Hello everyone! I’m Shohei.
This column is about what I felt and experienced at a plant factory in Japan.
When you’ve been in the field for over 10 years, a lot of things happen. I write freely about what I remember.
Please feel free to read it while thinking, “Wow, that’s how Japanese plant factories work.”
What I felt after entering the plant factory industry
After graduating from university, I joined a securities company as a new graduate and worked in sales for about three and a half years. The reason I chose to work at a securities company was simple: I wanted to improve my sales skills. However, from the time I joined the company, I had vague thoughts of quitting after about three years, and was looking for my next job.
During this time, I came across a plant factory that was promising cutting-edge agriculture. When you work at a securities company, you see a lot of catchphrases that encourage people to invest. That catchphrase caught my attention, and I decided to try working in this industry.
Fortunately, I received a job offer from a plant factory company and became a member of the plant factory industry. During my job interview, I saw the inside of the plant factory for the first time, and it was an amazing sight. It looked like something out of science fiction, with lettuces growing under artificial light as far as the eye could see. I still vividly remember the emotion I felt at that moment.
However, as I learned the job, I gradually realized that. In operating a plant factory, the most important thing is not the “cutting-edge system” but the “people.”
It is true that many processes at plant factories are automated and systemized, and crops can be grown without human intervention. However, it is all “people” who operate the system and deal with problems.
To avoid any misunderstanding, this does not mean that I am disillusioned with the “cutting-edge system.” Ultimately, the success or failure of a plant factory depends more on the ability of the people who operate it than on the performance of the cutting-edge system. There are many plant factories that can survive without state-of-the-art systems,'' but it will be difficult for plant factories that lack the strength ofpeople” to succeed.
That said, I think it’s interesting that because the system is operated by people, some lack of ability can be compensated for with perseverance and ingenuity. I realized that the flexibility and creativity unique to humans, which machines do not have, is essential to the operation of a plant factory. (At the same time, I sometimes experienced pain that I could not resolve no matter how hard I tried.)
Currently, more than ten years have passed since I entered this industry. During this time, automation and system efficiency have steadily progressed across the industry. Even so, I still have a strong sense that “people” determine the success or failure of a plant factory. Although our plant factory utilizes cutting-edge technology, at its core are people.
The plant factory is still a developing industry, and we still have many issues to solve. However, we believe that these challenges can be overcome by combining the power of people. To that end, I would be happy if I could continue to contribute, in whatever small way, to the development of this industry, including through this book.
This column was published in a collection of know-how to improve on-site skills.
This column is included in the Plant Factory Know-How Collection below.
This know-how collection is packed with useful tips to help you increase profitability, regardless of the specifications or equipment on-site.
This is a must-read for those operating plant factories or indoor farms. Implement the know-how to increase profitability.
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