Akiyoshi Oku

President
Toray Carbon Magic Co., Ltd.

I first heard about the plan for this project almost two years ago. It started with the question, “We want to make a chair. How can we do that?”

The concept design was eye-catching, the target specifications and functions were clear, and above all, the product was innovative, so we decided to work together on the engineering process to bring this concept to life.. I have always been involved in the development of various products with good design, high functionality, high performance and high quality, regardless of the field of application, so I thought it would be a valuable and interesting challenge, but I also felt that it would not be easy.

To begin with, we checked the feasibility of the design and areas that required improvement. We estimated that the weight would be too heavy if all the functions are fulfilled, and a high-quality resin solution would be crucial. So we sought help from Torigoe Plastic, which has considerable experience in new product development, to join us and form a development team for commercialization. During the process of prototyping, evaluation and improvement, we encountered new issues one after another, and continued trial and error, but IKOU’s unwavering pursuit of its concept and its zeal for commercialization drove the team to finally complete this outstanding piece of work.

In fact, TCM is also focusing on life innovation business.As our marketing officer says, “we all seek a comfortable and pleasant lifestyle. We envisage that the IKOU Portable Chair, with its high-quality design and wide range of inclusive features,will blend into our daily lives with children and enrich our life..” We all look forward to further solutions and product development in this category.

Story of IKOU Portable Chair (Product Development)