Japan fast tracks digital transformation
Sandvik provides Japanese industries with the tools and software required for digital manufacturing.
Shinichi Takamiya, Head of Sandvik Coromant in Japan, says that digital solutions from Sandvik are in demand from customers in the aerospace and automotive industries, as well as general engineering.
“Our digital offering has been instrumental in driving success with customers who are looking to integrate software with tools and production. The quick change tooling concept Coromant Capto® and other solutions help manufacturers introduce digitalization and automation. Using digital tools suits customers who have robots in manufacturing.”
Premium tools for Japanese industries
Sandvik Coromant is seen as a premium supplier by customers who value performance over low price, according to Takamiya, who explains why aerospace is a sector where Sandvik enjoys a high market share with customers such as Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and IHI.
“These manufacturers use more difficult materials such as heat-resistant super alloys and titanium,” he says, adding, “Sandvik has a significant advantage over our Japanese competitors in that we have advanced further in digital or the CAM offering. We also undertake product development in close cooperation with our customers.”
Machine tool makers and general engineering make up the largest customer segment for Sandvik Coromant in Japan, with big names such as DMG MORI, Yamazaki Mazak and Okuma on the customer list. “Automation and digital features have gone down well with them and the tooling concept Coromant Capto. has been a key to the success with machine tool makers as it increases efficiency in production,” says Takamiya.
Partnering with automotive leaders
Automotive has been a flagship industry for Japan ever since Toyota and its peers conquered the world in the 1980s and launched innovative and much-copied concepts like Just in Time and lean manufacturing. Today, big Japanese automotive OEMs like Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Honda, Mazda and Subaru are Sandvik customers.
The current shift away from combustion engines to electric vehicles heralds major changes for the world’s automakers, who need to revamp production to fit the requirements of new and different components and materials.
This change certainly benefits Sandvik, since we can supply the sophisticated precision tools for aluminum components required in this landscape.
To showcase its abilities, a new Sandvik Coromant Center was inaugurated in Nagoya in June 2024. The center welcomes customers, employees and members of the public, and focuses on training and demonstrating digital and high-level applications. Competence development for existing employees is important in a labor market that is still shrinking as a result of declining birth rates and aging population. The center can also help attract future talents.