Making the world's first laser doping technology understandable.
Base material, design, and coating. For about 30 years, the cutting tool industry has competed technologically based solely on these three aspects, with thousands of small and medium-sized manufacturers and large listed companies locked in fierce price competition. Emerging from outside this conventional wisdom was CKK Co., Ltd.'s uniquely developed, world-first technology: "laser doping." While the technology generated a huge response, with inquiries flooding in after being featured in publications such as the Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun, the company, which primarily focused on custom-made products, did not have a single general-purpose catalog to distribute to customers. Lionheart took on the task of figuring out how to present the company's newly launched brand, "LDera," how to promote it at trade shows, and what to create for that purpose. After thoroughly interviewing them about everything from the technical details to product specifications, price range, and the impact on the field, Lionheart produced everything from the overall decoration of the trade show booth to graphics, movies, and brochures. The approximately six-month project generated such a huge response that it filled the aisles at the trade show, and Lionheart is currently continuing to support them with the second and third installments of the series.
Case Summary
Customer Name
CKK Co., Ltd.
Project Details
- Hearing and problem identification using the LH method (understanding technical details/product specifications/price range/effects to be achieved, and formulating a brand expression strategy)
- Building the "LDera" brand image, developing brand graphics and brand copy.
- Production of general-purpose brochures
Product introduction video / Brand and company introduction video
- Complete exhibition booth decoration package (display stands, fixtures, wall panels, 4 types of A1 panels, tablecloths, 3D holograms)
- Production of flyers/brochures for the second and third installments of the series (ongoing)
Purpose
Expanding awareness of the world's first "laser doping" technology and the new brand "LDera"; generating business opportunities starting from trade shows (acquiring business cards and securing follow-up visits); developing versatile tools to make it easier for trading company sales representatives to sell; and establishing a brand image befitting its price, which is 1.5 times that of regular products.
Situation
Sales promotion: Although inquiries flooded in after the newspaper article was published, there wasn't a single generic catalog to distribute.
Sales: Because we primarily focus on custom-made and OEM products, we have to rely on individual explanations, which causes delays in closing deals.
Business: We want to transform our business model beyond cutting tools to become a company that "improves the durability of all metals."
Production period
Approximately 6 months (and continuing as the series expands)
Flow of cases
STEP
01 Task
Customer's challenge
We possess world-first technology. But we lacked a single tool to communicate it.
① An industry that has continued to fight for 30 years using only three approaches.
The cutting tool industry is a highly competitive market, with thousands of small and medium-sized manufacturers and 5-6 large listed companies vying for market share. Within this competitive landscape, CKK Co., Ltd. boasts an outstanding equipment scale and production capacity, second only to listed companies, with nearly 80 ultra-high-end grinding machines, including Swiss-made models, each costing around 100 million yen. The company had already earned a strong reputation in the areas of OEM and custom-made products for rival manufacturers.
However, looking at the market as a whole, for about 30 years, technological advancements have been concentrated in three areas: "base material, design, and coating." As the performance of each company approaches the same level, the only way to differentiate them becomes price. This structure has long constrained the entire industry.
② Even though we were flooded with inquiries, we didn't have a single catalog to hand out.
For manufacturing sites that mass-produce automotive parts and other components, the downtime lost due to tool wear is a significant loss, and there is a constant need for tools with long lifespans. This is where the company's proprietary "laser doping (LD)" technology comes in.
When their products were featured in media outlets such as the Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun, they generated a huge response, with a flood of inquiries coming in from within the industry. However, the company, which had previously focused on custom-made products, did not have a single general-purpose product catalog to give to customers. When inquiries came in, they had nothing to hand out, and had no choice but to explain each one individually in person. Despite possessing world-first, groundbreaking technology, they lacked the tools to communicate it. This resulted in serious opportunity losses and stagnation, as they were unable to smoothly convert these valuable inquiries into business deals.
02 LH Method Strategy Development
Organize current location and challenges, and commit to realizing the vision.
The business strategy was envisioned by the client. Our role was to translate it into a form that would be easily understood.
What CKK was aiming for wasn't simply selling long-lasting cutting tools. First, they wanted to establish a new standard of value in the cutting tool field, and then, transcending the boundaries of tools, attract work from completely different industries and sectors that wanted to "improve the durability of metals"—a shift to a value-added model that improves the durability of all kinds of metals.
The company decided to position laser doping as its "fourth approach." They planned to start with eight sizes of "pilot holes for roll taps" and steadily build the business, then expand to more versatile, core products in the second and third phases. This entire business strategy was envisioned by the company itself.
That's why Lionheart's role was clear: **How to build the image for the new brand "LDera"? How to promote it at the trade show? What to create to achieve that?** It was about pouring everything they had into these three points.
① First, listen to the technology and products until you "understand" them.
Before even considering how to express it, the most thorough step was conducting interviews. What kind of technology is laser doping? What products will be sold, and what are their specifications? What is the price range, and what effects will it have on the field? We confirmed each point with the customer, and only after we were able to explain the outline of the technology in our own words did we finally begin designing the output.
This project deals with invisible technologies. If the creators don't fully understand something, it will never be conveyed to the recipient.
② Instead of saying "life expectancy will be extended," they say "profits will be generated annually."
Through repeated interviews, the core value that should be emphasized in the communication became clear. General appeals such as "Lifespan improved by several tens of thousands of tons compared to conventional tools" are not worth the testing effort required to switch tools in busy manufacturing environments. What drives this decision is not the sophistication of the technology, but the resulting revenue.
Lionheart therefore highlighted the overwhelming figure of **"more than double the lifespan (200%)"** even after considering safety margins, and structured its appeal by translating this into cost (profit) terms such as "reduced machine downtime, generating tens to hundreds of thousands of yen in profit annually."
This communication style is effective not only for those on the ground. For sales representatives at trading companies who act as intermediaries between customers and the field, products that can be discussed in terms of price can be used directly as a starting point for proposals. Designing it to be easy for sellers to use significantly changes the speed at which information is conveyed.
③ Aim for something that is "a tool catalog, but not just a tool catalog."
For 30 years, this industry has been known for catalogs that neatly list product specifications. The moment we use the same presentation method, the discontinuity of the "fourth perspective" will not be conveyed.
The guiding principle we adopted was, "It's a tool catalog, but it's not just a tool catalog." We combined surreal and striking visuals of lasers shining into the background of the tools with the brand copy, "Achieving an astonishingly long lifespan." We believed that creating a sense of quality that makes people instinctively feel, the moment they pick it up, that "something amazing and new has arrived," was key to properly conveying the value of this world-first technology.
The brand's world view, befitting a high-end tool priced 1.5 times that of standard products, and the approach of communicating technology in terms of profit—these two aspects resonated deeply with the client, and they entrusted us with building their brand image and overall exhibition promotion.
03 LH Solution Implementation Support
Solve your challenges with LH solutions.
Transforming invisible technology into tangible sensations and experiences.
Based on their policy, Lionheart produced a total package including product introduction videos, brand and company introduction videos, general brochures, complete exhibition booth decorations (display stands, fixtures, wall panels, four types of A1 panels, tablecloths), and even 3D holograms to attract visitors' attention.
① The front side presents the worldview, the back side details practical on-site operations—the duality of a brochure
The front side showcases the brand's stylish worldview, while the back side neatly organizes essential information for the field, such as complex recommended cutting conditions, in an easy-to-read format.
The paper quality, which influences the sense of luxury the moment you hold it in your hands, has also been carefully selected. It successfully balances a cutting-edge brand image with the down-to-earth, practical information that is truly needed in the field. These two often contradictory elements are remarkably well-balanced within a single volume.
② Exhibition booths that create a "sensory experience"
Laser doping is not a technology that can be seen with the naked eye. How can we express its tremendous value, how can we make people experience it, and how can we attract the attention of people passing by the exhibition hall? The booth design, including the 3D hologram, was built on this single point of focus.
Another thing I wouldn't compromise on was the "construction" of the booth itself. I absolutely wanted a high-quality, well-crafted booth that the client could continue to use for future exhibitions, rather than a cheap one that would be torn down after just one use. I aimed for a booth that would be an asset to the brand, not just a one-off event decoration.
We spent a particularly long time selecting the materials to be used for the display stands and fixtures. The quality of a brand is directly reflected in the texture of the items placed on it. We carefully selected the "stone" to be used for the display stands, rearranging candidates many times before making our final choice.
04 LH Solution Execution Support
We remain committed to achieving our vision.
The exhibition hall was packed. And the series unfolded exactly as planned.
The exhibition day arrived. People gathered around the exhibits one after another, and the response was so overwhelming that the aisle in front of the booth was completely filled. We didn't just get a large number of business cards; we also received numerous commitments for follow-up visits.
And then there's that display stand. On the day of the exhibition, when my client told me that "just as many visitors asked where we bought the stone for this display stand as they asked about the product," I couldn't help but pump my fist in the air. Our attention to detail had definitely come across.
The initial challenge of "having no weapons to offer" has been completely resolved, and the brochures now function as a powerful tool that is easy for trading company sales representatives to sell. Currently, we are continuing to provide ongoing support in the production of flyers and brochures in line with the development of their main and general-purpose products, such as the second series (reverse mentri) and the third series (ball end mill). From the small start of the first series to the second and third series which focus on highly versatile products, the series development scenario envisioned by the company is progressing exactly as intended.
Lionheart is not a creative company that simply "makes and forgets." From a manufacturer that merely sells tools, it has evolved into a company that "improves the durability of all metals." Towards the realization of this ultimate vision, we will continue to work closely and closely with them as a partner, consistently communicating the brand's worldview with each new product.
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