Японская платформа Fact Base цифровизирует производство малых предприятий через управление чертежами

Fact Base is bringing practical digital transformation to manufacturing SMEs by building a drawing management platform that connects design, production and factory data across global supply chains. “We focus on providing what people truly need, and not more than that.” Masataka Takeuchi, CEO, Fact Base. By Bernard Thompson Japan’s manufacturing sector remains one of the world’s most advanced, yet many small and medium-sized factories still rely on paper, spreadsheets and fragmented systems to manage production. As digital transformation accelerates globally, bridging that gap has become essential for the competitiveness of the country’s vast network of SME suppliers. Fact Base was founded to address this challenge. Led by CEO Masataka Takeuchi, the company provides a cloud platform designed specifically for manufacturers that operate in complex, high-mix production environments. Rather than building heavy enterprise systems, Fact Base focuses on simplicity and usability for smaller factories. The company’s software centers on a concept it calls drawing management. Manufacturing begins with a technical drawing, and Fact Base’s platform uses that drawing as the entry point for managing quotations, production workflows, delivery and invoicing within a single digital environment. The result is a lightweight ERP system that replaces paper processes while preserving the operational knowledge of the factory floor. Takeuchi said that SMEs want to adopt an ERP. “They have historically given up because there wasn’t a product that fit their systems, which were too heavy, too complex, or too expensive,” he said. Looking ahead, the company aims to go further by connecting drawings directly with machine tools and production equipment. “We aim to be an IT company that understands factories better than factories themselves,” Takeuchi said.