Eurosteelmaster, the advanced training course for the European steel sector organized by RINA, is aimed at managers, technical staff, researchers and other professionals operating in this industry and in related areas. Gaku Ito, Sales Department Manager at Tokyo Steel Manufacturing, attended the last edition, which took place in Taranto from May 14 to 18.
In this interview, he tells his personal experience and the impact that Eurosteelmaster had on his professional education.
What motivations and expectations encouraged you to choose Eurosteelmaster, and to choose it at this particular stage of your professional career?
Eurosteelmaster covers comprehensive fields in global steel industry. The course is very intensive albeit in a short amount of time. Therefore, I thought it would be worth taking time. As a manager from an EAF mill, I was particularly interested in environmental issues of Earth. European steel industries have bigger attention on this matter than the rest of the world. The policy and the systems to improve environmental friendliness without creating complexities of managing make progress.
What skills did you acquire or refine attending Eurosteelmaster and in what professional sector do you expect to capitalize them on?
I am responsible for export sales in Tokyo Steel Manufacturing. It is therefore important for me to grasp macro trends in the global steel sector. By participating at the course, I was able to receive not only up-to-date market information regarding demand, supply and policy, but also history of the industry with a chronicle of developments in the European steel production, the emergence of China and its big impact. The standpoints of European and Japanese steel mills are quite similar: we have to get knowledge in the field of environmental technology to compete with the global overcapacity. Now, thanks to the course, I can prepare myself for competition and cooperation in the future.
According to you, what are the three reasons why a person with a background similar to yours should attend Eurosteelmaster?
A person should participate in Eurosteelmaster if they: want to know the current demand-supply balance and the forecast for the near future; want to learn state-of-the-art technology present in steel facilities - it is also important for salesperson to know competitors’ new facilities; want to discover more about IoT revolution in conservative steel sector.
Tell an episode that marked especially positively your experience at Eurosteelmaster and that you will bring with you for your entire career.
I was surprised that several European steel mills collaborated with each other on common issues. The course reminded me that the European Union is a developed form of the European Coal and Steel Community. There is a background to the vision shared by the EU members. I joined in Eurosteelmaster and I was acquainted with many participants from different regions and countries. I therefore want to maintain the contacts acquired and to keep the communication with this network open for mutual progress in the steel world.