At Nippon Paint Marine, our greatest strength is our people. For over 55 years, we have committed to nurturing and developing talent, understanding the significant role our employees play in driving the company’s success and innovation.
As part of an ongoing series, we are going to put the spotlight on what makes our employees so integral, starting with Mai Shimatani, who has been part of the Nippon Paint Marine family for nearly 25 years, working within Nippon Paint Marine’s Tokyo technical group.
Mai Shimatani:
I currently work within Tokyo’s technical group, and I am responsible for focusing on product enhancement, on-site testing and providing coating guidance to our valued customers. Reflecting on my journey, it’s remarkable to think I started in this industry 24 years ago with no prior knowledge of paint or ships.
Throughout my time at Nippon Paint Marine, I have found that the company continually challenges and supports us in taking on tasks that require complex problem-solving skills. Thankfully the attitude I have held throughout my entire career has been one of never shying away from a challenge. It is through this work ethic that I developed trust within the company and have been able to work on some exciting projects.
One such rewarding project that stands out in my memory was when I was placed to work on helping develop our heat shielding project. A key responsibility of mine was to monitor temperature changes on actual ships, which involved a lot of field work on a wide range of vessels. Although it was a while ago now, the extensive testing and analysis finally resulted in us proudly introducing the EVER COOL product to the market.
By being involved in projects such as this, Nippon Paint Marine has created an environment where we’re all able to share our insights and ideas, which has resulted in a culture of continuous improvement within the company.
It is also important to note that during my years, a key strength has always been placing the customer at the front of our minds. As a priority, I understand how important it is to collaborate with and understand a customer’s needs. I actively listen, talk and work with both customers and shipyard workers, to produce mutual goals, not unilateral ones which only suit us for ease. While this does not always mean the easiest solution is found, it does mean the right one is arrived at.
I would also argue how encouraging the company has been in helping me develop outside of my job remit. A notable example of this was my inclusion within the Diversity and Inclusion Committee. This not only enabled me to present ideas to senior management, building up my confidence within that matter, but it also meant I got to see my proposals through, underscoring the company’s commitment to meaningful change, and not just lip-service. Being involved in this committee, I was also able to broaden my own perspective of how I worked within my own team, honing my presentation skills and enabling me to work more effectively as a team member.
