My primary responsibility is selling our company's release paper for synthetic leather to synthetic leather factories in Japan and around the world. Release paper for synthetic leather is a special type of paper embossed with natural leather surface texture, textile, and geometric patterns and is used to transfer those patterns on the surface of synthetic leather during manufacturing.
Today we distribute release paper in Japan, Taiwan, Korea, China, Southeast Asia, Europe, and North and South America – more than 30 countries around the world. I travel overseas regularly to have business meetings with customers, make presentations to top brand manufacturers, and to research the latest trends.
The products we sell are used to create the patterns on synthetic leather used in things around us like bags and belts, women's and men's shoes, sports shoes, functional clothing, furniture, automobile interiors, etc., which are shipped to people around the world.

In the 1980s, the aerobic boom swept the globe and as a result aerobics shoes were selling in vast quantities. Our patterns were used in the leather design of those shoes, which came to be loved by people around the world.  That's when our leather patterns became standard in the sports shoes industry, a position that we continue to hold to this day. In recent years, we have proactively created new trends by working closely with sports shoes manufacturers.

I think that "OYAKUDACHI (Valuable and useful service)" is about three kinds of abilities. The ability to always propose new ideas to the market (manufacturers of products); the ability to stay ahead of market trends and propose new ideas to our release paper pattern design development team; and the ability to propose and deliver products to our release paper customers at an appropriate price and in a timely manner. We aspire to growing together with our customers by providing "OYAKUDACHI (Valuable and useful service)".

There are fads in release paper pattern designs. If you start developing new patterns after you spot the new fads, however, you won't possibly be able to produce them in time. That's why we start preparing new designs ahead of the fads by staying ahead of trends and forecast needs 18 months to two years out. It's critical to monitor a variety of trend information daily and watch market movements, meet with a wide range of designers, and  "catch the wave" of the next trend. I think this is a great job that is highly stimulating, with a great sense of satisfaction in both planning and sales, even if it mean you have to be running at full speed every day.

Every day, I think about how we can make our release paper the number one brand in the world.
To achieve that vision will require the ability to propose new ideas, timely delivery of products, continuous improvement in cost performance, and focus on delighting all of our customers.