Global tooling specialist BIG DAISHOWA continues to strengthen its commitment to manufacturing education through its Tools for Schools program, which is now in its fourth year. The initiative recently awarded tooling certificates worth $51,000 to technical schools nominated by customers, further expanding support for training programs that prepare students for careers in advanced manufacturing.
With the latest round of contributions, the program’s total value has reached nearly $120,000 in donated tooling certificates since its launch. The Tools for Schools initiative enables BIG DAISHOWA customers to nominate local technical schools to receive tooling support. Between November 2025 and January 2026, customers participating in the program were invited to select a school that would benefit from the initiative. Each participating customer order qualified for a certificate equal to 20 percent of the purchase value.
Schools receiving the certificates can redeem them for a wide range of BIG DAISHOWA products, including tool holders, boring tools, cutting tools, workholding systems and tool presetters. These tools are used directly in training labs to give students practical experience with professional-grade equipment commonly used in modern machining environments.
Carl Johnson, Director of Manufacturing at Southwest Technical College in Cedar City, Utah, said the contribution will provide immediate benefits to students. Mr Johnson expressed appreciation to both BIG DAISHOWA-Americas and NewEra Manufacturing, the company that selected Southwest Technical College as a recipient of the award. According to Johnson, access to industry-standard tooling plays an important role in preparing students for real-world manufacturing environments.
He explained that working with professional-quality tool holders, cutting tools and workholding systems strengthens hands-on training and helps students develop the practical skills required in machining, engineering and advanced manufacturing roles. BIG DAISHOWA introduced the Tools for Schools program to strengthen connections between industry and technical education while supporting the development of the future manufacturing workforce.
Jack Burley, President and Chief Operating Officer of BIG DAISHOWA, said the initiative reflects the strong ties many manufacturing companies have with their local communities. Mr Burley noted that customers often maintain long-standing relationships with nearby schools and training institutions. By linking customer purchases to educational donations, the program enables companies to contribute directly to workforce development in their own regions.
He added that the initiative helps students gain access to the same technologies used in modern production facilities, improving their readiness to enter the manufacturing workforce after graduation. BIG DAISHOWA is part of the BIG DAISHOWA Group headquartered in Osaka, Japan.
The company is recognised globally as a provider of high-precision tooling systems used in metal cutting and machining applications. The group operates manufacturing facilities in North America, Switzerland and Japan and supplies tooling solutions to industries including aerospace, automotive, energy and precision engineering.
In addition to its own product portfolio, BIG DAISHOWA also serves as the North American representative for several specialised manufacturing technologies. These include Speroni tool measuring machines, Sphinx high-performance drills, mptec measuring stands, Tekusa spindle cleaning systems and the UNILOCK zero-point workholding system. Through programs such as Tools for Schools, BIG DAISHOWA aims to strengthen the link between education and industry while ensuring that students entering manufacturing careers gain exposure to the technologies shaping modern machining environments.
