[Category Award] SUWA Premium

The Suwa region flourished in the silk production industry from the Meiji period to the early Showa period. After the war, it established a high market share in the manufacture of watches, cameras, music boxes, etc., and, combined with its scenic environment, it developed as a large accumulation site for the precision machinery industry to the point that it is also known as "Switzerland of the East."

The trigger was Komatsu Seiki Kogyo, which was founded in 2012 (Suwa City)'s "ultra-high precision metal hourglass". After years of research, the company wanted to make an hourglass by utilizing metal alloy powders that are discarded during the manufacturing process of automobile engine parts.

That said, there was no production or sales,Suwa CityConsult with the newly established "Industrial Collaboration Promotion Office" at the government office. In preparation for the commercialization, a development project was launched that brought together five people involved, including manufacturers, designers and retailers in the city that specialize in polishing and cutting. One of them was Iwanami Tazaemon Naohiro, who had just been appointed as the representative of SUWA Glass Village, one of the largest glass museums in Japan, which displays and sells glass products and also works with glass craftsmen.

▲ Iwanami Tazaemon Naohiro, the representative of "SUWA Glass Village" and also the chairman of the "SUWA Brand Promotion Committee."

"In response to the desire to support the disaster-stricken areas of the Great East Japan Earthquake that occurred the previous year, efforts such as using cobalt-chromium alloy developed in Kamaishi City, Iwate Prefecture for the hourglass base have been featured in media both inside and outside the prefecture, and it has received a much more response than I imagined. By working together with designers, creators, and local people, I felt the power of collaboration that allows us to develop excellent products, and I also learned the possibility that we can spread local culture and technology through our products," Iwanami.

Furthermore, the flagship store, SUWA Glass Village, sells not only certified products but also pre-certified products as a test marketing service. The creators can get a direct response from consumers without the cost of opening a store.

The effects of "SUWA Premium" were also seen in the employee satisfaction level of each company, Chino Mitsunori and Miyao Yu from the Industrial Collaboration Promotion Office.

"B to B businesses have their own products and employees' motivation has increased, and in recent years it is said that young people are not gathering in the manufacturing industry, so it seems that job seekers are also promoting their job seekers as a way to create their own ideas," says Miyao.

In addition, they have exhibited at the Tokyo International Gift Show for six consecutive years, and in recent years they have been exhibiting and selling to local consumers at Lake Walk, the largest commercial facility in the Suwa region in Okaya City. The team's strength as "SUWA Premium" is also increasing.

"It's difficult for a small and medium-sized company to explain the promotion and technical capabilities of their products as a single company, but with a certified product under SUWA Premium, it's easy to convey the features and the brand can be introduced as a whole. "Lake Walk" also seems to be happy to convey the company's presence and technology to the local community," says Chino.