Minimizing Startup Costs and Risks with Subscription Laser Solutions

Our partner COMNET offers the E200S Series through a subscription model. They recently interviewed Mr. Kengo Shimada, Operations and PR/Marketing Manager at Kazoku Co., Ltd. —the company behind Wood and Forest Experience Facility: kiond. Mr. Shimada shared why they chose the subscription-based E200S for laser processing, how it's used for engraving, and the benefits they've seen since its introduction.

Company Name: Wood and Forest Experience Facility: kiond
Major Business Items: Experience Facility (Workshops, Kids’ Park, Café, Shop, etc.)
Location: Mie Prefecture, Japan
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GCC Products: GCC LaserPro E200S Series 40W Desktop Laser Engraver

 

 

 

What issues did you have before introducing the laser machine?

Our company was founded in 1971, originally providing repair services for rooftop amusement parks. Since then, we have been developing businesses aimed at creating moments of smiles that connect families through "play," brought to accessible, everyday places.

In our core businesses — the Family Amusement Business and the Multi-purpose Indoor Playground Business — we operate family amusement facilities called “NICOPA” and multi-purpose indoor playgrounds known as “nico ground,” primarily located in shopping malls across Japan. We are engaged in the planning and management of these play spaces.

Opening amusement facilities and indoor playgrounds mainly in shopping malls nationwide.

In addition to these businesses, we decided to launch a new business: the “Interactive Experience Facility Business,” and began developing an experience-based facility with wood as its core concept. To embody this concept, we believed it was essential to install a workshop within the facility where woodworking could be done, and to offer both actual production and hands-on experience.

As we considered the permanent equipment and operational structure in detail, we concluded that the following three conditions were crucial:

• Safe operation even for people with no woodworking experience
• Support for small-lot production (e.g., novelty items)
• On-demand processing (e.g., value-added services like name engraving)

To meet these requirements, we began considering the introduction of a laser engraving machine. We thus began considering the introduction of a laser engraving machine as equipment that could meet these conditions.

 

Why introduce the GCC LaserPro laser machine?

A partner company was already using a laser engraving machine from COMNET, so we had a clear image of the support and how to operate it, which gave us a sense of reassurance. This led us to consider COMNET’s laser engraving machines.

However, the biggest deciding factor was that it could be introduced through a subscription model.

Since this was a new business, we couldn’t predict whether there would be demand or how often the machine would be used, so we wanted to keep the initial investment as low as possible. Also, in the event we decided to withdraw from the business, the fact that a subscription model would minimize risk was another strong point.

There were also options like lower-priced, consumer-grade laser machines, but we felt that choosing a model capable of proper processing would allow us to broaden our ideas and processing range, which could serve as a springboard for advancing the business. For this reason, we chose a professional-grade laser engraving machine.

Subscription-based laser engraving machine E200S Series.
The decisive factor in introducing it was the ability to minimize implementation costs and risks.

 

Wood and Forest Experience Facility: kiond

Since 2021, we have been operating the wood and forest experience facility kiond in Mie Prefecture. In 2024, we opened a sister location, kiond Hiroshima, in Hiroshima Prefecture.

We offer experiences that both children and adults can enjoy, such as the “Wood Workshop” where visitors can try woodworking and DIY, “Forest Activities” that provide a camping experience, and “Kino Park,” a playground made of wood.

Located inside the VISON leisure complex in Taki Town, Mie Prefecture, kiond offers hands-on activities inspired by wood and nature.

 

Benefits of the GCC LaserPro

We use the E200S Series for cutting wooden boards for workshops and creating novelty items and original goods.

For example, after kayak experiences in our nature-rich setting, we give guests wooden magnets as souvenirs. These keepsakes, made with the idea of “taking home a memory,” have been well received for their cute designs and unique charm.

At a dog-themed event, we held a “custom dog nameplate” workshop. Guests cut out breed-specific parts and letters from wood to make their own one-of-a-kind items, resulting in a highly satisfying experience.

We give participants in the kayak experience a novelty item that has been highly praised for its cute design.

At an event for dog lovers, we held a “Custom Dog Nameplate Workshop.”

We also produce wooden keychains for sale and kits used in woodworking experiences.
Tasks that used to take several days by hand can now be done efficiently, resulting in a monthly labor cost reduction of about 10,000 to 50,000 yen.

Additionally, staff wooden name tags are engraved using the laser engraving machine. The engraving is so beautiful that people who see the name tags sometimes request us to make them as well.

Original experience kits used in woodworking experiences.

We create staff name tags with laserengraving, and the high quality has led to requests from outside parties to produce theirs as well.

 

What are your prospects for the laser business?

We want to improve the production line and put more effort into training so that more staff can use the laser engraving machine. Many people feel intimidated when they hear “laser engraving machine,” but once they understand the basic mechanism and how to use it, anyone can operate it safely. We plan to promote in-house training and information sharing to enable its use at other stores as well.

Additionally, we want to focus more on producing practical merchandise. Currently, we make simple name-engraved items and novelty keychains cut from wood, but with some creativity, we believe we can expand our product lineup to include assemble-it-yourself kits and small wooden toys that children will love.
We aim to keep experimenting and challenging ourselves to increase sales and customer satisfaction.

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Introduced laser engraving machine:

 

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:

➤Discover the Power of Laser Engraving
➤Laser Engraving and Cutting on Plastics
➤Laser Engraving Machine for Metal Guide