Message from the President June.2018

As development speeds in manufacturing continue to accelerate, the number of examples of companies in the Japanese manufacturing industry not focusing solely on their own independently-developed technologies, but instead seeking to increase their competitiveness to fight in the global market by making proactive use of technologies developed by other firms through collaborative partnerships has increased.

According to the Open Innovation Awareness Survey 2018, which was conducted between November and December 2017 by the Innovation Leader’s Summit Executive Office and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), over 60% of businesses answered that the “degree of importance,” “level of activity” and “actual results” of business partnerships between major enterprises and venture companies had increased in comparison with five years ago.

I believe that there are two types of partnerships between companies: those in which companies compensate for their own deficiencies, and those in which they seek to utilize something that they themselves do not possess. Particularly, in the case of the manufacturing industry, the key lies in what is referred to as “technological strength” which includes technological elements, skills and know-how.

In cases where companies compensate for their own deficiencies—for example, in order to handle numerous development projects—it is necessary for them to secure both volume and quality. In order to do so, I think that they consider forming partnerships with companies that have a high level of technological strength, and are capable of providing them with sufficient resources.

Then, there are the cases where companies seek to utilize something that they do not possess themselves. One example would be in achieving the realization of a major technological theme, such as autonomous operation. In such cases, I think that companies seek to create technology as fast as possible, by forming partnerships with companies that possess superior technological strength and ideas in each relevant specialist field, rather than engaging in all technological development as a single firm.

As these kinds of partnerships between companies become more active and energetic, I believe that Meitec will come to play a very important role in the Japanese manufacturing industry. The reason for this is that, if one of the objectives of partnerships between fellow manufacturers is to increase the speed of development and create good products before other firms, then the essential elements of technological strength and human resources will definitely be required.

Meitec engineers have continued to answer to the expectations of customers, through involvement in various industries and business types, and in the design and development domains of numerous product genres. With our "Technological Strength" X "Human Strength" = "Total Strength"(with approximately 7,000 personnel), I am confident that we can continue to contribute to future innovations in Japanese manufacturing.

In order for you as Meitec engineers to seize opportunities to become involved in exciting design and development activities yourselves, I would like you to turn your attention towards new and ever-changing technology trends. I also want you to continue to refine your own technological strength, with the spirit of challenge in approaching new areas of technology; in order to increase your own competitiveness as individual engineering professionals.