Noriaki Kikuchi (22 years old) from Toppan Printing Co., Ltd. (Toppan Printing) has represented Japan at the 40th WorldSkills competition held in Calgary, Canada and become the first Japanese participant to win a gold medal in the printing category.


Mr. Kikuchi entered the printing category, which involves skill-based competition covering the full range of printing technology including accurate printing of a high quality piece of work based on a sample prepared in advance, color adjustment by mixing inks to achieve specified colors, adjustment and operation of printing machines and trimming.
Fourteen competitors from countries including France, Switzerland and Hong Kong took part in the printing category at the 2009 competition. With their history and traditions in printing, European countries have a strong record, including France winning the gold medal at the previous competition. Toppan Printing has provided the Japanese representative for 2 events in a row and Mr. Kikuchi improved on the 6th place achieved by Yasuhiro Suzuki in 2007 to become the first Japanese competitor to take a gold medal.

Copyright 2009 TOPPAN PRINTING CO., LTD.

Toppan Printing President & CEO Naoki Adachi commented that, "Winning a gold medal at the WorldSkills Competition is the result of Toppan Printing educating and passing on skills to young technicians for many years. It is very pleasing as it is not just recognition of Toppan Printing but of the technical strength of the Japanese printing industry as a whole. We would like Mr. Kikuchi to strive to improve his own skills further and also put his energies into educating junior employees in order to maintain Toppan’s high level of manufacturing technology in the future."
"So that we are able to provide customers with even higher quality products, Toppan Printing will continue to improve its manufacturing technology and strive to educate and pass on skills to young employees."


The WorldSkills Competition
This is a competition that aims to promote occupational training and raise skill levels in participating countries through skill-based competition between young people of 22 years old or younger from around the world. It has been held since 1950. Over 850 competitors from 50 countries and regions took part in the 2009 competition and competed to be the world number one in each of 45 skill categories.