It's impossible to describe Mr. Nakamoto's work in a single word. His work is wide-ranging, encompassing everything from preparation and installation*1, powder coating*2, quality control, equipment management, personnel training, and improvement work. Every aspect of the painting team's operations is carried out under Mr. Nakamoto's direction.

However, I wasn't able to do everything from the start. In fact, at first, I thought that mechanically doing what I was told suited me better. The turning point came around my third year at the company, when several of my superiors and colleagues took leave or were transferred.

"I thought, 'I'm the only one who can do it.'"

There is no sense of despair in those words. What is there is a "determination and pride" in choosing to remain on the front lines of painting. They thought for themselves, experimented, and continued to search for ways to "never stop" production.

The painting process is not a simple one. It requires planning and predicting the flow of events from the outset, and once the material is hung, it must be kept in sync with the work until the end within the allotted time. It is a process where one mistake can lead to production stagnation.

That's why it was necessary to identify the more than 7,000 different parts and memorize the characteristics of each one. Instead of memorizing them blindly, I proceeded to understand them in a tree-like manner, finding commonalities along the way.

Even so, equipment malfunctions sometimes occur during the painting process. Each time, while we were grateful for the help we received from other departments, we were also left with a sense of frustration. "We want to be able to manage our own process on our own." With that single-minded determination, we have faced the challenges on site.

Eventually, my focus shifted from simply "not stopping" to "improvement." This involved creating an environment that allowed for quick installation, considering the optimal paint application, and personally replacing and adjusting equipment parts. As I tackled each of these tasks, I naturally began to share my insights and ideas with my colleagues more and more.

"I always provide one-on-one instruction. I make sure to tailor my teaching methods to each individual's strengths and weaknesses."

As we worked with each individual, we began to see commonalities. We realized that the points where everyone stumbles at some point are precisely the points that need improvement. By breaking these down into easy-to-understand procedure manuals, we were able to standardize the process.

The accumulated challenges and experiences gained from failures in the painting process have become Nakamoto's most valuable asset in strengthening the workplace.

As standardization progresses, the process can now run smoothly regardless of who is involved. "Being able to entrust the work to someone with confidence—that's what I think it means to be trusted."

Now that the system is in place, the judgment and technical skills of each individual have become much clearer. In the painting process, members themselves can notice and fix equipment malfunctions. Even in situations where paint is not being sprayed from the paint gun, they can instantly pinpoint the cause and work backward because they have a deep understanding of the equipment itself.

Currently, Mr. Nakamoto is drawing out and bringing together the strengths of those on the factory floor. One of the things Mr. Nakamoto focuses on is "planning." By instantly identifying the type of product and process, and assembling the optimal flow, work time can be significantly reduced. Because Mr. Nakamoto is involved in every aspect of the painting process and can see what tasks need to be entrusted to his colleagues, he was able to see the optimization of the entire painting process.

"I was able to get this far because of the help of the people around me."

Nakamoto-san continues to take on challenges on-site, supported by his colleagues. To continue walking alongside these colleagues in the future, Nakamoto-san is working to further deepen his painting techniques and expand his knowledge of related processes. The more deeply he understands their own painting process, the more meaningful comparisons with the outside world become.

"By comparing our painting processes with those of other factories, we believe we can rediscover our own strengths."

Ms. Nakamoto's "confidence" and "pride" did not stem from a series of smooth successes.
It is through a continuous process of trial and error, the accumulation of "time" spent facing difficulties without running away, and the many "experiences" that have shaped Ms. Nakamoto into who she is today.

Beyond the painting process, their gaze extended to the entire factory. Their determination for the next challenge was evident.