GK spoke with Riyako “Lily” Namiki, President of Orbray Co., Ltd., about how monozukuri craftsmanship, IoT innovation and a bold rebrand are shaping the company’s future.
In terms of Japanese innovation and its concept of Monozukuri, what gives the country a competitive advantage against other regional competitors?
Japanese culture and its inherent attitude of dedication, innovation, and pursuit of excellence in craftsmanship – monozukuri – have been foundational for Japanese production throughout Japan’s history, particularly in the Tohoku area, where we have three of our facilities. Tohoku is known for enduring harsh winters, with snow reaching as high as 3-4 meters. In conditions such as these, Japanese monozukuri has flourished.
Moreover, artisan techniques, which we call “takumi,” are continuing to support Japanese manufacturing. Personally, I was very surprised when visiting the facilities there to discover the monozukuri spirit in action. With their remarkable attitude toward craftsmanship, everyone was fully applying themselves to achieve their goals.
Our company was established on a strong foundation of monozukuri, which has supported us in developing our precision technology and products. Our traditional spirit of relentlessly pursuing quality permeates each of our technologies and products.
How has the development of your energy-harvesting powerless sensors been supporting the IoT industry, and what applications are you looking to market it towards?
Our company started out by producing jewel bearings for electric meters. A decade later we started using our technology to produce phonograph styli, which have evolved considerably since we entered the business. Our efforts have led to the introduction of a high-tech phonograph stylus, the Microridge, which yields industry-leading high-fidelity sound reproduction.
Moreover, we have refined and applied our technology to various components and processes in other fields. For example, we have applied our technology for the cantilever that holds the stylus to the processing of diamond and sapphire. Also, our technology for producing the magnetic coil in the stylus is used in the production of motors for products such as pumps and robotics.
Many manufacturers are now striving to achieve IoT-driven production, such as by installing sensors around their facilities, and using machine-to-machine automated operation, which requires more power. However, by using self-powered devices, we can reduce the energy usage of those devices. We supply the entire package, including every key part, such as the sensor and gateway, as well as the management of the components and software. This is how we aim to streamline production.
What is the inspiration behind your rebranding, and what can we expect from the next evolution of your company?
In 2018, our core company, Namiki Precision Jewel Co. Ltd., integrated with our group company, Adamant Co. Ltd., to form Adamant Namiki Precision Jewel Co. Ltd. This was prompted by a large loss in some of our core businesses, which forced us to undergo a large-scale restructuring, which was a very difficult time for us. To accelerate our growth into the future, I decided to change our company name to reinforce our identity as one company with a unified vision, for the sake of all of our stakeholders.
Because Japanese names are usually written in characters, not alphabetic letters, Japanese people look for the meanings behind names. Our new company name is therefore the product of significant deliberation. For Orbray, “Orb” stands for a celestial body or our planet, and “ray” connotes “light.” We would like our name to convey our belief that the company is like our planet, nurturing living things. If each employee believes in themselves, in their career, and in what they want to do, and if they can shine even more brightly, the company will be able to emit an even stronger light.
Secondly, I’d like to make the company a place where all employees are united towards one single vision. I believe that the company can develop its technologies, facilities, and products, as well as ensure a prosperous future, only if its employees work with passion. I will continue to make the utmost effort so that every employee can shine.
In Japan, there is a saying, “otagai-sama,” meaning “we help each other” because it makes everything better. In the future, I’d like to further connect with overseas customers and enable Japanese monozukuri to contribute to society around the world.
