We manufacture with care from processing natural ingredients to compounding flavors and fragrances.
What do you do in Ogawa group?
My responsibility is manufacturing. There are a number of manufacturing processes in our company, and I am in charge of two of them: processing natural ingredients into aroma ingredients, and compounding them.
In the process of natural ingredient processing, we extract essential oils from Japanese citrus. Because the ingredients are natural, their condition changes depending on the climate and temperature, and therefore it is difficult for us to assess. So I refer to the actual data that have been accumulated from the past, discuss with on-site staff whenever necessary, optimize each condition, and devise a way to achieve higher quality and higher yield.
In the process of compounding each raw material, I try to do the process quickly while following the recipe and various regulations.
What do you think about Ogawa group?
I think it is a company that provides good support for employees to stay healthy and maintain a safe working environment.
With changes in social conditions, the welfare system and work system are reviewed every day, and I feel they are continuing to improve. I also feel that the company values the opinions of the workers. Active discussions are held between the employees and the executives, and some systems were actually reformed based on suggestions from on-site staff. For these reasons, I think it is a good company to work for.
When do you feel the most satisfied in your job?
I feel satisfied when the products that I was involved in manufacturing actually reach the hands of the consumers. In each manufacturing process, I strive to stably provide products of high quality to customers, and when products manufactured with care have been distributed to the world through food companies and cosmetic companies, and I feel that consumers are satisfied with the flavor or fragrance, I have a real sense of accomplishment and get motivated to continue manufacturing good products.
What challenges do you want to take on in the future in Ogawa group?
I want to enhance my skills and upgrade the level of the whole team by experiencing various operations. The basis of manufacturing is to follow the standardized process and rules, but by reflecting the knowledge and experiences of each individual, I think it is possible to elevate the standard to a higher level. In particular, for operations handling natural ingredients of Japanese citrus, there is knowledge and experience that can only be acquired through actual operations. So I hope that the team members also have the chance to experience these in order to enhance their own skills, and raise the level of the whole team.