From Crisis to Innovation: How Ishikawa Foundry Transformed a 3K Industry into a Modern Success
The Japanese foundry industry, once considered part of the notorious “3K” industries — characterized as kitanai (dirty), kitsui (demanding), and kiken (dangerous) — has experienced a dramatic transformation in recent years. One company leading this change is Ishikawa Foundry Co., Ltd., founded in 1938 in Aichi Prefecture, a region renowned as Japan’s automotive heartland. Initially producing parts for textile machinery, the company gradually shifted toward manufacturing automotive components. However, as the 21st century progressed, the company faced mounting challenges: the offshoring of manufacturing jobs and the 2008 global financial crisis severely impacted the demand for automotive parts, leaving Ishikawa Foundry struggling with heavy losses.
At this critical juncture, the company’s leadership fell to Koichi Ishikawa, the third-generation president of the family business. At just 30 years old, Ishikawa brought a fresh perspective to the company, one shaped by his unique background as a high school baseball coach. His experience in leading teams to the semi-finals of the national high school baseball championship instilled in him a deep appreciation for teamwork, a principle he would later apply to his business philosophy.
