Why monozukuri is not only the art of manufacturing, but also an art for society

Since starting as an engineer in the printing business in the late 1970s, I could not have imagined that Epson would become the company it is today: a global technology leader with a mission to better society and the world we live in. It surprises people to know that Epson is much more than a printer company and, in an age where technology is all around us, I want people to know about the technological advances that Epson brings. We have a passion for opening up new domains with our original technologies and it is this aspiration to try new things and the desire to move towards the unexpected that is needed as we move into an era where technology is becoming increasingly integrated into our lives. People are hesitantly accepting the benefits technology will bring to their work in terms of increased productivity, but at the same time feel increasingly alienated and resistant. As manufacturers, it is our role to alleviate these fears and create products that help solve real problems and improve people’s lives as organizations, it is our responsibility to integrate technology into the workplace; and as a society, it is our role to accept the opportunities that technology presents. But I have to admit that our company has not always been so customer focused, and there was a time when we were guilty of looking more towards the competition than towards the customer. After I became president I decided to focus on a goal l of becoming an indispensable company that acts as a positive force in society. I have always valued our traditional Japanese spirit of monozukuri the art and science of manufacturing in keeping us grounded and able to deliver innovative products to the market, and I felt it was time to return to these roots.