meter factory. Over 30 years have passed since then and we have grown to be a large company with nine business departments and 180 employees, a three-story head office building, and three factories. We continually introduce state-of-the-art machinery and seek to develop new technology.

(Photo: View of the west side of the head office)

I am where I am now because of my mother and the experience and beneficial encounters I had at college. I am so very grateful to all of them.

Hiroshi Nakayama, the president of Eikou Kougyou, started the company at the age of 39 and achieved business success in one generation.

He was born in Manchuria during wartime and brought to Kochi, Japan, by his mother after the war. His love for his mother is so deep because of the hardship she suffered to raise him. The company was named after her, taking the kanji for "Ei" for Eikou from her name.

Company management did not always run smooth. Nakayama faced many difficulties and overcame every one of them. He comments on that experience with deep emotions.

"If you want people to buy your products, you need to work sincerely to the best of your capability. Because you do your best, people buy your products or give you work. I was still young when I started the business at the age of 39, so physically and spiritually I did my best without stopping. I was lucky to have had good encounters with people and business opportunities that helped us to reach the stage we are in at the present."

He continued that it is essential for the leader of a company to have four elements: resourcefulness, courage, bravery, and compassion. Resourcefulness is the ability to act in response to changes in the era and circumstances, and foreseeing future needs. Courage is the readiness to give your life for your employees. Bravery is a strong determination not to give up once you start something no matter what difficulties you face. And compassion is to have both strictness and kindness toward other people because one cannot achieve anything without having consideration for others. The words seep into your heart once they come out of Mr. Nakayama's mouth.

Nakayama's experience at college gives us a glimpse of his ability to be a leader.

Nakayama chose to study at Asia University because it had a study abroad course for China, as he felt some nostalgia for Manchuria, where he was born and spent his first years of life. Soon after he entered the school, he volunteered to organize a club for semi-hardball baseball. The club joined the Toto College Semi-Hard Ball Baseball League. He served as captain of the team and also won a batting championship. He says that the experience of putting effort in playing baseball and having to meet many people and build networks later became assets for him to run a business.

Just for the record, the surfaces of semi-hard balls are the same as regular balls made with rubber that are used in Japanese-style softball, though they have a solid core. They are filled in almost the same way as hard balls so they have the same weight and hardness.

(President Hiroshi Nakayama)

Facilities

Main Factory

There are nine departments located in the 3-story head office building and 2-building factory: Press and Cut, All Round Manufacturing (ARM), Paint Business, Machine Processing, Operations, Production Control, Quality Control, Design and Development, and Administration and General Affairs.

One of the main pieces of machinery we have is the LC-2012C1NT, a built-in, compact and multipurpose machine. This latest model machine enables various types of molds to be loaded on the turret, and is equipped with eight pallets of automatic storage, so it can offer for 24 consecutive hours of high processing performance.

(Photo: LC-2012C1NT High-Performance Punch/Laser Combination Machine)

No. 2 Factory

The No. 2 factory is located in Techno Kochi Industrial Park in Myoken, Nankoku City. A wide range of precision products are made here, it is the site of Steel Adaptation Technology (SAT), Sheet-Metal Processing, Welding, Production Control, Quality Control, and Administration and General Affairs.

(Photo: Exterior view of the No. 2 Factory and staff standing in front of the No. 2 Factory)

No. 3 Factory

The new factory was completed in October 2013. The premises are about 3,300 sq. meters and house the Assembly and Stainless Steel departments. The factory is about 1,000 sq. meters in size as of 2014. The plan is to expand the factory and increase the number of employees there.

(Photo: Exterior view of the No. 3 Factory)

Each factory is equipped with state-of-the-art machinery for the particular use of each department and in collaboration with the main factory for production. Recently, we have been enhancing the work performed by the Design and Development Department. Their office is staffed with specialists who design the company's original products utilizing the most updated CAD software in addition to using conventional metal processing techniques as the basis of their technology. Looking ahead to the future we are aiming to be a new general metal processing company. Yosetsu Dojo welding training facility is located in a section of the main office. The company stresses the importance of employee education and training to develop skilled welding technicians and pass on the expertise to new generations of employees.

Photo: TRUMPF TruLaser 3030 Laser Cutting Machine
The machine features automatic production capability, and with storage of 20 pallets it can be operated at night without human supervision.

Photo: AMADA TSIII-NT (2000 x 1000) Table Spot Welding Machine
The first welding machine of this type in Kochi Prefecture enables welding to be performed consistently at any spot on the table for large or long products. It also reduces the number and grade of shock marks and welding burns making it possible to shorten the time it takes to complete finishing work.

Our New Product, Tomato Dolly 01(Zero One), eases the workload of farm workers

Tomato Dolly 01 (Zero One), our original product, was developed in April 2013.

The Tomato Dolly 01 was developed to ease the workload of farmers who have to maintain in a semi-crouching position for an extended time. Their knees and lower back suffer a lot of stress, making the work even harder as the farmers grow older.

The dolly is 70cm long, 30cm wide and 30cm high. It has four wheels with very sturdy tires so there is no problem with punctures. The worker sits on the seat can maneuver the dolly at a speed of 17cm per second by pushing the button on right or left hand side. It is very simple to operate and the seat height is adjustable. The motor is electric and can be charged with a home electric power supply. It is eco-friendly and emits no exhaust gas.

The idea for the machine grew out of an inquiry from a tomato farm. We had invented it through a process of trial and error. It was named after the tomato farm that made the original inquiry. We are still trying to improve it and develop other types of products which can be used under different circumstances not limited to farming.

Objets d'art

Objets d'art placed in a corner of Nankoku Office Park

These pieces of art are made by a patented method owned by Eikou Kougyou called "Three dimensional object by punching art and its method of creation."

Beliefs of President Mr. Nakayama

"When you are serious, you will come up with ideas. If you are half serious, you complain. If you don't care, you only have excuses." Nakayama wants employees to adopt these words as the company philosophy.

He also says, "You can do more if you are interested in your work." The president comes to work at 6 a.m. every morning. He is proud of his work and thinks with a refreshed mind in the morning. He won't waste the early morning time. The two hours in the morning before work starts are very important, he emphasizes.

The company crest is designed with eight pillars, which represent the eight business forces. The images are drawn as if the eight strong columns are coming out of the design. "In one's life, the forties are the time to challenge to work. The fifties are the time to see large flowers of success blooming. The sixties are the time to make a social contribution. I would like young people to have such beliefs while giving their best effort at work. Now, I am in my seventies. I am working to cultivate future generations."

Eikou Kougyou is seeking unlimited possibilities and further dreams of the future under the leadership of Mr. Nakayama.

(Diagram: Company crest showing the eight business forces)