BUSINESS
Achieving safety and efficiency through teamwork. Secrets of equipment center management learned at Saga Tosu Center
The Saga Tosu Center, located in Tosu City, Saga Prefecture, is recognized for its high safety standards and efficient operations under the leadership of center manager Mr. Kazuma Hirata (who will take up center manager of Kumamoto Center in October 2024). Safe and efficient operation Equipment Center is an important factor in ASNOVA's reliability.
This time, we will be taking an center manager Mr. Hirata's commitment to running equipment center and the management policy for maximizing teamwork, and we will also be focusing on the four members who support the Center (Toshiaki Furusawa, Ryuzo Oishi, Ai Matsuo, and Koki Tsuruda).
Text: Sayaka Mitsuda
Photo: Sho Kobayashi
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- Kazuma Hirata
- Center Manager, Saga Tosu Center of ASNOVA Co., Ltd. (at the time of the interview). He served as the head of Saga Tosu Center, and will become center manager of Kumamoto Center in October 2024.
- Toshiaki Furusawa
- He currently works at ASNOVA Saga Tosu Center. He will be appointed center manager of Saga Tosu Center in October 2024.
- Ryuzo Oishi
- He works at Saga Tosu Center of ASNOVA Co., Ltd., and is in charge of equipment management at Saga Tosu Center.
- Ai Matsuo
- She works at Saga Tosu Center of ASNOVA Co., Ltd., and is in charge of front desk operations at Saga Tosu Center.
- Koki Tsuruda
- He works at Saga Tosu Center of ASNOVA Co., Ltd., and is in charge of equipment management at Saga Tosu Center.
Inspection, layout, lifting. Each and every action is done with care.
Q. Please tell us about the outline of Saga Tosu Center.
Hirata: Our center is easily accessible from Fukuoka, Kumamoto, and Nagasaki prefectures, and I think it is equipment center that many people find convenient. The yard has an entrance and exit, so trucks can pass through without having to make U-turns when loading and unloading. I have seen many equipment center in the Kanto, Chubu, and Kansai regions, but this is the first time equipment center have seen one with such features.
Q. What do you keep in mind when running the center?
Hirata: I think it can be roughly divided into two points of view: "safety" and "efficiency." When it comes to safety, I am quite strict and provide thorough guidance. The reason is that shortly after I joined the company, I once broke my finger while performing inspection work at equipment center. I was anxious to learn the job quickly, but I realized that I had worried center manager at the time, and I regret that. That is why I want the members of equipment center to work with safety in mind.
For example, as part of our daily routine every morning, we hold a morning assembly to predict hazards that may occur during the day's work. We discuss together things like, "When performing this type of work, there may be these hazards," and "When performing this type of work, be careful of these things." We end up repeating the same things, but the aim is to make it a habit to predict hazards in daily actions. ASNOVA also holds video training sessions at each center once a month. At our center, we also watch case studies and encourage members to share their opinions with each other.
Hirata: Even though we do these things, there are times when dangerous situations arise during work. When that happens, I always stop what we're doing and make each member think about their actions. I don't just tell them what to do, but I think it's important that each person thinks independently and is able to act only if they are convinced.
In terms of efficiency, it means performing the inspection work according to the manual. In other words, the inspection work is a job that everyone can do to the same standard, regardless of individual abilities or ways of thinking. Our customers entrust their lives to scaffolding that we inspect, so we make sure to inspect each piece of equipment carefully. In that sense, it may be difficult to perform the inspection work itself efficiently, but in return, it is required to keep equipment center organized on a daily basis and to make arrangements in advance to avoid unnecessary movements.
We also place importance on safety and efficiency when operating the lift. It is not enough to simply stack scaffolding; we operate with careful attention to detail, such as carefully arranging and ordering the items so that they can be easily loaded onto trucks. This attention to detail is sure to contribute to the safe and efficient operation equipment center free from haste and mistakes.
Creating a comfortable work equipment center through good teamwork
Q. What do you think is important when building a team at equipment center?
Hirata: This is a repeat of what I said earlier, but each individual should "think and act for themselves." I want my team members to have a fulfilling and enjoyable job, so I often tell them to look at things from the perspective of "how can we make things better?" Also, talking to my team members gives me an opportunity to reflect on my own actions. I think that if I remain calm at all times, it will help foster independence in my team members.
Hirata: Actually, since Saga Tosu Center opened in August 2022, we have had zero inventory discrepancies. I'm very proud of this result, because I think it's the result of the hard work and actions of our members on a daily basis. Our members are also aware of this, and when they have time, they even say to us, "I'll do an inventory!" It's important to continue this "zero inventory discrepancy," but I hope they will grow as people in the process, rather than just chasing numbers.
Q. I would also like to ask everyone at Saga Tosu Center. Please tell us about your daily work, what you keep in mind, and what you think about the personality of center manager Hirata.
Matsuo: I work at the front desk (facilitating customer service and managing incoming and outgoing goods). I believe that the receptionist is the face of the center, and I strive to provide a pleasant service. In my administrative work, I thoroughly check to ensure that there are no omissions or mistakes in the data entry into the system, and I frequently report, communicate, and consult with the lift operators so that their work can proceed smoothly.
Oishi: I mainly operate the lift and handle loading and unloading of vehicles. I try to drive safely without rushing, and take a moment to calm myself down before getting on the road.
Furusawa: I also handle inventory management and incoming and outgoing shipments. I've only been with the company for six months, so I'm just getting used to the job. I try to be mindful to avoid mistakes and accidents, and to carry out inspection work carefully.
Tsuruda: I'm the same as Mr. Furusawa. I've been working in the warehouse for half a year since I joined the company. I value operating the lift carefully and thinking about how to make it easier for the next person to use.
Matsuo: Center Manager Mr. Hirata is a very friendly person and often talks to me, so every day is fun. All the members of the center, including center manager Mr. Hirata, get along well.
Oishi: Even when I make a mistake, he doesn't get angry and gives me calm advice, so I feel comfortable expressing my opinions. center manager himself is also someone I respect because he absorbs a lot of things from his daily experiences.
Furusawa: Center manager Mr. Hirata has a wealth of knowledge! Whenever I ask him about something I don't understand, he tells me, "It would be good to take this kind of measure," so I always learn something new from him.
Tsutsumi: I'm the type of person who tends to think that "I have to do everything perfectly," and I tend to push myself too hard. However, working under center manager Mr. Hirata has helped me to be more tolerant and realize that "it's okay to fail, but the important thing is to try."
Matsuo: I think the openness and the ability to talk about anything is what creates the teamwork at Saga Tosu Center. I want to continue to communicate with everyone as we run the center.
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