In our daily lives, we are all aware of global warming, and our main customers in the automotive industry are also experiencing the trend toward the development of electric vehicles and other vehicles with the goal of becoming carbon neutral, compared to the 2000s.

On the other hand, the shortage of human resources is also becoming a serious issue, such as the decrease in the working population, the outflow of specialists overseas due to globalization, and the 2024 logistics problem. Against this backdrop, "manpower saving" has been promoted at manufacturing sites by reviewing operations to reduce wasteful processes and personnel, and "factory automation" has been promoted by introducing automated guided vehicles (AGVs) that use unmanned guided vehicles.

Regarding the development of environmentally friendly products, if the material used changes, the design of tools we handle and devices we deal with also undergo significant changes. By constantly responding to changes in accordance with our clients’ initiatives for the reduction of CO2, we have contributed to lessening environmental burdens.

In modern times, when everybody has access to products, things are not owned, but shared. There has also been a change concerning business, placing less importance on speed but more importance on providing high value-added products and services.

Chuo Koki’s forte is customized development, giving shape to our clients’ hopes. Therefore, we not merely take orders, but interview our clients and put effort into “innovation” that would make them feel that “they want to try such innovative products, if any.”

Proposals leading to labor saving and decarbonization, such as the adoption of tools that can reduce the number of processes or compact equipment, are exactly “trigger of innovation” with high value added, and we believe that they are a key point in fulfilling the mission of a trade company.

Chuo Koki has given proposals for the development of products for labor saving and FA and engaged in various activities such as creating a comfortable working environment and contribution to the region before the words “SDGs” came to be widely known. We believe that by clearly stating priority SDGs initiatives this time, we will demonstrate the company’s stance anew, and it will motivate our employees to proceed as one.

Depending on the way of engagement, it may take time for all employees to get on the same page and take action, but the change of the society will surely not wait. I think that our support as a company is vital in order to swiftly adapt to changes.

Not to mention “the creation of a comfortable working environment” for which I have worked ever since I was appointed as president, I will seek improvement so that we can swiftly provide the best service to our clients while reducing the working hours of our employees through DX.

Moreover, we are adopting environmentally friendly products, by changing some of our company cars to PHVs and FCVs. Recently, various eco cars have been attracting attention in the automobile industry, and while it remains unknown to us which of EVs, PHVs or FCVs will be mainstream from now on, we would like to drive them as users and also gain knowledge for development.

We recognize that these initiatives should not be only-one-time, but we should continue the improvement from what we can do now while listening to the opinions of our employees.

This time, we held up the slogan “We build a relationship of trust with partner companies and grow together while predicting changes” as a priority challenge for SDGs.

As we are a specialized trading company that engages in development and sale, our business partners are in charge of production, which is the core of “manufacturing.” We will focus on activities regarding initiatives for attaining SDGs throughout the whole lifecycle from manufacturing to disposal in accordance with the guiding principle we have treated as important ever since our establishment, which is “Our clients, business partners and our company are a trinity and must be just and fair.”

For example, clients independently take care of recycling in “manufacturing” processes, but at our company, we analyze information acquired from our business partners and present helpful proposals not only to one client, but multiple clients. We believe that like this, we can contribute to lessening environmental burdens.

In 2020, when we celebrated our 70th anniversary, we stated our management ethos, which is “a 100-year-old company that achieves sustainable growth together with our partners.” All companies should start from the philosophy and proceed toward their vision based on a plan. And, as we believed that a message cannot be conveyed unless we talk about it with our own words, we revised our ethos.

In accordance with the slogans upheld in our mission, “the trigger of innovation” and “contribution to society,” we aim for a 100-year-old company that will be needed in the future society as we continue with our technology innovation and keep growing with the passion to bring good products to everyone in our hearts.

There are a great number of companies that manufacture astonishingly precise products among Chuo Koki’s business partners. While assisting them in demonstrating such technologies to the world, we would like to share the changes and needs of the market with each other and forge ahead with initiatives for attaining SDGs with the hopes of our customers, business partners and employees as one.