Our partner, COMNET, conducted an interview with SO Sports, a specialty bat manufacturer proud of its artisan skills, which has adopted the GCC LaserPro Mercury III laser engraver. In the interview, SO Sports shared the reasons for choosing our laser machines, how they apply them, and the benefits they've experienced since implementation.
Company Name: SO Sports Co., Ltd.
Major Business Items: Manufacturing and sales of wooden bats.
Location: Toyama Prefecture, Japan
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GCC Products: GCC LaserPro Mercury III laser engraver
Japan’s only hand-shaved bat maker in its top wood-bat region
Since our founding in 1981, we have been a specialized bat manufacturer proud of the artisan skills honed over decades of continuous bat production. Fukumitsu in Nanto City, Toyama Prefecture, is Japan's premier wooden bat production area, boasting approximately 40% of the domestic market share. Including our company, there are five bat manufacturers in the region.
While we initially engaged in mass production as a subcontractor for major manufacturers, our desire to fulfill the specific needs of each individual customer led us to shift our focus to bespoke, custom-made orders. Today, we are trusted by many professional and student athletes, creating one-of-a-kind, unique bats exclusively for them.
Our greatest strength lies in the traditional "hand-shaving" technique practiced by our skilled artisans. This craft has been passed down from our founder, Mr. Ouchi (now Chairman), who crafted bats for professional baseball players of the past. While other manufacturers utilize fully automated machinery, we remain the only company that continues to employ this hand-shaving technique.
Fukumitsu, Toyama — Japan’s top producer of wooden bats, hand-carved by skilled craftsmen.
What issues did you have before introducing the laser machine?
While we had absolute confidence in our bat manufacturing track record and quality, we faced challenges regarding name engraving services.
We had been outsourcing this task to a nearby manufacturer that owned a laser processing machine. However, this process often led to time-consuming communication, and we lacked flexibility with delivery schedules (lead times) because we were dependent on the manufacturer's operational status.
Therefore, we decided to introduce our own laser processing machine and transition to in-house production.
Model Introduced: Medium-sized Laser Engraver MERCURY III
Why introduce the GCC LaserPro laser machine?
With the ability to laser engrave names and logos onto the bats, we can now achieve a texture and finish distinct from silk-screen printing. Since we can perform the customization on-site, it adds a unique touch, allowing customers to develop an even stronger emotional attachment to their bats.
Furthermore, we are committed to the effective utilization of wood offcuts generated during bat manufacturing. As the laser processing machine is ideally suited for producing novelty items and merchandise, we are utilizing it to its full potential for this purpose.
Laser engraving names or logos on the bat’s head and grip end.
Goods and novelties made from reused bat offcuts.
What are your prospects for the laser business?
Beyond bat engraving, we plan to increasingly utilize the laser processing machine for effectively making use of the large volume of wood offcuts we generate. Moving forward, we aim to sustain our core strength in bat manufacturing while simultaneously advancing product development that fuses traditional woodworking skills with laser processing technology. Through this approach, we intend to further enhance our unique competitive advantages.
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Introduced laser engraving machine:
Mercury III 12-80W CO2 Laser Engraver
The economical workhorse model for CO2 laser engraving allows user to fulfill all kinds of applications.
Specification
| Working Area | 635 x 458 mm (25 x 18 in.) |
| Z-axis | 165 mm (6.5 in.) |
| Wattage | 12W~80W |
| Max. Working Speed | 1.07 m/s (42 in/s) |
We are happy to answer your questions about any laser products and processing. If you want to learn and do more with GCC LaserPro lasers, we invite you to see our laser engraving and cutting applications videos where you will find out how they physically work and are done.
Further reading:
➤ Industries That Benefit from Laser Equipment: Key Features, Types & Applications
➤ SmartEYES™ CCD is Your Time-Saving Tool to Boost Productivity
➤ Discover the Power of Laser Engraving
