In this interview, I-PEX Inc. Representative Director and President, Reiji Konishi, shares his thoughts on what makes I-PEX's culture special, where he wants to take the company next, and the kind of people he hopes to work with.
What's the story behind the I-PEX name?
Put simply, I-PEX means “Innovative Product development & Engineering solutions eXperts.”
Our name reflects our desire to create value that makes customers say, “That's exactly what we needed” or “That's truly impressive.”
What is an “Innovative Product development & Engineering solutions eXpert?”
I-PEX began as a mold manufacturer. From the very beginning, we have been a company built on making things. And what we make continues to evolve over time.
By working with customers across many industries, we have continued to evolve and grow. Research and development take time. It may take seven or eight years before a technology can even be introduced to customers, and nearly ten years before it becomes a real business opportunity.
But once it does, it can become the de facto standard in the market. That is a cycle I-PEX has repeated many times, and it is a cycle we will continue to pursue.
When a customer shares an idea that sounds interesting, we want to use our technology to help bring that idea to life. In that sense, our role is to help make our customers’ ambitions possible.
People call us a “global niche top” company. And I think that's the kind of company I-PEX is: a company that enjoys taking on those unique challenges.
Bringing new ideas into the world
The reason we chose to go through an MBO* was to step away from the short-term pressures of the stock market and move at the pace our customers need. We want to work side by side with our customers, move forward with them, and act as a true partner in creating what comes next together. Through that kind of work, we want to contribute to society.
In some ways, we want to move forward with a small, elite team. Rather than getting bigger, we want to stay sharp. There are things that do not yet exist in the world. Products that may only be used by a small number of people today, but could become truly valuable to society if we keep developing them. That is what we call “The Sharpest.”
We deliver the “Sharpest Edge” to niche markets.
- ﹡Management Buyout (MBO): a mechanism that lets management buy shares to run the company more flexibly.
After completing a management buyout (MBO) in 2024, we delisted from the Tokyo Stock Exchange's Prime Market in March 2025.
A culture of always taking on new challenges
There is one thing my father, often told me: “Go ahead and fail.” “Just don’t regret never trying.” I believe that mindset has always been part of I-PEX’s culture. Experts aren’t right at first. What makes them experts is that they keep asking themselves how to succeed.
Start by giving it a try. If it does not work, try again. If we move twice as fast, we can fail once, try again, and still make progress in the same amount of time. If you quit, that’s “failure.” So keep taking on challenges.
There are “mistakes” and “failures.” A “mistake” is not doing what was already decided. A “failure” is when a challenge doesn’t work out. If someone fails, let's give a standing ovation and say “Well done, what should we try next?” If we move faster, the next attempt will be better. Let’s speed up and make the cycle of failure faster.
A message to future I-PEX team members
We have the environment and support in place for you to build the career you genuinely want.
What you do with that opportunity is up to you. I want I-PEX to be a company where you feel encouraged to challenge yourself, where failure is not blamed, and where you can build your career with confidence. I hope you will grow into someone who can make an impact on the global stage. And I want I-PEX to be the kind of company where that growth can truly happen.
After all, it's your life. I want you to use I-PEX as a foundation to build the life you've always envisioned.
