Development, production, Sales of aluminum package

Traditional Craft From Toyama To the World

The world’s most advanced technology

“Five nine” is 99.999% pure aluminum, material manufacturers from all over the world are eager to obtain it. Hokusei Metal Products (hereinafter “Hokusei Products”) in Takaoka city, Toyama prefecture, has its’ own technology to process this “five nine” without degrading the purity.
They have expanded with clients that were not thought to be target companies for the aluminium industry before, such as the pharmaceutical and food industry, and they are remaking the industrial map.
Above all, Hokusei Products package production for drugs has received widespread attention. Since it involves human lives competitors have avoided participating, but Hokusei Products have a technique for manufacturing aluminum to keep the highest level of purity. They developed a technology to make the packaging of drugs transparent through oxidation of the high-grade aluminum, this allows for easy viewing of the contents. Toyama prefecture, where Hokusei Products is located, is called “Pharma Valley of Japan” and there is a 300-year history of its medicines being sold door-to-door there. The project, a mixture of the delicate techniques of aluminium production and the pharmaceutical history of Toyama is one of the pillars that support Hokusei Products.

Birth of the general trading company of aluminum

Hokusei Metal Products was founded as an authorized distributor of Nippon Light Metal, a major aluminium manufacturer. The current president, Mr. Shotaro Tomita (45) took over his father’s role 15 years ago after he studied in the U.S., worked in a general trading company and a metal manufacturer. Just after he became president he was confronted with a major problem. The three businesses his father left had closed, one after the other, in the course of a year. During this unsettled period without work he concentrated on creating a new technology.He wanted to be engaged in a value-added business that other companies couldn’t copy.

It was with this in mind he worked on aluminium casting technology, planning of medical packages and so on.Even though such businesses have grown as pillars Mr Tomita did not stop. Competitors from overseas had landed in Japan and distribution had been rapidly changing. When he was seeking a direction at this time, it was a general trading company that creates products that he found. His company consistently undertakes planning, production and sales of aluminium products for a wide range of uses such as cars, bullet trains, cans of drink and semiconducting materials. “Our strength is that we know very well about what kind of things are needed and where, because we are a manufacturer”. While the growth in domestic aluminium industry has been slowing down, Hokusei Products used the function of its trading company and started to expand their influence to overseas, that is, importing and exporting products for the United States and Europe.

New possibilities made by a 400-year history

Having changed emphasis from Japan to abroad, Mr. Tomita chose another path, taking advantage of traditional crafts from his local city, Takaoka. He claims “Coming back to my source, well, I don’t think I can survive in this era of expanding globalization if I don’t find the strength in the area and emphasize it.”
The decision is owed greatly to his experience in studying in the United States. “In the States everybody has pride in their local area. When I heard ‘This is not New York but it’s a very good place’, I was startled by such a feeling.” I, too, would like to hear “This is not a big city but our local city is good, isn’t it?” from locals in Takaoka. “I think one of our tasks is to make traditional crafts from Takaoka recognized outside Japan.”
Takaoka is famous for traditional metal crafts known as “Takaoka copperware”. With a 400-year history of thriving metal industries including ornaments, Buddhist altars and tea ceremony utensils, it has had a strong brand-name in the world since they were displayed at the World’s Fair in Paris in the 19th century. When he thought about the regional strength, he came up with a scenario to support such traditional crafts.

The adjustment to a lifestyle in North Europe

Currently, Hokusei Products is most active in their business in North Europe, producing such products as a reflective material suitable for the fewer hours of sunlight in the area and the traditional crafts of Takaoka, sharing concepts with the local designers. They deal with such sophisticated products suitable for the areas being consumed.
Mr Tomita says “It was because of the logic of the underdog” that he started his business in the North European market. In the process of going international in 2006, many Japanese manufacturers had already advanced into South Eastern Asian countries and China.

It’s undeniable that he had lagged behind. When he redefined his idea of the market to enter, there came to him North Europe. “People in North Europe are very strong, silent type, sober and loyal as well as highly-educated. Their characteristics are similar to sincere and hard-working people from the North in Toyama. I thought it would be easier to communicate with each other due to our likeness.”
In Sweden he established “Hokusei Europe AB”, an overseas subsidiary, and that speeded up the collaboration of traditional crafts from Takaoka and Northern European culture, and has acted as a stepping stone to bring Takaoka into the world. He explains his determination “We want to get manufacturing and selling products with collaborations of aluminum and Northern European design on track and promote them with a view to the whole European market.”

“Hyper Nomads” will connect with the world.

Mr Tomita wants his staff to go outside of the office and get more work done. He encourages them to become active “Nomads” because it is impossible to understand the culture or atmosphere of the regions overseas without actually having been there. Being proficient at languages and with a little footwork, coming and going of overseas, Mr Tomita has gained a feel for various regions. He is aware of importance of getting a feel for the place more for the place more than anyone in the company. The secret of his business in challenging his overseas operations: “We work where we like.

That’s why we can continue working there for long periods of time.” His first-hand knowledge of the locations is of prime importance to him. Indonesia, where he met pro-Japanese people during his visit, has become a potential place to expand into next because he was again moved by a feel for the place.
Mr Tomita who has friends all over the world makes full use of Facebook and uses the phrase “opening the individual’s door”. Connecting with the world yourself and being in contact with one another as individuals. It might parallel the spirit of “Independence and self-respect”, the words by the founder of his alumni, Keio University. Today Mr Tomita continues itinerating as a “Hyper Nomad”, aiming for “A world where people on the globe connect with each other regardless of the distance and borders”.