I am in charge of procurement of electric turbocharger (ETC: Electric Turbocharger) parts for fuel cell systems. Since ETC is under development and in the start-up phase, my mission is to establish an optimal supply system for purchased parts from a long-term viewpoint that covers from the completion of development to the expansion of mass production. In addition to the business itself, ETC is also in the start-up phase as an organization, so its operations are wide-ranging. I am engaged in the broad works including requesting quotations and placing orders for prototypes, studying ordering flow, sourcing parts with examining ordering strategies for mass production, establishing transportation systems, ordering and managing molds, and more.

What impressed me most is that the voices of young staff are very easy to get through. I was impressed of that because I applied for the career challenge system as I wanted to do something new on my own, rather than following a routine. I suppose this is due to the fact that Vehicular Turbocharger Business Unit is young as an organization and there are many people moving in from outside IHI or other areas in IHI. Since the electric turbocharger business that I am in charge of is in the start-up phase, I am able to take part in a variety of work at my discretion, which makes my daily work very rewarding.

It is not finding the right solution for the Procurement Department, but always searching for the optimal solution from a medium- to long-term perspective for the entire business involved. In order to not only obtain inexpensive quotations for the current drawings, but also to reduce long-term procurement cost by optimizing future requirements and building strategic relationships with suppliers, I strive to involve relevant people both inside and outside the company. For that purpose, I sometimes put myself in the supplier's shoes and try to represent the supplier's voice internally.