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Home ＞ Corporate Voices ＞ Kawada Industries, Inc. - Tochigi Plant
| Company Name | Kawada Industries, Inc. - Tochigi Plant |
|---|---|
| Address | 〒324-0036 1780 Shimoishigami, Otawara City, Tochigi Prefecture |
| TEL | 0287-29-1111 |
| Website | http://global.kawada.jp/ ※Click to open a separate window < |
As the company playing a core role in KTI Kawada Group, Kawada Industries, Inc supports society with it's original technologies. We visited Tochigi Plant and interviewed with Tetsuro Yamasaki, Plant Manager.
【Yokohama Station , Minato-Mirai area】
【Shinjuku area】
In Kawada Industries, Inc., there are 5 business units currently.
In steel construction business unit, we do manufacturing and construction of building structures. Having the main operation fields of steel structure of skyscraper buildings in the Tokyo metropolitan and urban area, we took a part of well known buildings such as the Tokyo Metropolitan Government buildings, Yokohama Land Mark tower, and Tokyo Dome (Big egg). For Tokyo Dome, we took a part of not only the special steel constructions, but also construction of the ceiling cable structures. Also recently, we participated in the construction of Tokyo Sky Tree Tower.
Within Tochigi, we had participated in various steel construction projects such as for Tochigi Prefecture Government Buildings, Utsunomiya City Hall, and Kiyohara Gymnasium.
In bridge business unit, we took a part of manufacturing and construction of large bridges such as Tokyo Gate Bridge which is popular along with Tokyo Sky Tree Tower, Rainbow Bridge, and Akashi Strait Bridge.
In this business unit, in addition to steel structured bridges, combined bridges which made of combined materials of steel and concrete are also handled.
Within Tochigi, we participated in various manufacturing and constructions such as
pedestrian deck at west gate of the Utsunomiya station, Miyano-bridge near the station, and sky-bridge in the east entrance.
In construction business unit, we mainly manage design, manufacturing and construction of industrial use buildings, so called system constructions, in addition to general constructions of middle to low-rise office and apartment buildings, and schools. The system construction is suitable for a plant or distribution center, warehouse and large-sized shopping center, etc. and we built many buildings in suburbs.
In robotics business unit, we handle products with robotics technologies represented by 2-foot walking robots, and next generation of industrial robots "NEXTAGE". The development and manufacturing base accompanied with Technology Research Center is located in Haga Town of Tochigi Prefecture.
Newly established Hokuriku-business division developed in April 2011 is a local community based cross-functional organization which handles not only steel structural products and services such as bridges, civil engineering, and steel frames, but also general construction buildings. By cooperating with other companies in the group, they are developing business in "Originated ground in Toyama" with taking an advantage of our home town.
We have a Production Division in addition to those 5 business units to support them. Steel processing plants for steel structures are located in 3 locations in Japan, in Nanto City in Toyama, Tadotsu Town in Kagawa, and here in Otawara City Tochigi Prefecture.
【Tochigi Plant】
Tochigi plant is the only one plant in the Kanto region, secondly established within our 3 plants. Our company was founded in Toyama Prefecture in Hokuriku region, this plant was established in order to secure businesses in the Tokyo metropolitan area in 1958, the same year as the completion of Tokyo Tower.
At the beginning, many bridges for metropolitan expressway had been built in this plant amid of the increased demand of Tokyo Olympics and rapid growth of Japanese economy, but currently after experiencing a variety of circumstances, this plant have become the plant for manufacturing of special structures and steel constructions for skyscrapers.
We heard that this plant was the first invited enterprise to Otawara City. An enthusiastic invitation from the City played an important role for selection of this site, in addition to the fact that the founder Chutaro Kawada was born in Otawara and closer distance to the Tokyo metropolitan area.
This plant is near the JR Nozaki railroad station, and used to have a railways connected to the premises. Raw Materials arrived at the rail to the front part of our plant buildings were processed in the plant and the manufactured products were shipped by rail again. The road transportations by trailers was not so popular as now at that time, and rail transportation was the main for logistics..
This plant responsible for all over East Japan, mainly the Tokyo metropolitan area. Sometimes as an example of Spiral Towers in front of Nagoya station, our factory-built steel structures are shipped to other areas too.
【Shiodome and Roppongi Area】
【Tokyo Station Area】
The manufacturing of steel structures has a roll of such unsung heros, it is very important work to construct the frame of buildings which normally hidden inside and can not be seen from outside. People are attracted by well-known buildings by it's outer design, interiors, or lighting, but the steel structures are supporting as the mainstay.
A H-shaped steel of 1 cm thickness for steel structure is very normal and can be easily imagined, but steel structure made in this plant sometimes has 8 cm in thickness.
The recently produced steel structures for Tokyo Sky Tree used a pipe material of 2 m in diameter and 10 cm in thickness at the most part of the roots of the tower.
Better quality of building materials are use recently in compared to the old days, as some structural steels were cut down by the earthquake of Hanshin Large Disaster, since then the designed strength for earthquakes have been increased, and whole buildings are strengthened very much.
Welding technology is what we are good at in the material processing methods. The characteristics of steel materials are changed when heat are applied.
When welding is made, depends on the size and thickness or further season of the processing, the procedure of processing and control method of materials are changed. In addition, when huge structure is made, it is required to arrange an additional process for shipment of products in an appropriate size or shape for easy assembly at the site.
Steel structure manufacturing plants are designated in 4 ranks by the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. This plant has been ranked in the highest and one of S-Ranked in Japan. The S -Ranked plants can manufacture all kinds of steel structure.
It is a proof of our technical and quality control capability.
【NEXTAGE（Left）,HRP-4（Middle）,HRP-2（Right）】
Kawada industries's robots are researched, developed and manufactured in Haga Town in Tochigi. Every experience and know-how are fed back to the development of the next generation of industrial robots.
Currently, Kawada industries is marketing a next generation of industrial robot "NEXTAGE" for the purpose of working with human. This robot has a human-like upper body in different from other industrial robots, they are robots which "Can work together with human " in the next to people without enclosures.
Other our development includes flagship models of whole body type, humanoid "HRP series".
"HRP-4" is available in slim body of the weight 39 kg with the height 151 cm.
We have been asked why robot shall be humanoid. Humanoid which maintains same body size as human, not small like a toy, current environments of infrastructures for people such as desks or tools may be adopted without any modifications. In the other hand, the shape of humanoid may raise up people's expectations that such robots are able to perform as same as human beings.
We may encounter the scene which robots and people are helping each other in the same work place. In such scenes, humanoid robots may have a meaning.
【Box Manufacturing Line】
We cosponsor local community based events every year, such as Otawara City Summer Festival and Industrial Culture Festival. In order to provide a opportunity for community residents and employee's families to understand our plant, an open factory is organized also. It may be difficult to imagine a plant of manufacturing steel structures for skyscrapers, but well known name such as the Tokyo Sky Tree Tower provides much interests for many students. We are also accepting internship for students from high schools or technical schools. One of our group company located near here, Kawada Construction Co., Ltd. Nasu plant, who manufacturing pre-casted concrete products, is also accepting plant tour.
Kawada group has the management philosophy of " Creation of safe and comfortable living environment".
With keeping the corporate mission of "Contribute to society through technology all the times", which has been succeeded since founded, we continuously promote our business in a broad range of steel structure manufacturing, civil engineering & constructions, and IT and services.
We, as each individual, actively challenge to achieve what society asking for by our technical capabilities, and strive to be a company to contribute to society through creating an environment where people can share safe and comfortable livings.
