We recently announced on social media that we are now official distributors of Mitsubishi industrial sewing machines, so they’re next up in our series of brand profiles! When most people hear the name Mitsubishi, they immediately think of Mitsubishi motors, but their industrial sewing machines deserve the same amount of recognition. They build machines which are designed to respond to their customer’s needs with high performance and reliability!
Origins
The Mitsubishi company started as a shipping firm which was founded by Yataro Iwasaki in 1870. Yataro’s business grew rapidly and diversified into a broad range of manufacturing and commerce. After the second world war, the allied forces occupying Japan demanded that their big industrial powers disband. Mitsubishi was split into many smaller companies and most were forced to abandon the name and emblem. When the Korean War broke out, the occupation policy changed to emphasise industrial and economic reconstruction. Some of the companies began using the name and emblem again, but still retained their autonomy. The companies achieved far more individually and independently than they ever could have accomplished as a single organization. At the same time, they benefit from the shared sense of community, common history, and corporate culture. Mitsubishi Electric, the brand which makes their industrial sewing machines, celebrated its 100th anniversary in February 2021!
The story of the emblem
The famous Mitsubishi emblem combines three oak leaves and the three stacked diamonds of Yataro’s family crest. The company name is a combination of the words “mitsu” meaning “three” and “hishi” meaning “water chestnut”. It translates as “three diamonds”, as the word “hishi” is often used to denote a diamond shape. In Japanese, the “h” sound is often pronounced as a “b” when it occurs in the middle of a word. This is why the combination is pronounced Mitsubishi! The three-diamond emblem embodies over 150 years of tradition and is a symbol of quality and reliability.
Climate change policy
The Mitsubishi Electric Group take their environmental policies very seriously. They introduced initiatives such as zero-emission buildings powered by renewable energy to work towards a low-carbon, recycling-based society. They aim to work in harmony with nature by implementing technological innovations to improve energy efficiency across a wide range of products. In addition to this, they promote the effective use of resources and reinforce the importance of recycling. By reducing the size and weight of products as much as possible they keep the carbon produced in transit at the lowest level. They also have a reuse/repair business which is intended to reduce waste by keeping products in service and out of landfill. With commitment to preserving biodiversity at business sites and surrounding areas, they take a proactive approach to environmental policies. The Carbon Disclosure Project placed Mitsubishi Electric on the A List in the categories of “Climate Change” and “Water Security” for the third and fourth consecutive years, respectively.
Environmental Sustainability Vision 2050
In June 2019, the Mitsubishi Electric Group announced its next long-term environmental management vision, the “Environmental Sustainability Vision 2050”. Their mission is to “protect the air, land, and water with our hearts and technologies to sustain a better future for all.” This reflects their intention to prioritise the protection of every one of these elements to ensure a sustainable future. Their long-term goals are based on international environmental agreements and will promote the reduction of greenhouse gases throughout the supply chain. This includes the development process, design, and procurement of raw materials, as well as sales, distribution, use and disposal. Their current target is to reduce CO2 emissions 30% by 2030 and more than 80% by 2050.
The machines
We are working with Mitsubishi to offer our customers an alternative brand and in some cases, a better solution which may not be available from other suppliers, typically when it comes to specialist machines. One example is the Mitsubishi PLK-G2008 extra heavy-duty pattern sewer. This model is a heavy-duty pattern-sewer with barrel shuttle – fitted with a needle cooling system and a heat-out thread burner trimming mechanism specifically designed for working with extra-thick thread. It can be used to produce items such as suspension fittings, thick safety belts, and durable sling belts for lifting which would be impossible to sew on a standard machine.
If you would like further information about the Mitsubishi machines we can supply then please just get in touch with our friendly team of experts who will be happy to help! We can provide full solutions for businesses both large and small. The easiest way to find out more is to send an email enquiry over to info@ae-sewingmachines.co.uk so one of our technicians can discuss possible options with you and provide a quote based on your individual requirements!