Niigata's Macoho Begins Addressing Reliance on Skilled Labor in Core Component Manufacturing Process Through Subsidies

Macoho Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture; President and Representative Director: Yoshihisa Asai; hereinafter "the Company"), a specialized manufacturer of wet blast equipment, applied for the SME Labor-Saving Investment Support Project (General Type) for its robot-assisted work automation project (hereinafter "the Project") and has been selected as a subsidy candidate. Through this project, the Company will advance the automation of the "finishing and inspection processes" in core component manufacturing, aiming to eliminate reliance on skilled workers while improving productivity, quality stability, and business continuity.

Background The Company has contributed to reducing environmental impact through the development, manufacturing, and sale of equipment utilizing "wet blasting," a physical surface technology that does not use chemicals. As part of its medium-term management plan for "4.5 billion yen in sales by 2027" and the subsequent goal of 10 billion yen, the Company has identified the establishment of a robust production infrastructure as one of its key strategies. As a fabless manufacturer, the Company has been building a manufacturing system in collaboration with a strong local production base. However, for the "urethane parts" that are core to its equipment, the Company has long engaged in in-house production to build quality and accumulate know-how. Nevertheless, this in-house process relies heavily on the skills of experienced workers, creating new management challenges for strengthening the production base. ■ Three Management Challenges the Project Aims to Solve 1. Eliminating Reliance on Skilled Workers The "finishing to inspection process" for urethane parts centers on manual work dependent on the "intuition and experience" of specific skilled workers, leading to the personalization of technology. 2. Addressing the Risk of Process Stoppage The skilled workers responsible for these processes are aging, and the risk of personnel structure issues leading to process stoppages in the event of a vacancy has become apparent. Furthermore, amid labor shortages throughout the manufacturing industry, recruiting and training new engineers is becoming increasingly difficult. 3. Resolving Production Capacity Bottlenecks Due to reliance on skilled workers and constraints in personnel structure, there are limits to increasing production capacity, which has become a barrier to business expansion. ■ Initiatives of the Project In this project, the Company will introduce specialized automated machinery that combines AI vision and robots to promote labor saving and standardization of these processes. By doing so, the Company aims to realize the automation of work that previously depended on the "intuition and experience" of skilled workers, thereby improving productivity, stabilizing quality, and constructing a sustainable production system. ■ About Macoho Co., Ltd. A specialized manufacturer that manufactures and sells equipment for "wet blasting," a surface treatment technology that sprays a mixture of "water," "air," and "abrasive material." Leveraging its unique technology and know-how, the company has manufactured over 2,000 wet blast machines, ranging from desktop sizes to large-scale equipment. These devices are used by companies both in Japan and overseas across a wide range of industries, primarily the automotive, tool, and semiconductor sectors. ■ Overview of Macoho Co., Ltd. Company Name: Macoho Co., Ltd. Representative: President and Representative Director Yoshihisa Asai Address: 525 Kanawa, Ishidomachi, Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture Business Content: Manufacturing and sales of wet blast equipment, provision of surface treatment technology URL: https://www.macoho.co.jp/ Contact Information for Inquiries Company Name: Macoho Co., Ltd. Contact: Yoshikazu Susa, Public Relations Section, General Affairs Department TEL: 050-5784-5918 (Direct) / 0258-47-1729 (Main) FAX: 0258-21-4124 E-mail: y_susa@macoho.co.jp