MMC Magazine

It’s not too much to say that the history of the automobile industry and the history of cutting tools are one and the same. The automobile industry grew by predicting and satisfying market needs, but it is now undergoing significant reform. It is hard to predict what the market trends will be in 10 years and it has become increasingly difficult to achieve a unified vision of future trends even in individual countries.

Significant reform will also be the case for tool manufacturers because it is certain that the amount of machining per next-generation vehicle will decrease. This is the cold reality that tool manufacturers will soon face. However, I believe that we can identify significant business opportunities even under these circumstances. We need to show courage in selecting from among the options available to us to move forward into the future. We also need to think now about what we should do to prepare and pursue that course. Meanwhile, we must not forget to address the current issues. The issues currently facing the tool industry include the need to improve productivity by 5% and establish engine processing lines. While we prepare for the future, we also need to care for the present by providing goods and services with great value.

Mitsubishi Materials’ Craftsman Studio is intended to be the place where innovators striving for significant advancements toward the future can feel free to boldly discuss the current and ideal states of machining with cutting tools.

Shinichi Nakamura

Managing Executive Officer,
Mitsubishi Materials Corporation President,
Metalworking Solutions Company