Finnish Delegation Explores Digital Manufacturing at MISUMI’s Shimizu Factory
On 16 September 2025, MISUMI Group Inc. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President: Ryusei Ono) welcomed a delegation of industry, government, and academic representatives to the Shimizu Factory in Shizuoka City, operated by its group company SURUGA Production Platform Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture; Representative Director and President: Takumi Toya).
The delegation included professors from major universities, global manufacturing giants, and consulting firms from Finland. The visit was arranged based on a recommendation from Professor Takahiro Fujimoto of Waseda University, a leading authority in manufacturing research, and was led by Dr. Johan Wallin, a globally recognized expert in ecosystem design.
Background and Purpose of the Visit
Finland is currently positioning the “Digital Green Supply Chain” as a core pillar of its national strategy, promoting digitalization and sustainability across its industries. The visiting delegation came to Japan to conduct research on integrated manufacturing, with plans to tour major manufacturers in the Kanto and Kansai regions—including companies in electronics, home appliances, and transport equipment—and to attend Finland Day at Expo 2025 Osaka.
One of their key destinations was SURUGA Production Platform, which Professor Takahiro Fujimoto has praised as having a “world-class, uniquely advanced production system.” The purpose of the visit was to gain deeper insight into the company’s proprietary approach to “variable-mix, variable-volume production with intelligent automation.” In particular, the delegation expressed strong interest in the digital production model for high-mix, low-volume manufacturing, which enables the offering of up to 80 sextillion product variations.
Highlights of the visit
The delegation spent the morning exploring meviy’s digital workflows and fully automated production lines:
- Overview of Suruga Production Platform & MISUMI production – Understanding how meviy integrates with the broader manufacturing ecosystem.
- ALASHI system demonstration – Seeing the precision machining that feeds meviy’s automated production system.
- meviy Digital Manufacturing System tour – Observing live digital manufacturing in action, with fully automated order processing and production.
- ates with the broader manufacturing ecosystem.
meviy Digital Manufacturing System
The highlight of the visit, meviy automates the entire production process for technically challenging, multi-product orders. By combining AI-driven planning with fully unmanned production, meviy not only improves product quality but also reduces lead times and production costs. Its digital capabilities allow manufacturers to quickly respond to complex customer demands without compromising accuracy.
meviy has earned international recognition as a platform that accelerates the digital transformation of manufacturing. In January 2023, it received the highest honour in Japan, the Prime Minister’s Award, at the 9th Monozukuri Nippon Awards.
Feedback From the Experts
Dr. Wallin on the Visit:
“This visit highlighted the fact that manufacturing in Japan—and specifically in Shizuoka—is held in high regard internationally. The delegation found the tour highly engaging and insightful.”
Dr. Johan Wallin:
“I am deeply impressed by how rapidly the SURUGA Production Platform has evolved in such a short period. Witnessing your advanced integration capabilities, extensive experience, and high level of technical expertise was truly remarkable.
In particular, the seamless fusion of digital technologies with the physical flow of goods was nothing short of astonishing. This visit has been exceptionally insightful.”
Takumi Toya, Head of SURUGA Production Platform
“It is a great honor to welcome the delegation from Finland. This visit has been a valuable opportunity for us to showcase how our digital manufacturing can contribute globally.”
About SURUGA Production Platform
SURUGA Production Platform merged with MISUMI Group Inc. in April 2005 and has since developed its business based on precision machining technologies that demand micron-level accuracy. As the core manufacturing hub of the MISUMI Group, it plays a central role in production—starting with the manufacture of press die components such as punches and dies, which boast a world-class market share, and extending to mold die components, automation components, and optical equipment. The company operates production bases in Japan (Shizuoka, Ibaraki, Hyogo), Vietnam, South Korea, China, Thailand, and India.
What is meviy
meviy is an AI-powered on-demand manufacturing platform from MISUMI. Engineers can upload 3D CAD models to receive instant quotations, manufacturability checks, and lead time estimates. The platform delivers bespoke components to exact specifications across CNC milling, CNC Turning and Sheet Metals. With no minimum order quantity, teams can order from a single part upwards. By streamlining procurement and accelerating product development, meviy enables engineers to bring designs to life faster. Its AI also supports part recognition, interactive design editing, and compatibility with a wide range of materials – making it a smart and reliable tool for modern product development. Backed by MISUMI’s quality standards, customers can expect consistent precision with every order.
