PERSON
Hiroki Sakajiri
Production Department Joined 2014
Gained a love of painting from DIY projects, and moved to Sapporo from Iwamizawa to join Senkosha. His decorations adorn the walls of the new Senkosha Office Building, and he's highly valued for his creative work.
The basic workflow in the paint shop is to first mask everything that shouldn't be painted, then start painting. Normally, the painters spend a lot of time on making samples. Clients indicate the final color, so we have to make several attempts to recreate that identical color. Painting is more than just putting color on things, it's layering undercoats and final coats, then wiping off and layering clear coat to fine tune the final desired color. It's very complex, detailed work. And different types of base wood take color in completely different ways so you can't always rely on past data. Then once you've finished a sample it goes out to the client. A lot of our orders come from foreign brands, so many times the person in charge of checking the color is in another country. Once we've got the client's approval, we can finally start the main painting. The process from sample to finished product requires lots of ideas and trial and error.
One job that really left an impression was a wedding chapel project for our Tokyo branch. It was my first business trip, and it felt really new and exciting to go all the way to Tokyo to work. I typically work inside our company plants, but sometimes I do go out to work-sites. However, I was so happy to have a chance to go to a site about to be opened, carry in brand new pieces, and watch up close as the work was finished. I was so proud to see pieces that until recently we had been painting in the shop, now installed so beautifully in place.
The feeling when you realize "this is going to be a great color" is the best. Paints only give their final color when dry, so you have to be careful to respond to changes and keep the final color in mind as you're painting. I guess what makes it interesting is that some days you only get it right after layers and layers of paint, and some days it's perfect straight away. The happiest moment is when senior workers compliment my work. I started here without any real experience, and I've learned everything at Senkosha. I started by learning how to use the tools and how the work flows, and found out what painting really was by watching my coworkers. After building that foundation I was finally put in charge of painting work. Even now, though, I feel so relieved when a senior employee checks my work and says, "This is really nicely done." I can see my skills improving, little by little, and that sense that I've finally become able to use my own abilities is a huge motivation.
I like to eat out and go shopping. People often tell me I'm kind of feminine, but I just like the feeling I get from a well- arranged dish or from fashion. To tell the truth, I didn't use to like being around people, but after I joined Senkosha I learned how much fun communication can be. Now, I still go on my own to a bar my coworkers took me to and drink with people I met there. I'm surprised myself at how outgoing I've become.
