A little and wonderful company existed in Haramachi-shi

(by Yoshihiro)

"Out of respect for the late Mr. Mitsuo Koodaka, who gave much knowledge to me."

There was a company named Haramachi Seiki K.K.(Haramachi Precision Instrument Co. Ltd.) The company was established by Mr. Mitsuo Koodaka in about I 950. First, Mr. Koodaka employed several graduates from Odaka High Technical School and trained them to produce travel alarm clocks. He had been an engineer of a famous major clock and watch maker in Japan and had many patents concerning clock and other mechanism. He had given a patent right of the parts concerned with wrist-watch,to Citizen Clock Co. Ltd., without payment.

About 10 years later, the products were exported to many foreign countries and the company received an official commendation of the Middle and Small Enterprise Model factory from Japanese Trade and Industry Ministry.

travel alarm clock

During I 950s, travel alarm clocks were unusual in Japan but in the western countries people always carried them to use in their hotel. Haramachi Seiki's alarm clocks were praised as excellent and inexpensive from the users around the world. At one time, the alarm clocks were exported to more than 50 countries, which was more than the amount for domestic use.

Mr. Koodaka designed and constructed new machines used in his factory in order to minimize producing cost without buying high-tech NC machine. He had full knowledge of producing the goods having commercial value.

When the factory area became narrower and a large factory was needed, he designed and built a new wooden factory by himself with employing carpenters, plasterers, sheet metal workers and other workers temporarily without ordering a building company. Furthermore the building site was prepared by destroying and leveling a hill. The hill had been purchased cheaply by himself several years ago. In a new working room, a hand-made heating system was installed. It was composed of an oil stove, a circulating pump and long water supply pipe put around on the floor. About 30 female workers sat on their chairs and worked warming their feet on the pipe circulated hot water.

There was no clerk in his office and factory. There were not many vouchers in his factory except one card which every worker entered an amount of their monthly products. All might have been in his brain. I am sure that he had been a genius.

Once he said, "My wife and I put the employees' salary into their payment envelopes every month by ourselves, because we are glad we are able to put more salary than last month." At that time there were about 300 employees. It surely was not easy work to put all workers' salary in their payment envelopes but it was joyful work for him.

I am very sorry to say that he died several years ago and his Haramachi Seiki died along with him, too.

(10/2002)