Using its original H Process Method, for over 30 years now AIZU FACTORY Co., Ltd. has been supplying
high quality cast-metal products, mainly automobile parts, with short delivery times. It was ASAHI
YUKIZAI sand products for casting that encouraged them to adopt the H Process Method. In 2019 they
brought a new factory into operation that uses only new products. AIZU FACTORY is targeting not just
the domestic market; they also aim to expand overseas. We are providing them with support in areas
such as products and services. President Naoki Suzuki spoke to us about the ASAHI YUKIZAI sand
products for casting that are essential to make products using the H Process Method.
Differentiating Ourselves from Our Competitors with ASAHI YUKIZAI
It was in 1982 that we started research aimed at the introduction of the H Process Method (hereafter
referred to as the H Process). We were looking for a way to differentiate ourselves from rival
foundries, and decided to focus on the mass production of high precision cast-metal items. As our
research proceeded, it became clear that resin-coated sand (RCS) was essential for the resin
hardened by heat in the H Process. By its very nature, mold manufacturing requires sand, and we were
already using ASAHI YUKIZAI sand products for casting. When we used their RCS in the H Process test
stage, we successfully created molds that were the exact way we wanted them to be. From that point
onwards, we and ASAHI YUKIZAI carried out joint research into the H Process.
As a result, in 1983 we established a mold production system utilizing the H Process, and we still
use ASAHI YUKIZAI RCS to this day. Since then we have produced a series of technical innovations
that enable us to manufacture even higher precision molded items, and in response ASAHI YUKIZAI has
constantly improved its RCS as well. Before we adopted the H Process, ASAHI YUKIZAI was just one of
the companies that supplied us with sand. Now, however, 99% of the sand we use is ASAHI YUKIZAI RCS.
From a managerial point of view, it would better to have a range of sand suppliers, but our
production site staff insist that if we want to maintain the quality of our cast metal, we can’t use
any sand other than ASAHI YUKIZAI RCS.
Cast-metal items manufactured with the H Process. This method makes it possible to
simultaneously mass-produce precision castings with very little variation in quality
HexaPass™ Low Odor RCS Solved an Important Issue
We built a new factory, our Nango Factory, in 2019 to cope with the increasing number of orders.
ASAHI YUKIZAI’s HexaPass™ Low Odor RCS (hereafter referred to as HexaPass™) played an important role
in the construction of our new factory. Conventional sand emits a strong odor during the casting
process, so we couldn’t build a foundry near a residential area. Having said that, it isn’t
practical to build a factory in the middle of nowhere when you take into consideration factors such
as procuring materials, shipping products, and the commute for our workforce. So the construction of
our new factory was an important issue for us.
As soon as you step into the factory, you can tell just how good HexaPass™ is at preventing that
strong odor. Making HexaPass™ the only sand we use at the new factory enabled us to build it near a
residential area. The performance of the sand has a tremendous impact on the quality of the cast
metal. It would be a huge mistake to lower the quality of the casting for the sake of getting rid of
the strong odor. In 2017, we started full-scale tests aimed at the adoption of HexaPass™ and its
performance now is quite equal to that of conventional RCS. During 2020 we will switch to using
HexaPass™ at all our factories, including the new one.
The Nango Factory production line where HexaPass™ is used throughout. Odor and fumes are
dramatically reduced
ASAHI YUKIZAI Will Be a Powerful Partner in Our Expansion Overseas
I am glad to say that our cast-metal products are very highly regarded, and we expect orders to
continue to increase. However, at the moment we only have manufacturing bases in Japan even though
automobile manufacturers, who are our principal clients, are shifting their production overseas.
From the BCP perspective as well, we would like to set up overseas manufacturing bases in the near
future to meet the local procurement needs of automobile manufacturers. ASAHI YUKIZAI already has a
global presence, and I’m sure that they will be of tremendous assistance to us in that as well.
Other companies simply cannot match ASAHI YUKIZAI, not just in terms of the quality of their
products but also the solutions they can offer for our issues and the services they provide in their
swift response to our requests. The reason we can demonstrate technological prowess that makes us
one of a kind, unmatched in the world, is that we and ASAHI YUKIZAI are evolving together. I fully
expect ASAHI YUKIZAI to be an indispensable partner in our future progress.
