In the major eyeglass production center of Sabae in Fukui Prefecture, most of the factories are narrowly focused, and work is performed by specialists in the various fields, making high quality products of which Japan can be proud.
Against that background, in July 2009 Kaneko Optical established its own factory, "BACKSTAGE," for the integrated production of plastic frames to pursue its own vision of ideal eyewear.
At the factory, all processes from product planning to design, material cutting, machining, polishing, assembly, and adjustment are performed under one roof.
When designers and makers share the same environment, a synergistic and organic feedback develops about subtle details about changes, intentions, and problems, which cannot be achieved in specialized factories.
And since each artisan is involved in every phase of manufacturing, technical strengths and quality have further improved.
Craftsmen working at BACKSTAGE are not creating single parts; they are more like a guild of specialists in all the stages of production, with a shared passion for shaping eyewear.
While undertaking integrated production of plastic frames at BACKSTAGE, we also sought to bring the manufacture of metal frames in-house. However, in light of challenges such as the large number of manufacturing steps and high investment in equipment for metal frames, we decided to join with Eiko Optical, a company with superb technology for the production of metal frames. In August 2016 we established GLASSWORKS, our second in-house factory, to focus on metal frames.
Metal frames, which require about four times the number of steps of plastic frames, demand a particularly high level of technology, and with the excellence of the deeply experienced craftsmen at Eiko Optical, we are able to make products of superb quality. The know-how of these craftsmen and our aggressive investments in new equipment have led us to expand and evolve our technology.
We have invested in equipment such as machining centers to enable more complex cutting, and inverter welding, enabling in-house manufacture of technically demanding titanium frames, while also overcoming extraordinary challenges to achieve combi-frames, which combine disparate plastic and metal materials with high precision.
Kaneko Optical has undergone many twists and turns as we developed our uncompromising approach to production, including the creation of a fully integrated production system and the development of in-house metal frame manufacturing. We then embarked on a new challenge: the introduction of advanced robots. By assigning frame cutting and some parts of the polishing task to robots, we can fuse machine-made and hand-made techniques so the hands of our skilled craftsmen can focus on delicate and important steps which exceed any machine's ability, preserving a home for the craftsman's soul but also expanding the horizon for new eyewear creation.
With such innovations in mind, we opened our third factory, "BASEMENT," in March 2013.
State of the art robots have been installed in the factory, where they cut and polish frames. Even more than today, the robots' support will enable us in the future to highlight techniques which only humans can achieve, and to find time for even more challenging work.
We respect all of Sabae's craftsmen and the traditions which have supported our eyeglass industry, and we commit to passing this culture to the next generation as we build a creative artisanal manufacturing system.
At BACKSTAGE, eyeglass craftsman execute integrated production, from cutting to buffing (finishing) of plastic frames (acetate or celluloid), which we sell to our customers with a deep sense of responsibility. In an industry in which companies normally differentiate themselves by specialty, KANEKO OPTICAL is focused on its integrated production and sales system.
And while our production efficiency is by no means efficient, application of the ideas and solutions which emerge from the manufacturing process leads to quality improvements.
We are proud of our advanced facilities, includng 3D modeling with 3D CAD systems - previously considered impossible in the eyeglass industry.
Although we use some of the world's most advanced equipment, that doesn't mean the machines have taken over every step of fabrication. The craftsman's sense and technique is important not only in achieving the precision inherent in our designs, but for many fine details, such as the parts of the glasses which contact the skin, or the optimal rounding of the nosepad, or the deep luster of the frame. Using their hands, master craftsmen put their hearts into each minute aspect, down to the precise torquing of individual screws.
Integrated production means we can give proper weight to quality, with less concern for the numbers compared to more specialized manufacturers, who must prioritize efficiency.
Whether at our factory or serving customers at our stores, we at Kaneko Optical are dedicated to bringing you eyeglasses to defy your imagination. Eyeglasses are intimately close to the wearer every minute of the day, and should be made accordingly, with the craftsman's passion for fastening the smallest screw, and the store staff's focus on providing the best possible purchasing experience. Transcending the traditional divide between maker and seller, each of our employees embodies the spirit and preparation of a craftsman. That is the essence of the integrated manufacturing and sales system we are so proud of. We believe it is our mission to add innovation to the traditions inherited from Sabae, so we can pass those traditions on to the next generation. Investing one's heart in the work of one's hands is the solid foundation of the monozukuri (artisanal manufacturing) tradition - to this we continually add layers of new knowledge and technology. In combining the immutable with the transitory, we seek to connect the past, the present and the future without limit.
In the major eyeglass production center of Sabae in Fukui Prefecture, most factories are narrowly focused. Work is performed by specialists in many disciplines to create high quality products worthy of Japanese pride. Here, in July 2009, Kaneko Optical established BACKSTAGE -- an integrated plastic frame production center dedicated to pursuing the ideal eyewear.
Here all processes, from product planning to design, material cutting, machining, polishing, assembly, and fine adjustment, are performed under one roof. When designers and craftsmen share the same environment, a synergistic and organic feedback develops around subtle details concerning changes, intentions, and problem solving, something difficult to achieve in more narrowly-specialized factories. Each craftsman is involved in every phase of manufacturing, which further reinforces technical skill and quality.
Craftsmen working at BACKSTAGE don't just fabricate individual parts; they are more like a guild of specialists in all the stages of production, with a shared passion for shaping eyewear.