Vol.49

Because of the important and difficult work of inspection, we are cheerful and energetic.

The final step in the manufacturing process is inspection, and at IKEUCHI ORGANIC, quality is strictly controlled through detailed checks by human hands and eyes. We asked Mr. Shiraishi, the leader of the inspection department, to talk about how he approaches his work, keeping in mind the following points.

Inspection, shipping, inventory control Shiroishi

The Importance of Having an Unwavering Perspective as an Inspection Manager

My name is Shiraishi, and I am in charge of the inspection department at the Imabari Head Office Factory.

In fact, we have the largest number of staff in the inspection department at the Imabari headquarters factory, with more than 10 part-time staff members working there. The reason why we need so many people is that we inspect goods by hand.

We inspect each finished product carefully by visually checking for scratches and stains, and by actually touching the pile to see if there are any tangles, etc. We also inspect face towels by hand.

In addition, while a single person can inspect face towels, two people are needed to inspect bath towels and larger towels, which IKEUCHI ORGANIC also handles, and it takes a lot of time to inspect each large towel.

In addition to checking for stains and scratches, we also check a variety of other things. Is it finished in the size according to the specifications? Are there any color irregularities? Is the name tag sewn in the correct position? These are some of the items that we check.

New part-time staff members are often surprised at how detailed the inspection process is. When I first started working here, I was surprised at how much detail was required.

Naturally, we cannot ship items that are deemed “damaged” or “dirty” at our end. However, there are moments when I personally feel, “If it’s just this dirty, it’s fine,” or “It’s a waste that it can’t be shipped.

If something can be fixed with a little work, we can fix it on the spot. However, if the product unfortunately does not meet the standards set by the company, we have to remove it from the shipment.

As an inspector of IKEUCHI ORGANIC, which upholds the utmost in safety, I must maintain an unwavering perspective. I feel that this is one of the difficulties of the job of inspection.

A sense of accomplishment at the moment of successful shipment

Inspection is one step before shipping, so the same department is in charge of both inspection and shipping.

In the case of new products or products ordered by corporate customers, most of the time the release or delivery date is clearly set. The shipment must be completed in time to meet that timing.

However, if something happens during the manufacturing process, we have no choice but to shorten the inspection period.

This tends to happen especially with Cotton Nouveau, which is released every year.

The arrival of yarn from Tanzania via India can be delayed, or if it is not woven well, it has to be redone, or dyed again because the color is slightly different, etc. It is all very unpredictable. But we have a fixed date when we can put them on display in the store. So the entire inspection staff has to work together to inspect the items, and every year we are in a flurry of work.

After deciding on the inspection arrangements and dividing up the inspection work among everyone, we are relieved when the products are shipped without incident. At the same time, it is the moment when I feel the greatest sense of accomplishment, as if I have done it all again.

Because it is a tough job, we do it cheerfully and energetically.

The inspection department is a workplace that requires a great deal of concentration, as each product must be checked thoroughly while being aware of the schedule.

I myself still find inspection difficult and demanding at times. I think everyone in the inspection department works really hard, even though time is short.

On the other hand, because it is such a difficult and important job, I feel that I have to keep my spirits high. I think it is better to work in a cheerful and positive manner, and I believe that everyone can work more comfortably that way.

I often tell staff members, “Don’t worry about this one, too,” or “You can do it,” and this kind of thinking is sometimes behind my telling them this.

When I see the products we inspected and sent out on the shelves in the stores and customers are holding them in their hands, I honestly feel glad that we did our best.

I would like to continue to support IKEUCHI ORGANIC’s manufacturing from the standpoint of product inspection.

Interview May 2023
Interview and text by Keiji Ide
Photographer: Yuji Kimura