KOBASHI Group] Shift to Knowledge Manufacturing Brings Evolution of Local SMEs / This Company Has Challenges No One Else Has Taken on in Japan (Mid-career employee trilogy)

An agricultural machinery manufacturer founded in 1910,Kobashi Industriesbased in Okayama, a subsidiary ofKOBASHI Group. Currently, the group is attracting a steady stream of talent that was previously absent from Kobashi Industries—including individuals from major manufacturers, consulting firms, and high-profile startups. Why did they decide to join the company? Where did they see potential for the future? We asked three individuals who joined the group as mid-career hires after 2020 and now hold key positions to share why they chose KOBASHI and their outlook for the future.

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Mr. Shogo Sakashita, Executive Officer, Management Division, KOBASHI HOLDINGS Co., Ltd.; CSO, KOBASHI ROBOTICS Co., Ltd.　
He joined Mikimoto Co., Ltd., where he worked as a diamond buyer responsible for procurement for royal families. He later gained experience launching reconstruction projects following the Great East Japan Earthquake. In 2015, he joined Misumi Co., Ltd., where he gained experience in development, production, and sales, and became well-versed in e-commerce marketing and promotions. He was also involved in formulating business strategies. He has held his current position since 2020. He is responsible for formulating and executing business strategies for the entire group. To embody the company’s philosophy of “Cultivating the Earth,” in addition to the core agricultural machinery business, he oversees initiatives such as manufacturing support for startups and the creation of new regional industries.

Mr. Yusuke Tezuka, COO of KOBASHI ROBOTICS Co., Ltd. / Executive Officer and General Manager of the Procurement Department at Kobashi Industries Co., Ltd.
He gained extensive experience across a wide range of fields—including manufacturing, production engineering, procurement, customs clearance, factory management, and ERP migration—at two manufacturing companies. Afterward, he deepened and systematized his knowledge and experience as a consultant specializing in the manufacturing industry, and joined Rakusuru, Inc. in September 2016. He was responsible for managing relationships with printing partners and served as General Manager of the SCM Department and General Manager of the Printing Business Division. Starting in 2019, he oversaw media buying for the company’s TV Commercial Division (now Novacell, Inc.) and was involved in launching new businesses as General Manager of the SaaS Business Division and General Manager of the Corporate Planning Division, driving initiatives such as a partnership with ADK Marketing Solutions, Inc. In December 2021, seeking a new challenge in the manufacturing sector, he joined KOBASHI ROBOTICS Co., Ltd., which supports hardware startups. In July 2022, he was appointed Executive Officer and COO of the company. Concurrently, he serves as Executive Officer and General Manager of the Procurement Department at Kobashi Industries Co., Ltd.

Mr. Kazuya Inada, General Manager, Knowledge Production Department, KOBASHI ROBOTICS Co., Ltd.
He gained experience as an engineer at a Japanese automaker, working on catalyst development, embedded control system development, and compliance activities. He then worked as a consultant at a Japanese consulting firm, providing planning support and business process reform assistance to manufacturers. In 2022, he joined KOBASHI ROBOTICS Co., Ltd., and currently serves as General Manager of the Knowledge Manufacturing Department, where he is engaged in manufacturing support services for startups.

I didn't realize there was such an innovative company in this area.

Sakashita　I didn't know about KOBASHI until a recruitment agency introduced me to them. I decided to reach out to them just to hear what they had to say, and that's whenKOBASHI ROBOTICS(Hereinafter referred to as ROBOTICS. Established in 2020, the company leverages the expertise and resources KOBASHI has cultivated as a manufacturer to provide a next-generation manufacturing platform service that comprehensively supports every stage of the manufacturing process—from prototyping and development to mass production and maintenance.) When I met with CEO Kobashi around the time of the company’s founding, he proudly proclaimed his vision: “To seriously tackle the challenges facing our planet, we will now begin supporting startups in manufacturing.” And he wasn’t just talking about a dream—the company has accumulated the know-how and assets necessary to make it a reality over its 100-year history, and has already begun taking concrete action. I was convinced that working here would definitely lead to exciting opportunities.

TezukaI, too, joined through a recruitment agency. My career path has taken me from two major manufacturers to a consulting firm and then an IT startup, and I felt that KOBASHI would be the place where I could put all the experience I’ve gained working with manufacturing companies of all sizes to good use. Furthermore, I could tell the company was financially sound and in a position to make medium- to long-term investments. On top of that, when I learned about the ROBOTICS initiative, I felt, “This is a challenge to transform the industrial structure itself while actually operating a manufacturing business.” Based on my previous experience, I was convinced that the only people capable of bringing about major changes to an industry itself are not consultants or support organizations, but rather “those on the inside.” KOBASHI is precisely in that position, which I found incredibly appealing.

Inada　Since I’m originally from the mountains of Ehime, I’ve always been conscious of the challenge of how to use technology to protect our rich natural environment. So, when I learned about KOBASHI through a recruiter, the first thing that struck me was a strong resonance with their philosophy of “cultivating the Earth.” I was also deeply curious to see how a mid-sized company in Okayama was taking on the challenge of “manufacturing support”—an area major corporations haven’t ventured into—based on that philosophy. What’s more, CEO Kobashi’s words and actions never waver from that concept. I honestly thought it would be interesting to work at his company, and I was truly excited to see what the view would be like from the front lines of changing society.

Sakashita　Given KOBASHI’s market share and financial position, the company should have been able to continue operations for at least 30 years. However, Kobashi was taking various actions driven by a strong sense of crisis—he believed that “if things continued as they were, the company would go under as early as tomorrow.” Despite having a 100-year history and a solid foundation, its approach was that of a true startup. At the time, I never would have imagined that such a company existed in the region. It was truly shocking.

KOBASHI is very open to new things.

Inada　One thing that pleasantly surprised me after joining the company was how open the entire organization is to “new ideas.” At the companies I’d worked at before, it wasn’t uncommon for someone who tried something new to be looked at with a “What’s wrong with that person?” kind of expression. But at KOBASHI, whenever I approach someone to say, “I’m having a little trouble with this,” or “Could you help me with this?”, everyone listens to me carefully. It may seem like a small thing, but it was truly refreshing and I really appreciated it.

Tezuka　I understand. As someone who has experienced the outside world, I can see both KOBASHI’s strengths and its weaknesses. It can’t be pleasant to have a mid-career hire point those out to you. However, at this company, if you explain things logically and clearly, people will fully understand your perspective and engage in a constructive discussion. Isn’t that one of KOBASHI’s defining characteristics?

Sakashita　I believe this stems from the company’s culture. Kobashi Industries began as a blacksmith shop in 1910, before World War I, and it is said that the founder had a clear philosophy: “We will use our technology not to create weapons that harm people, but to make farming tools that enrich people’s lives.” It is precisely because this corporate culture of “solving social issues” is so deeply ingrained that the company welcomes mid-career hires as “new colleagues dedicated to tackling challenges.” Although the company’s philosophy has been redefined as “Cultivating the Earth” and new businesses have been launched, at its core, nothing has changed. While updates to keep pace with the times are necessary, I strongly sense a culture at KOBASHI that is fundamentally committed to persistently and earnestly tackling challenges.

Tezuka　And precisely because KOBASHI is a privately held company, it can consistently make decisions based on its corporate culture and management philosophy. I believe this is another major strength.

Changing the Very Nature of Japan's Manufacturing Industry from Okayama

Inada　It is precisely because KOBASHI is the company it is that I strongly feel we must steadily expand ROBOTICS’ manufacturing support business and establish it as a new pillar of our operations. I want to take the new expertise generated as ROBOTICS grows and not only channel it into profits for the entire group, but also extend it to external suppliers and partners beyond our group, thereby creating a wave of momentum that revitalizes the entire Okayama region. Ultimately, I hope to spread a movement across Japan’s entire manufacturing sector that encourages a shift toward new approaches to manufacturing.

SakashitaI am acutely aware of the problem that the value of manufacturing is still significantly underestimated in society. The traditional manufacturing ethos of “leading by example” may, on the one hand, have led to the art of articulating that value being put on the back burner, which in turn has resulted in the negative consequence of manufacturing not receiving “proper recognition.” I want ROBOTICS to take the lead in achieving new milestones while clearly articulating and communicating the value of manufacturing, thereby helping to create a society where the value of manufacturing is properly reevaluated. Furthermore, I believe it is our mission to establish a new norm: that “tackling challenges directly leads to tangible profits.”

TezukaKOBASHI is an organization that can tackle these challenges from a medium- to long-term perspective, isn’t it? Let’s continue to go all out on new initiatives with the support of our colleagues!