CHALLENGEFactories' challenges
“spirit of outdoor smithery” handed down in the City of Cutlery, Seki City in Japan
CHALL-
ENGE01Cutlery technologies developed over 100 years in the products
Continue to produce cutlery.
KAI has been concentrating on the production of cutlery in a simple and honest manner, and earnestly in the long history, which thrives on a diverse line up of the products, and even now continues to evolve. Everything is for the customer holding our products in hands.
The challenges of KAI have been the same now and in the past.
The first product was a small pocket knife. KAI’s products today result from the continuous challenges to new cutlery product categories to suit the times, such as razor, scissors, and nail clippers.
The challenges are not just in development of category. KAI have continued to aim for new challenges, such as highly functional product development, review of production process, and overseas development with the sole purpose that the cutlery which it have thoroughly stuck to produce will be the first choice for more customers
The challenges KAI has continued led to the world first triple blade razor, 3D head razor designed to perfectly fit to the skin.
1-Sign of made in Japan product on kitchen knives and history since the foundation 2-Blades of kitchen knives processed by mirror polishing
CHALL-
ENGE02KAI products continue to evolve with technology
Technologies continue to constantly evolve in various fields is not completely unrelated to the production of KAI’s cutlery. KAI wishes to contribute to convenient life of customers by further improving the products by aggressively introducing these technologies.
Technologies have dramatically evolved and developed in over 100 years of KAI’s history. KAI has improved the quality of the products, such as sharpness and durability, by aggressively introducing the latest technologies to cutlery manufacturing.
For example, KAI has applied a coating treatment to the blade edges by introducing the latest technologies as well as conducting a rigorous study on the sharpness of the razor blade edge. This treatment improves the products, for example, the blade itself becomes harder, resistant to corrosion, and sleeker.
KAI is working toward for making the products easy to use for customers by introducing the latest technologies.
1-Research equipment for the latest technology 2-Check the blade of razor with microscope
CHALL-
ENGE03Introducing special metalworking technologies meet a wide range of needs
KAI’s factories also aggressively introduce special metalworking technology to produce the products with new values. The spirit of introducing these different technologies enables a diverse line up with design, safety, and durability.
Metal processing includes different technologies.
KAI has worked to develop the products by aggressively introducing special technologies in product development. For example, etching, which use chemicals to corrode and process metal, enables edging process for more complex shapes of blades compared to the process, which simply removes the metal surface, and leads to higher efficiency of processing. This technology is applied to various products requiring the fine blade edge, such as nail files, heel remover, dead skin cells remover, and radish-grater. Also, the composite technology used in some kitchen knives is a special precision welding technology which welds multiple materials, and is used for welding aircraft parts. The blade of knives with unprecedented durability can be realized by welding high performance materials with superior abrasion resistance, corrosion resistance, and toughness to the blade edge. KAI has worked on MIM, the new metalworking method, and applied plastic processing know-how to metalworking. MIM can produce metal parts which have streamline shape, high precision, and complex structure, so helps to develop the design-rich product.
1-Metalworking technology using laser 2-Photomask used for etching
CHALL-
ENGE04Try and Error accumulated in all the products
Proactive approach of the development of new products and reactive approach of review of existing products and process.
The challenge of KAI has two aspects, which mean that KAI doesn’t just move forward at random, and doesn’t stick to existing products. KAI has strength to continue the two challenges in a well-balanced manner.
KAI launched the world first triple blade razor “K-3” in 1998, while manufacturers all over the world were competing with each other. Razor subsequently has continued to evolve into quintuple blade razor. KAI is working toward for providing comfortable products for customers by repeating try and error on the sharpness and the durability of razors not only in new filed, but on existing products. For this purpose, KAI has designed and developed manufacturing machines in-house, and regularly reviewed production process. KAI can quickly respond to customer needs as a result of these efforts.
1-Quintuple blade razor “Aqua fit” for women 2-Testing machine for durability of nail clippers
