Celebrating 45 Years of Sanwa Screen Japan
July 25, 2024 • Posted in In Mold Labeling
Have you heard of the term monozukuri? The Japanese term literally means “the making of things,” but the broader meaning encompasses quality, know-how, and craftsmanship. At Sanwa, it’s the spirit of production with pride, skill, and dedication to delivering top-quality parts all around the world.
Sanwa Japan is located in the Aichi Prefecture, which is sometimes called the “Industrial Capital of Japan.” It’s here that monozukuri comes to life — where production and innovation meet family values.
The annual value of manufactured goods from Aichi has been the highest in Japan every year since 1977. Sanwa’s headquarters here began around the same time, when Mr. Tsutomu Goto took the road less traveled for his family and chose to enter the manufacturing industry. Today, we celebrate 45 years of leading-edge production and entrepreneurial spirit that began with his vision.
“We must constantly develop relationships with new customers using technology that meets the needs of the times.” - Mr. Tsutomu Goto
A Timeline of Sanwa Screen Japan
1. 1979-1984
Sanwa Screen Printing Company opened its doors offering silk screen printing, as well as hot stamping for automobile display panels and appliance operation panels. Hot stamping is a manufacturing process that creates lighter and stronger components (compared with a similar welded component), which improves overall safety.
2. 1985-1990
In the mid-1980s, Sanwa Japan implemented new technologies, like paint and laser etching, to produce automobile switches.
3. 1992-1997
Using the previous technologies as the foundation, Sanwa started manufacturing insert molding (also known as in mold labeling or film insert molding) operation panels for kitchen appliances: rice cookers, microwaves, blenders. These panels also worked for home laundry appliances.
4. 2002-2014
This was the time to take technologies overseas. Sanwa experienced rapid growth during this period, opening the first auxiliary manufacturing site in Malaysia, and then later opening other factories in Thailand, China, Indonesia and Mexico. The United States sales office was also formed, and was instrumental in gathering new business for the budding factories positioned around the world.
The year 2003 was a pivotal time for Sanwa’s entry into the U.S. market. The world’s largest manufacturer of washers and dryers was located in Michigan, and approved Sanwa as a producer of its operational panels. While colleagues warned that a partnership with an overseas company was risky, Mr. Tsutomu Goto saw a future where Sanwa would produce plastic parts on a large scale for North America and the rest of the world.
5. 2015-present
“Always perfect. That is the mission of a mold manufacturer.” - Mr. Tsutomu Goto
To fulfill this mission, we work day and night on technological development, and have established real-time production systems to respond to customer design changes. We respond to the various needs of partners around the world, and continue to expand our business as a global Sanwa company — delivering parts to the EU, Asia, and North and South America.
Our cutting-edge processes allow for the creation of functional, on-trend designs that are second to none. And those processes continue developing as we continually introduce new certifications, equipment, and automations throughout our family of factories. Forty-five years after our humble beginning offering silk screen printing, we are able to offer:
What’s the Future for Sanwa Japan?
Aichi Prefecture in Japan remains a top-producing location for auto and aerospace manufacturing. Sanwa’s role in supporting those industries continues to evolve as their needs do, too — developing new work processes and methods to meet modern design requirements.
The fusion of next-generation printing technology and cost-performance remains at the forefront of our mission, with perfection as our guiding principle. New challenges and solutions are part of daily conversations, as we look for ways to improve efficiencies and quality at every step.
Get in Touch
Contact us to learn more about capabilities unique to our Japan headquarters, as well as our family of Sanwa factories around the world. We’re available to answer your questions about shipping, importing, timelines, and more. From concept development through final delivery, we partner with customers to build long-term relationships marked by superior quality and consistent on-time delivery.