Morimachi Laboratory, a new agricultural facility with a membrane roof that also functions as a community facility, is a landmark in the city.

Morimachi Laboratory is a new agricultural facility.
From the exterior to the interior, a stylish and bright atmosphere motivates employees to work harder.
Its appeal is endless, holding new workshops and events that involve local people. The project includes a strong desire to enliven the town of Morimachi as a whole.

We talked to Kentaro Morinaga (Morigana) who was the Project Manager for this project.

A step forward in the face of adversity.
Sano Farm pioneers a new future for agriculture.

A new story for Taiyo Kogyo began with a single e-mail from Sano Farm.
They were affected by COVID-19, but they harbored the determination to turn this adversity into a springboard for the future.
Morinaga was moved by their determination took a step into the unknown field of agriculture.

Morinaga:
Morimachi, Shuchi-gun, Shizuoka Prefecture, is famous for its corn. Sano Farm, with deep roots in this region, is an agricultural corporation that grows and markets organic vegetables such as corn, lettuce, tomatoes, and arugula. The farm also wholesales high-quality lettuce such as tama lettuce, green leaf, and sunny lettuce to Rock Field Corporation, which has a factory in neighboring Iwata City and is engaged in the manufacture and sale of prepared foods, in department stores with their brand “RF1”.

However, after 2020, a pandemic of COVID19 halted business in the department stores. Sano Farm decided to accelerate its previously planned shift to a sixth industrialization in order to overcome the anxiety of “having to solve this problem.

The timing was also motivated by a favorable opportunity provided by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s “Restructuring Subsidy Program,” which, if adopted, could provide up to 60 million yen in support.

At first, Sano Farm consulted with a local construction company, but they could not come to an agreement on the price and schedule and gave up. Their first contact with Taiyo Kogyo was made in April 2021. They were interested in the design of the MakMax Flex Experience Center (FEC), a membrane experience facility featured on our website, and contacted us via email.

Although we had received some new inquiries through our website, most of them came from the manufacturing and logistics industries, or were referrals from local construction companies. We felt strongly about the appeal of agriculture, a field we had no experience in, and without hesitation, we visited Sano Farm to talk to them.

Co-creation of innovation that reveals the unknown.
Opening the door to unprecedented territory for Taiyo Kogyo.

The visit to Sano Farm was a step that opened a new door for Morinaga.
It convinced us of the possibility of collaboration in a way we had never seen before.
This story began in the spring of his fifth year with the company.
At the time he was assigned to the Hamamatsu Sales Office in Shizuoka Prefecture.

Morinaga:
When I visited, it was the busy season for corn cultivation. Despite the busy season, the president, his wife, the managing director, and his daughter, who is also enthusiastic about this project, welcomed me.

With the “Business Restructuring Grant Program” already in plan at this time, the core vision was already in place, and that was to create a facility that combined their own food processing plant with the community. With the goal of creating a sixth industry, the company had solidified plans for a multifaceted business development that would include making sandwiches and pastries using harvested vegetables, washing, cutting, and packaging the vegetables grown in-house, and even helping local farmers post-process their harvested vegetables.

The name of the new food facility was also chosen, “Morimachi Laboratory,” as if it were a research institute, with a strong desire to develop new challenges and revitalize the entire Morimachi area by involving many people.

I conducted a series of careful interviews to understand the details of the project, including the budget and construction timeline, which was  agree on with the local construction firm, and to gain a deep understanding of the significance and scale of the project.

Normally, as a sales representative for tent warehouses, my main work is to undertake the main body work of steel frames and membranes, as well as foundation work. Through a series of interviews, I sensed that this project required a much broader range of proposals. This is the first time for me personally to propose undertaking a complete set of construction work, including electrical work, firefighting, equipment work, water supply and drainage, and interior work. I decided here that I was prepared to do my utmost to respond to all of them.

Morinaga’s challenge, which began with the arrival of spring, was a grand project that aimed to do more than just build a factory.
The carefully considered and developed plan brought new possibilities for the future of agriculture while winning the hearts and minds of customers.
No matter what obstacles stand in our way, we are unwavering in our determination to make this project a success,
It was about to become the new driving force to achieve the goal.

Morinaga:
The project began in June. I had one major goal in mind: to transform the working environment of Sano Farm and dramatically improve labor efficiency. In a room where water is constantly flowing, it is essential to select water-resistant materials and have a precise drainage plan, and in a space where food is handled, insect control measures must not be forgotten. In addition, the process of incorporating equipment requires even greater precision in piping design, and in situations where large amounts of electricity are consumed, the installation of cubicles is indispensable. The use or non-use of gas and how to fine-tune the floor level of the building were also important considerations. When it comes to designing a conduction line based on universal design, attention to detail is required, and changing just one specification would make construction details and cost management even more difficult. One of the challenges was to avoid inviting such a situation.

In the proposal, we tried to create a visual representation so that the client could grasp the image with their eyes, and incorporated a design based on clean white and a proposal for a robust structure clad in stately black. Both designs were full of possibilities and seemed to help the client create a new vision in his mind.

This proposal, which was developed after much deliberation, expressed the company’s commitment to every detail, from the overall structure of the building to the detailed flow lines. Sano Farm surprised us by saying, “You went this far?” and from that moment on, we felt that we had gained their trust.

With each difficulty resolved, the team unity was strengthened.
The support of family and friends also gives me the strength to move forward.

Successful grant applications have significance beyond mere funding.
It was the moment when our efforts took shape, as our joint dream with Sano Farms was approved.
Morinaga’s own passion for Morimachi Laboratory helped him overcome the challenges.
It also became a valuable learning experience for Morinaga’s growth.

Morinaga:
The project seemed to be progressing smoothly, but the true test was yet to come. As the deadline for the grant application approached, we responded with precise planning and swift action, thereby strengthening our bond with Sano Farm and developing our relationship into one of dreaming together.

In the process of dreaming up these ideas, Sano Farm’s desire for the “Morimachi Laboratory” grew by the day. We knew that the construction cost would increase and the construction period would be extended, so we made adjustments to realize Sano Farm’s vision within a fixed budget and construction period as much as possible.

Despite some trial and error, the grant application was ultimately successful and we were awarded the grant. What I felt at this time was that this was not just financial support, but a joint endorsement of our and Sano Farm’s dream. I learned the importance of facing up to the challenges and difficulties we faced at each stage of the construction project and of being flexible and unafraid of change.

The team worked as one in the face of a looming wall of challenges, overcoming budget constraints, short deadlines, and a wide range of demands with great strength.
Morinaga oversaw the team as project manager.
Despite the twists and turns he experienced, he led the members toward a common goal.

Morinaga:
Although grant approval was underway, there were still many obstacles ahead. These challenges included budget constraints, short deadlines, and diverse demands from various departments.

The project required the help of many specialized teams, from foundation work to equipment and interior design. Coordination of overall cost management, design and design is essential to unify the different opinions of the team. Furthermore, since this is a place where food is handled, special emphasis had to be placed on sanitation. It was also necessary to acquire knowledge of the Food Sanitation Law, regulations related to notification of confectionery manufacturing, and HACCP*, which we would not normally come into contact with in the course of our work.
*Methods to manage the risk of foodborne bacterial contamination and foreign material contamination during food production from receipt to shipment.

Recognizing that leaving unresolved issues unaddressed could lead to major problems later on, I made it a point to not hesitate to consult with my seniors, supervisors, colleagues, and subcontractors as soon as a question arose.

In addition, leadership skills were required to unite a diverse team. I faced disagreements and difficult situations, but with the support of my supervisor, I moved forward with the project. My supervisor never gave me detailed opinions, but always left things to me and trusted me.

At times we were put in difficult positions, but as we solved each problem one by one, it gradually turned into a great sense of accomplishment and enjoyment. Each team member’s individuality and expertise were utilized to ultimately move toward a common goal, and I believe this was possible because we were all looking in the same direction.

Building relationships with new contractors was also very important in this project, especially the close cooperation with the contractor responsible for the foundation work, which contributed greatly to the success of the project.

Supported by the bonds of family love and friendships, Morinaga faced daily daunting challenges.
The weekends spent in Shizuoka’s natural surroundings gave me the strength to get through another work week.

Morinaga:
The stresses of my busy life were healed by time spent with family and friends, and especially by the support of my wife. Holidays for the two of us in the beautiful Shizuoka nature were a great opportunity to refresh and enrich our energy for the next week. The physical fitness and stress tolerance that I had developed during my soccer club activities as a student also helped a lot. With advice from friends and support from team members, I often found ways to make projects more efficient, and I am grateful for their support.

Sano Farm's vision "Morimachi Laboratory" was completed in just 5 months from start of construction

Morimachi Laboratory was completed in five months as originally planned.
It reduces environmental impact, has high earthquake resistance, and even utilizes sunlight to save energy.
This bright and comfortable room also serves as a space that fosters employee cohesion and interaction with the local community.

Morinaga:
In the final stages of the project, the enthusiastic collaboration between the united team and Sano Farm was key to making this project a winner, and Morimachi Laboratory was completed in only five months from the start of construction, as originally requested. The building also utilizes membrane materials, which significantly reduces the amount of concrete and other materials used in comparison to typical buildings, thereby reducing the environmental impact. The lightweight material composition makes the building highly earthquake resistant, enhancing safety against earthquakes and providing a facility that can be used with peace of mind. In addition, a tent-like roof was introduced to allow sunlight to enter the building. This has resulted in a brighter interior that does not require daytime lighting, leading to reduced electricity consumption.

The moment the building was completed was still very moving. But what was even more moving was when I saw the expressions on the faces of the president and managing director, who were standing near the daughter who said, “I am so happy that this cool building is finished. It was that moment when all the hard work had paid off. I felt a sense of gratitude from the bottom of my heart. I was so anxious about the project, which I had never done before, that I wanted to run away from it, but seeing everyone so full of hope gave me a feeling of self-confidence.

The relationship with Sano Farm continues even after the completion of the building. This light-filled space suddenly completed in the middle of a field has attracted the attention of passersby and become the talk of the town. Beyond the mere function of a food processing plant, there are plans to create a café space in the future as a place to foster communication between employees and visitors from the outside as well as to strengthen bonds among employees. In addition, workshops, cooking classes, and other events are planned in the future to deepen ties with the local community and create new attractions. This will be a further connection between Sano Farm and the local community.

The bonds and cooperative relationships formed through this project have become invaluable assets to us. We have gained confidence and motivation to take on new challenges, and we have taken a step forward to brighten the future of Taiyo Kogyo. I believe that this project represents a new beginning for us.