MIC and big cranes

The colorful crane was decked out in the MIC colors of red, yellow, blue, and green. It looked great even at nighttime. You almost felt you were at an amusement park. “Our CEO Eikichi Oyama was pleased, because he said it was the kind of thing that would thrill little kids,” according to a beaming Mr. Mitsuhashi. Each color has meaning. The red represents friendliness and dependability, while the yellow evokes a spirit of adventure and consideration. Blue is for youthfulness and growth, while green is for calm and safety.

MIC is renowned for its colorful cranes and for the attention it pays to keeping its cranes neat and tidy. Most people, no doubt, associate a construction site with dirt and grime. Why is MIC different?

Both Mr. Mitsuhashi and Mr. Iguchi agree that there is a reason for keeping the cranes spick and span . . .
“All of the care and attention gives you a better grasp of the machine’s condition. Those who keep their cranes clean are more likely to realize when even the smallest thing goes wrong, thereby avoiding any major trouble.”

The Kobelco SL16000J-H is the successor to the SL13000. It’s one of the biggest crawler cranes in Japan. Why did MIC opt to use the SL16000J-H when there are also huge foreign-made cranes, or “foreign models,” available? Mr. Iguchi explains . . .

“Some of the foreign models are bigger, but a lot of thought has to go into using such big cranes in Japan. Transporting them to places is an issue, for example. The SL16000J-H is designed to comply with domestic transport regulations. And people using cranes provided feedback to Kobelco from the development stage. Kobelco has reflected their wishes, and added a range of variations.”

MIC is based in Aichi Prefecture. In Japan, the company has become associated with big cranes from its experience in major civil engineering, construction, bridge, and plant projects.

“Lifting with big cranes saves time, and it’s safe too. Demand is growing for the use of big cranes. Before, people weren’t willing to bring us in, but they want cranes now,” according to Mr. Mitsuhashi. Mr. Iguchi says, “Others outrank us as a construction company, but we would like to be the leader in cranes. We strive to be the first choice among those who want to bring in cranes for a project.”

The final question: What does MIC value most? Mr. Mitsuhashi and Mr. Iguchi looked at one another. (They often did this during the interview; they spoke and affirmed things with their eyes. The two had no doubt gone through all kinds of difficulties together.) In the end, it was Mr. Mitsuhashi who replied . . .

“Not causing any trouble for our clients. Safety first. And dependability.”