In December, we welcomed two guests across the border.
The first guest was from Thailand.
This is a photo from 6 years ago.
The gentleman in the photo visited ISOWA for the first time in 6 years, and we had dinner together last night.
When we had dinner together 6 years ago, he asked me questions from various aspects about our company’s management philosophy and corporate culture.
He immediately took notes as I explained each of them.
I was impressed by his enthusiasm.
I gave him a shikishi (Japanese-style message card) on which Tsunobo(my wife) had written a Japanese message, "Kitto saku (it means surely it will bloom)," with a calligraphy brush as a gift.
There is a reason for this: his name is “Kittisak”
I was sure that "Kittisak" would bloom in the near future if he kept running his business like this, so I sent him the word "Kitto saku" with my wish.
When I met him this time, he told me that he keeps the photo and shikishi on display.
And he also said, “Since you told me the idea of "Employees' Happiness" the last time we had dinner together, I've been running my business based on that idea for these six years. As a result, I was able to lead my company to great growth with ISOWA's machines.”
What an incredible story he told!
See! I knew he had been blooming!
And again, last night, he asked me a number of questions about new initiatives at ISOWA over these six years, and he promptly took note of my answers on his phone.
Proving that, the thank-you e-mail I received late at night said, "I wrote down the 8 points tonight. I will put them into practice as soon as I return home."
I was impressed by his sincere attitude, which was the same as six years ago.
This is exactly what “Making folks happy in the corrugated world” means!
It was a blissful reunion.
Thank you, Kittisaku-san.
Here is the story of the second guest.
International Paper Board Industry is one of the corrugated industry trade magazines published by Brunton Publications from the U.K..
Mr. David, a reporter of the magazine, visited us for the first time in a while.
His first visit was in August 2008.
And this was his third visit to ISOWA.
As you can see above, we have both grown old over these 14 years.
He also appeared in ISOWA’s centennial commemorative magazine; therefore, I dedicated the commemorative magazine to him before we started the tour.
Though it's all written in Japanese (laugh.)
Since he is very interested in ISOWA’s approach of improving the corporate culture, he asked me a lot of questions about that apart from the main interview this time as well.
As a result, the interview, including the factory tour, lasted nearly four hours.
Afterward, we had dinner together and talked about various topics for another two hours.
As a machinery manufacturer, ISOWA is passionate not only about technology but also about “people (involved with machines)” and “(their) feelings.”
We could have a great talk as he shares that idea.
“Let’s meet a little more often from now on,” I said.
“Please take me to ISOWA’s customer’s factory next time,” he said.
“Of course!” I replied.
I would have a variety of topics ready for next time.
See you again, Kittisak.
See you again, David.
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