Sales staff of Shizuoka office

My dream is to tour Hokkaido on my own motorbike!

SUGA Co., Ltd. in Hokuto City, is a company with a manufacturing DNA that was founded in 1946 as a repair company for fishing boat equipment, and started manufacturing vacuum equipment and vacuum devices in 1993.

In 2000, the company started selling its own sputtering equipment and expanded its activities, mainly to universities and research institutions, and since 2011 has also developed ROM writing services for general-purpose microcontrollers and general-purpose memory.

We asked staff responsible for sales in the Kanto region about working at SUGA, as we thought this would be a good example of how to work for engineers, researchers and manufacturers looking for jobs in Hokkaido.

We understand you joined the company mid-career, what made you decide to work for a company in Hokkaido?

I used to work for a manufacturer that developed sputtering and other equipment similar to that of SUGA. A colleague who had moved to SUGA from the same industry invited me to join him.

I used to work for a much larger company, where roles were clearly defined.

However, SUGA is a small, elite company, and its idea is to be close to its customers and users, so it is entrusted with a wide range of tasks, from equipment installation, operation and actual professional consultation, to subsequent maintenance and maintenance.

Isn’t it hard to deal with a wide range of issues?

Yes! ( lol) But that’s also why I chose this company.
The fact that you are entrusted with a wide range of tasks is evidence that you have a very large amount of discretion and trust.

If you have been working in the industry for as long as I have, you will inevitably get bored and stuck in a rut, even if you are conscious of not getting bored.

However, it is very rewarding for me to be able to think and work every day like an entrepreneur and to be trusted and entrusted with my work.

As I am approaching the age at which we need to entrust our work to younger people, I feel that the real reward lies in these small and medium-sized local companies, which have a great deal of discretion, including the training of such people.

What is the general schedule of your work?

I live at the foot of Mount Fuji in Yamanashi Prefecture and commute long distances by car (30 km each way).
I arrive at work around 07:30 to avoid getting caught in morning traffic jams.

8:00 Start work, check emails after leaving yesterday and confirm today’s work schedule

8:45 Morning meetings are held between the head office, Tokyo office, Sapporo office and Shizuoka office via Skype

After that, complete the day’s work schedule, visit customers or travel on business as required.
I cover as far as the Kansai region, so I travel on business about half of the month.

Isn’t it hard to devote so much time to your work?

No, this industry has demands in everywhere, and at my previous company I often had to travel overseas and not go home for several months, so I rather feel like I am home too much now, and I am able to spend more time with my family.

What would you like to say to people who would like to work in Hokkaido?

Even if you have a longing to work in Hokkaido, you may feel burdened and anxious about working in Hokkaido right away, but SUGA has branches and sub-branches in Tokyo and Shizuoka, so you can start by getting involved with the company from a place you can commute to from your hometown.

Various lifestyles can be desired.

I basically commute from my home in Yamanashi, where I currently live, and cover the Kanto and Kansai areas.
Then, once every few months, I go on a business trip to Hokuto City, Hokkaido, where the head office is located, for meetings.

I have a hobby of touring and have a very good image of Hokkaido, so for me a business trip to Hokkaido is very exciting.

The other day, I took a day off and stayed with my wife in Asahikawa and Pippu-cho in central Hokkaido, and travelled to Otoeineppu-mura and Teshio-cho in northern Hokkaido.
There is of course a good environment for those who love Hokkaido.

And above all, it is rewarding.

This is a job that supports researchers who aim to do basic research, which is also the company’s aim, and allows us to be involved in society with a high awareness that we are doing work that supports Japan, which has few natural resources.

Also, as I mentioned earlier, the work here is very interesting because there is a freedom of discretion and responsibility that you don’t have in a fragmented, large company, where you are in charge or in a role.

Even at my age, I’m excited every day [to face my work with high expectations of myself], I don’t think it’s easy to find such a rewarding experience.

Afterword

After the interview, we received photos of the vacation in Hokkaido.
He is a big motorbike enthusiast and even rents a motorbike for touring in Hokkaido on his days off.

His dream is to tour in Hokkaido on his own motorbike.
Someday surely.
Until then, he will enjoy Hokkaido on rented motorbikes departing from Hakodate where SUGA’s headquarters is located.

See also the article on recommended Suga products and the SSP1000 compact sputtering equipment.