Factory is the entertainment of the town! An open factory community created in collaboration with the local community for the Expo.

Launched in 2020 under the slogan “Our factory is the entertainment of the town,” this community-driven open factory project offers visitors a chance to experience and feel the manufacturing process that supports people’s lives and fascinates the world by opening up its production facilities to the public.

They have been organizing a four-day annual program in collaboration with various manufacturing regions in Osaka. This program allows participants to experience and feel the “ISM” of local factory creators. Throughout the year, they also collaborate with major corporations and local businesses to offer hands-on manufacturing experiences. With the aim of creating “local information hubs,” they provide public relations training for creators about five times a year.

They are aiming to transform their factory into a community pavilion and a satellite venue for the Expo　2025 Osaka, Kansai, with the goal of conveying the everyday life of the factory to future generations through the five senses.

Background of the Project Launch

We were moved to start FactorISM after hearing a local SME owner lament, “Nobody cares about us.” The number of manufacturing companies in Osaka is declining, and it’s common for BtoB companies to remain largely unknown. However, without these local factories, it would be impossible to produce world-renowned cars or official items for sporting events. FactorISM was founded to restore pride in manufacturing.

Project Activities

Approximately 20,000 people visit the local factory each year, bringing about changes to the community. Elementary school students participate in manufacturing experiences with sparkling eyes, and some even dream of becoming craftsmen in the future. For the creators, they can feel that their work is connected to the future of manufacturing. Furthermore, university students have started job hunting at only the four companies involved in FactorISM, or have turned down offers from large corporations to join small and medium-sized enterprises that did not have new graduate recruitment programs, indicating an impact on hiring practices.

Future Prospects for the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai

They aim to create a future where young people can engage in and challenge themselves in manufacturing. While BtoB companies have traditionally avoided opening their doors to the public due to concerns about intellectual property leaks, they recognize the potential benefits of this approach, such as the opportunity to create new businesses. They see the Expo as a chance to showcase the culture of manufacturing to the world and want to leverage open factories as a tool for global collaboration and communication.