Third generation of traditional mizuhiki craftsmen began creating acrylic goods, becoming number one in Chugoku and Shikoku regions in the number of printers owned.

Marushou Co., Ltd. was established in 1969 in Shikokuchuo City, Ehime Prefecture. President Tetsuro Shinohara's grandfather, Masashige, trained at a mizuhiki store in Kyoto and opened the store in the hope of spreading mizuhiki culture in Ehime Prefecture. Ehime Prefecture is known for its festive ceremonies and weddings, and the techniques he learned in Kyoto were well accepted. Tetsuro's mother, Keiko, who inherited his skills, is certified as an Ehime traditional craftsman by Ehime Prefecture.

In 2020, the company introduced Mimaki's UJF-7151 plus and quickly changed its business format. The company is now transforming itself into a printing company instead of a mizuhiki company. We interviewed President Shinohara about the impetus for the change in business format, what they did, their current situation, and their vision for the future.

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COVID-19 triggered a change in business format

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― You have been in the family business of mizuhiki, but what is the background behind starting the printing business?

The mizuhiki business, founded by my grandfather, has been a local favorite. Shikokuchuo City, where our company is located, is known as the "City of Paper," and mizuhiki was a good match for this business. The technique has also been certified as a "traditional craftsman" by the prefecture, and is something we are proud of throughout the country, and even the world.

However, the ceremonies and weddings gradually became more subdued, and the number of people who do not hold ceremonies or weddings themselves increased. Especially after the COVID-19 spreaded, weddings and other events were postponed or canceled one after another, and our business itself was facing a major turning point.

This led to a strong feeling that we needed to think about our next business venture.

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― You introduced the "UJF-7151 plus" in November 2020. What was the direct reason for the introduction?

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At a time when demand for mizuhiki was declining, I was also looking for new work in many fields. One of those jobs was the bagging of acrylic key chains. It was for a famous anime product, but it was a completely different field of work, and it opened my eyes to the fact that there was such a market.

I found it to be an attractive business with a very broad market base and a lot of work.

When we contacted the planning company that had given us the job, they introduced us to the original contractor's factory, and our designer and I visited the factory to learn about their business. We were also offered a job from that company, so we decided to install Mimaki Engineering's UJF-7151 plus and a laser cutting machine, which were in operation at that company.

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― Did you have any concerns about the cost or operation of the system when you introduced it?

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Financially, we were able to use the "Manufacturing subsidy" and introduce the system without any major burden. Of course, we were not completely free of anxiety, but it was reassuring to know that many people were willing to consult with us.

I myself went to the original contractor's factory to learn about the operational aspects, and after the introduction of the system, Mimaki's staff taught me how to make prints that would have no problem in shipping as products.

― Did you printed by the president yourself?

That's right. When the printer was first introduced, I was the only one who could operate it, so my life continued for a while, working as a mizuhiki and print sales person during the day and a printing operator at night.

In the printing industry, deadlines are shorter than in the mizuhiki industry, so we sometimes worked late into the night, sometimes without sleeping. My job was to input data, stay by the printer after it started printing, and replace the jig with the acrylic goods after it was finished. It was hard work, but I was more than happy to get the job even though I had just started, so I did my best.

UJF-7151 plus that can make products from scratch

― What do you think of the performance and features of the UJF-7151 plus?

As complete amateurs, we did not understand the performance or functions at first, but we were able to produce a product of such quality that our customers said there were no problems. We were able to produce products that were of a higher standard from the start, so there is no doubt that the machine was easy to handle in that respect. Now, when I look at the products I made back then, I think, "I should have done this," or "I could have made it more beautiful," so I think the machine has room for growth, depending on the operator.

This is Mimaki's top-of-the-line printer for goods, and if you are printing a relatively large number of goods prints with high productivity and short delivery times, it is a natural choice.

― How many printers are currently installed?

There are eight "UJF-7151 plus" and one "UJF-7151 plusII".

Within a year of installing the first one, we had expanded to six units. By teaching our employees how to handle the printers and focusing my own efforts on sales development, work gradually increased around six months after installation. As a result, we sometimes could not keep up with production, and each time that happened, we added more equipment.

Our clients include companies with factories for goods production that we have dealt with from the beginning, sales promotion companies, character goods agencies, or rights holders. The overwhelming majority of produced goods are anime and manga goods.

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― So much so that production can't keep up.

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There is a surprisingly large amount of work to be done. Moreover, because of the short delivery times, our company seems to be nominated as a company that can meet those short delivery times. Often, when we deliver a product that has been ordered, it is so popular that we are asked to repeat the order.

― How is it repeated?

I will never forget a job I did for a chain of cafes. We first delivered 10,000 units, and a week later we received a phone call asking for a repeat order of 2,000 units, which was immediately followed by a request for 5,000 units, and then another request for immediate delivery of 10,000 units, and finally we delivered 70,000 units with several repeats.

At that time we still had three printers and two laser machines, so I was making them without sleep. Now we can produce much more, so we would like you to feel secure in placing your orders with us lol. There are few places in western Japan that can produce this much, so they seem to get a lot of work for us.

Currently, sales are about 30% in the mizuhiki business and 70% in the printing business, and the main businesses have reversed.

Success is yet to come despite relocation to a new plant

― In a short time, you have succeeded in making a major business transition.

I have been told by my seniors and friends in my hometown that I have succeeded, but I don't really feel that way yet.I bought a printer out of sheer selflessness, managed to learn the technology, and am still struggling to do the work I have been given.

Success has yet to come, but at the end of one year, I received a call from a customer and I was prepared for a complaint, but he called to thank me and said, "Thanks to you, Mr. Shinohara, it has been a good year." I was very happy to hear that from a customer who is usually so strict about quality, and it made me realize how glad I was to have started the print business.

― What are your future developments and prospects?

We have outgrown our headquarters and factory and will be relocating to a nearby location this September. Since we do everything from printing to assembly, we have been looking for a more spacious location, and this will provide us with a large work space.

In conjunction with the relocation, we will also add two "UJF-7151 plusII" units, making it one of the largest holdings in Chugoku and Shikoku regions, so we will be ready to take on even larger quantities of work with short delivery times. We are also looking at printing not only acrylic goods, but also leather badges and fabric products. Please contact us even for difficult jobs such as high-mix, short lead time, etc.

I am very thankful that I found the inkjet printer and that I was able to get more work. I am also grateful to the people at the factory who taught me how to work when I knew nothing at first, to our company's employees who worked with me to take on the challenges I started, and to my father (Hiroyuki) who believed in me and entrusted me with his work.

I will continue to do my best and continue to do quality work so that our customers will say "thank you" to us.

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