Iwatani Corporation (President: Masao Nomura) which had been opening welding seminars in Indonesia since 2013 held a welding contest for local welding engineers. On November 9, Iwatani had an awarding ceremony and held a welding seminar at Hotel Mulia in Jakarta City where an audience of more than 500 persons attended.

In 2013 and 2014 Iwatani Corporation in collaboration with Iwatani Industrial Gas Indonesia (IIGI, headed by Eiichi Sobue) opened welding seminars aiming at contribution to the enhancement and diffusion of welding techniques in Indonesia for the local welding engineers and students about the latest Japanese welding technologies. In the Asian area Iwatani had so far opened welding seminar and contests in Dalian, China for 10 years from 1997 and also held a seminar in Hanoi, Vietnam in 2007.

As for the welding contest at this time, the company recruited participants to the workers who were engaged in welding-related jobs in plants around Jakarta City such as the State of Jakarta, the State of Banten or the State of West Java where many Japanese enterprises are located. Out of 3651 applicants 111 persons including female workers from 61 companies participated and competed their skill practices at the vocational training schools in Bekasi and Serang.

The top 40 persons winning the contest advanced to the final selection at the University of Indonesia which was held later for the practical subject of circumferential weld of pipe, and then the ranking was finalized. On the day of final selection, another contest was held for the students of vocational training schools. The top three persons finally selected will be awarded a study tour to Japan. Iwatani has a plan to guide the tour to visit Iwatani R&D Center and welding manufacturers for their study in Japan.

The welding contest and seminar at this time was sponsored by Iwatani Corporation, IIGI and the Indonesian Welding Association, supported by the Japan Welding Association, Bekasi Vocational Training School and Serang Vocational Training School. Corporation was rendered also by 11 Japanese companies including Kobe Steel, Daihen, Yasukawa Electric, Nippon Steel & Sumikin Welding Co., and Panasonic. In addition, Kansai Economic Federation, Japanese Embassy in Indonesia and the Indonesian Ministry of Industry and Ministry of Labor also supported the event.