Sales manager　Sho Sugawara

Sugawara：Our company was established in 1955 by brothers Yasuo and Toshio Hashimoto, who founded a twist brush factory in Hino City, Tokyo. The current representative director is the son of the founder's younger brother. My mother is the daughter of the founder's older brother, so I am his cousin. The founder's older brother was in charge of industrial brushes, while the younger brother was in charge of consumer brushes. In 1965, due to the factory's limited space, we relocated to Misato City, Saitama Prefecture, and in 1989, we built a new factory in Miho Village and moved to Ibaraki Prefecture.

Ishimura：What was the reason for establishing a factory in Ibaraki Prefecture?

Sugawara：The relocation to Miho Village was decided by the current representative director. At that time, the construction plan for the Metropolitan Inter-City Expressway was underway in Ibaraki Prefecture. We thought that if the Metropolitan Inter-City Expressway was completed, we could easily travel to our hometown of Hino City, the city of Misato where the factory was located, and the metropolitan area's trading partners via the highway. Therefore, we searched for land along the Metropolitan Inter-City Expressway and settled in Miho Village. We also consolidated the factory, which had previously been divided into two categories.

Ishimura：You have been focusing on the future of the the Metropolitan Inter-City Expressway since before the beginning of the Heisei era.

Sugawara：It took quite a while for theMetropolitan Inter-City Expressway to open, but I am glad they chose this location.

Ishimura：I see. Transportation networks such as highways are essential for logistics. By the way, what is a twisted brush?

twisted brush

Sugawara：A twisted brush is a general term for a brush made by sandwiching brush bristles between two or more core wires and twisting them together. Although the production method of just twisting them together may seem simple, the combination of various manufacturing methods and appropriate fiber materials can produce good or bad brushes. Based on our many years of experience and expertise, we develop and provide the most suitable brushes for our customers' needs.

Ishimura：What is your company's biggest strength in twisted brushes?

Sugawara：We have special arrangements for the fiber material, and can manufacture brushes of any type depending on our customers' needs, ranging from small brushes with a diameter of just φ0.4mm to large brushes over 10m in total length. In addition, we conduct a hair-shedding inspection test using a hair-pulling strength tester, so our brushes have less hair shedding and are durable. and we pay attention to durability by incorporating new advanced technologies into traditional techniques to make the bristles difficult to fall out and last as long as possible. That is our greatest strength, and it is what allows us to boast a high level of quality.

Ishimura：I think most of your company's products are made-to-order to meet customer needs, but isn't it difficult to handle each order individually?

Sugawara：Certainly, customers have diverse requirements and it can be said that no two orders are the same. We need to accommodate various materials for the bristles, ranging from synthetic fibers to plant fibers, animal hair, and even metal wires, as well as various materials for the core wires, including stainless steel. However, we are professionals who have been working with twisted brushes for many years, so if customers can tell us what problems they are having in the cleaning process, we can always propose a solution. We also offer prototypes and can accept orders for as little as one brush. Currently, we have about 300 business partners, and there are cases where one company has several delivery destinations. It is our job as brush professionals to make and deliver custom-made brushes of various types to meet the needs of each company and site, so I think it's a very ordinary thing.

Ishimura：How about the cost? Since the products are made-to-order, wouldn't the procurement cost be higher for the customer?

Sugawara：For products with decided specifications and a certain volume in demand, we manufacture them with our in-house dedicated automatic machines, so we can fully meet customer needs in terms of cost. Also, for special products that are difficult to manufacture with automatic machines, such as those with long bristles, we minimize the cost through our many years of manufacturing know-how.

Ishimura：So the reason your brushes are chosen is that they are perfect for the customer's needs in terms of cleaning performance and durability, and their procurement cost is also reduced through automation.