GK had the pleasure of interviewing premium helmet market leader SHOEI Co., Ltd., hearing directly from their president, Mr. Kenichiro Ishida, about the firm’s new developments and future initiatives. Committed to supporting both ‘active’ and ‘passive’ safety features for motorcycle riders, SHOEI is a mainstay for casual enthusiasts and Moto GP pros alike.
How is the concept of monozukuri reflected throughout your portfolio and operations? Are there plans to transfer your philosophies overseas?
We believe that the best way to achieve our goals is through integrated production here in Japan. We do not have much experience in following new patterns, nor do we intend to export this culture overseas. Companies like Toyota may follow similar practices, but the premium helmet market is not comparable to the automobile market. As a smaller or medium-sized enterprise, we do not consider international expansion in that context for our company. We emphasize purely made-in-Japan activities, and by doing so, we maintain our competitive power. In summary, SHOEI is convinced that the best way to achieve our goals is to integrate everything from design to mass production in Japan, and, in fact, our company maintains a global market share of over 60%.
What potential do you see for ‘smart helmets’ in the future, and what other applications or functions do you think we can expect to see in coming years?
There are some factors that significantly affect the value of a helmet, but one particular factor of premium helmets involves integrating them with IT. Currently, we have two main products: one in OPTICSON and the other with an intercom system we call COMLINK. However, we believe that these trends will be surpassed in the future. We introduced OPTICSON to the Japanese market in 2022. It has an optical device built into the helmet. As the image is on the small screen and does not obscure the rider’s view nor cause riders to look down at the display on the motorcycle, OPTICSON is considered to greatly contribute to the ‘passive active’ safety of the riders.
Within your portfolio, have you identified a growth driver or growth sector you wish to further develop?
I believe there are important considerations for the future, particularly in the areas of technology integration and user comfort. The integration of IT with the helmet presents an opportunity to display useful information from the motorcycle end, such as the speed or tachometer directly in the rider’s field of vision. It’s also important to tailor the product dimensions and features based on the specific needs of different users, such as those in different countries and those with different types of helmets. To achieve this, we offer a Personal Fitting System (P.F.S./an interior adjustment system to ensure optimal comfort) for each customer. Researching the specific needs of different user groups will allow us to offer tailored solutions for each application.
