A leader in filter press technology

Kurita: A leader in filter press technology
As a specialist manufacturer of filter presses, can you give us your opinion on monozukuri? What does it mean to you and your company, and what are the advantages that set you apart?

This is a difficult question to answer, but by looking at ourselves, I think monozukuri means that we focus solely on solving our customers' problems. My grandfather founded the company, and initially we used to make all kinds of machines, from pumps all the way to machines for cutting wood, cutting parts, and even refrigerators. Out of all these machines, we found a customer who had a problem with filtration, so we started making filtration machinery.

At the time we thought the principle of filtration was simple, put the liquid in the machine and it would filter. However, my grandfather, the founder of this company, and the second generation president, my uncle, always focused on the cause and technology of filtration.

Instead of just selling machines for filtration, we transformed our business into one of selling filtration technology, not just machines. I think that was a big turning point for the company.

When it comes to filtration, it's actually quite complex and difficult because there are so many different types of fluids and so many parameters. The key is to find out the most effective parameter or variable associated with the filter and to make that technology available to the customer. Although we are a manufacturer of filter presses, throughout the filtration process you will find a number of other peripheral machines and components, such as tanks and pumps, prior to filtration. You will need a large water tank before you start filtration, and after you need a dryer, so although we are the manufacturer of the filter press, we are always eager to find other opportunities to manufacture additional components and machines needed. Nevertheless, we understand that our strength is always filtration.

If a better manager came in and ran the company, they might be able to use the technology we specialize in to expand the business and diversify our services, but we think we are a group of engineers who believe that the best course of action is to always focus on one technology. I believe that's why our company has been able to survive in this industry for so long. When it comes to filtering, as I explained earlier, it's really not that easy and can be quite a complex job.

We see so many demands from our customers, and the demands generate different machine designs. Just like choosing clothes before you go out, you must choose the right clothes for the right occasion. However, one thing to be wary of is that if you care too much about the details, you will instead increase the cost. Therefore it is necessary to standardize to a certain extent and then customize according to the customer's orders and needs. By doing so, we are able to strike a balance between customer satisfaction and cost reduction.