Newsweek International 8/13/2021

In English, the Japanese word ‘monozukuri’ can be translated as ‘making things’. And it’s fair to say Japan has excelled at making things since the postwar boom that turned the country into one of the world’s industrial powerhouses. But monozukuri means so much more than its humble English translation. It is indeed the manufacturing philosophy that courses through the veins of Japanese industry, from the largest companies to the smallest. It is a philosophy concerned with high-quality craftsmanship, innovation, the pursuit of perfection, and meeting ever-changing demands – a philosophy on which the ‘Made in Japan’ brand has built its unmatchable global reputation over the past few decades. “Monozukuri is all about high-quality products built thoroughly and with precision. We strive to adapt to the needs of our clients and…

As our world has become increasingly digitalized, the demand for semiconductors has grown exponentially in recent years. Now, with the emergence of new Industry 4.0 technologies such as 5G/6G broadband, Big Data, IoT, cloud computing, advanced robotics and automation, that demand will continue to grow, with semiconductor manufacturers tasked with creating increasingly miniaturized components offering ever-greater power and performance. As one of the leaders in the semiconductor industry, Japan has naturally positioned itself at the forefront of this new Industry 4.0 era, although often working behind the scenes amid increasing regional competition. Countries like China and South Korea have become leaders in ‘modular’ manufacturing – that is assembling components to develop end-user products. However it is in the more challenging field of ‘integral’ manufacturing that Japanese companies continue to shine,…

Through three generations of family ownership, Adamant Namiki has been at the forefront of innovative solutions in jewel processing, developing unique technology to provide unparalleled products. Adamant Namiki’s expertise in processing extremely hard jewels and other difficult materials allows it to create a wide array of products serving various industries, from machine tools to semiconductors. Among the groundbreaking solutions developed by the company is cutting-edge laser technology capable of shaping precise dimensions within a diamond. This process not only enables the cutting of a single crystal material in any direction, but also decreases the processing time. This mastery of its craft has also seen the company develop the world’s largest surface heteroepitaxial diamond substrate. These diamond substrates provide solutions to many of the problems facing semiconductor manufacturers. “One of these…

“To execute real monozukuri, engineers must combine both skills and experience; they have to work for a long time to learn their skills.” Remaining at the forefront of an ever-changing market for 60 years is no mean feat, but that is exactly what probe cards producer Japan Electronic Materials (JEM) has managed to do through its dedication to monozukuri practices. The company’s highly-skilled engineers combine both skill and experience, developing their abilities over long periods to truly master their craft. This craftsmanship is combined with JEM’s passion for developing innovative solutions in the fast-moving world of semiconductors. For example, in the 1990s the company answered demand for increased probes on probe cards by developing vertically-attached probes, and more recently the company has created cost-effective one-touchdown probe cards for both NAND…

High-quality Japanese monozukuri aims to offer peace of mind, safety, and convenience to the world, bringing comfort to your daily life. On the other hand, I think it is also possible for Japanese manufacturers to reach prices comparable to our regional competitors. For example, we could manage to cut costs by using overseas bases or adopting automation, mechatronics, and robotics. We have made great progress in these fields over the past several years. We have managed to automate many of our original high-precision techniques that have long depended on craftsmanship. This has revolutionized the moulding and processing technologies that we use for fluoropolymer manufacturing. Our fluoropolymer products mainly target the semiconductor manufacturing industry. Compared to companies in the same field, our advantage stems from our integrated production technology which encompasses…

Established in 1951, Parker Corporation has long been a reputed manufacturer and supplier of high-quality fine chemicals for several industries, including automotives, electronics, steel, aircraft and machinery. Drawing on its rich history of innovation, Parker Corporation utilizes its unique sophisticated technology and global network of group companies to satisfy a diverse range of needs in the field of fine chemicals, with its products highly sought after around the world for their quality, performance and reliability. The automotive industry represents the largest share of Parker Corporation’s operations. However, in order to achieve sustainable growth, the company is looking to diversify and strengthen its presence in new areas, including the semiconductor industry, where its fine chemical-based solutions are being used in the 5G communication components for self-driving cars, as well as electric…