Low-wage small businesses face labor shortages.
Masato Shiota's papermaking business in Kochi Prefecture struggles with labor shortages, limiting production and threatening its profitability.
So, check this out. Masato Shiota, the guy behind Wako Seishi in Ino, Kochi Pref., has spent the last decade pulling his papermaking business back from the edge. He tackled debt and even bought machines to automate things. But here’s the kicker: he can't find enough workers to keep all his machines running!
With three machines in the shop, he's only got two going on any given day. Shiota says, “If we don’t have the people, we can’t make products, and we can’t turn a profit. We’ll go under.” It's a tough scene for a small business fighting to stay afloat. This highlights the major issue for many small-to-medium-sized companies out there.
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