During the middle of the internship, I had the wonderful opportunity to visit many of Kobelco’s factories as well as a Kobe Steel’s steel plant. This trip lasted the whole week, and it took me all over Japan.

Kobelco’s Itsukaichi Factory in Hiroshima primarily manufacturers Kobelco excavators. My biggest takeaway from the Itsukaichi Factory was how clean and efficient the whole process was. Every worker within a separate section was dedicated to one specific role.

Kobe Steel’s Kakogawa Works in Hyogo is a steel-making plant manufacturing a range of steel products. It was astonishing how massive this steel plant was. It takes up a whole island, and it opened my eyes to how hard, expensive, and efficient the process can be.

I was very impressed by how recycle-friendly Kobelco and Kobe Steel try to be in industries that are known to be very wasteful.

Finally, Kobelco’s Okubo Factory in Hyogo primarily manufactures Kobelco cranes. At this factory, one gets a full view of how organized and methodical the process is to make a crane, and I was also amazed of how safety was always emphasized. The painting, shipping, welding, and much more helped me observe how massive this undertaking actually is.

Overall, I enjoyed this eye-opening experience, and the factory teams and tours is an experience I will always remember.