Three months after the Kumamoto Earthquake, HORIBA STEC's Aso Plant minimized the damage and resumed production within a short period. Two Teams chat lines for coordination between the front line and headquarters, along with diversification of water sources through well drilling, contributed to the early restart. The challenge going forward is how to link ordinary operating manuals to crisis situations.
The Kumamoto Earthquake occurred at the end of July 2026, and the Aso Plant operated by HORIBA STEC avoided major damage and resumed production within a short period. The plant, which manufactures mass flow controllers used in semiconductor manufacturing processes, moved into substantive recovery of operations following its initial response. Statements by the plant manager and deputy plant manager suggest that lessons from the front line were applied behind the production restart.
To strengthen coordination between the front line and headquarters, the company established information-sharing mechanisms, including launching 2 chat lines on Teams, encouraging rapid decision-making. Diversifying water sources through well drilling was also reported to have contributed to stabilizing the supply system.
A challenge identified for the future was how to link ordinary operating manuals to crisis situations. The focus will be on how to strengthen coordination between the front line and headquarters on an ongoing basis and improve response capabilities in the event of a recurrence.