President´s Interview
What are the thoughts of this company?
In order to answer these questions, Motoo Agario, President and Representative Director of Minebea, spoke about the company's management stance and its future in a question-and-answer format.
We hope you will get a sense of the "personality" of the company, which is difficult to convey from numbers or systems.
We support our customers' manufacturing with trade.
Let's share that pride together !
Interview with President Agario
- SEALS' Thoughts and History
What are some of the ideas that are important to you in your management?
I do not have a special motto. However, there is one attitude that I have always valued.
That is, "Change the 'impossible' into the 'possible'."
I am not good at getting around efficiently and dexterously, but I believe that by working seriously and taking on challenges without giving up, a path will open up for me. I believe that it is this attitude that we have built up that has led to the trust of our customers and has expanded the company SEALS to this point.
How did you develop your management approach?
It was not until I became president or a board member that I began to constantly think about what I wanted to do with the company as a whole.
What I became acutely aware of was the importance of building an organization. Rather than proceeding with the power of one person or a small number of people, we must delegate authority and set up a system that allows associates to move autonomously. Trust and credibility are essential for this. I have become constantly aware of how to move the organization forward while relying on the management philosophy.
As a business owner, what value do you want to leave behind for society?
Our Purpose is to "Support Japan and its manufacturing industry through trade." This phrase is not only our company's guiding principle, but also my own desire.
We contribute to society by encouraging our customers to take on new challenges and by connecting Japanese manufacturing with the world. For our employees, we are a company they can be proud of and a place where they can take on challenges with peace of mind. To continue to be such a company is the value I want to leave to society as a manager.
What issues did you want to solve when you started the company?
From the very beginning of our business, we have had a strong desire to create a system to support our customers' manufacturing.
Starting with logistics support, we have expanded into procurement, consulting, finance, and engineering, all as a result of our continuous response to customer feedback. We started from zero, but as we solved problems one by one, our business expanded, and before we knew it, SEALS had taken its current form.
How does your vision at the beginning of your business overlap with SEALS today?
We did not have a clear vision of completion in mind from the beginning. We have created a new system by listening to our customers' opinions, thinking in our own way, and repeatedly making decisions. I believe that the accumulation of these efforts has shaped SEALS into what it is today and led to its growth. Looking back, our business has expanded beyond what we had imagined, but at the root of this expansion has always been our desire to "serve our customers."
Beyond 20 Years of Milestone - Thoughts on Rebranding
Are there any events that shaped the company as it is today?
The experience of realizing a major capital investment while struggling to raise funds was a major turning point for SEALS.
In the process, I learned that "good arguments do not always produce good results. What is really important is to discuss how we can do it and move reality forward. This learning is still engraved in the core of our management and has become the way of thinking that supports the growth of SEALS.
Why did you rebrand at the time of your 20th anniversary?
As we celebrate our 20th anniversary, we wanted to look back on the progress we have made, and at the same time, we wanted to make a break to move on to the next stage of our history. We have gone through difficult times with Corona and the divestiture of the business, but it is precisely because we have overcome these difficulties that we need to give form to our philosophy once again and connect it to the future. The rebranding represents that determination.
What are your thoughts on the word "ReBorn" and the new logo?
ReBorn" represents our desire to "rebuild firmly from the foundation up and concretely embody our philosophy into the future. The fact that the new logo was created by all of our employees has a special meaning. The design, which is both strong and soft, represents the determination to survive amidst competition, and at the same time symbolizes the aspirations of each and every one of our employees.
What do you want SEALS to present to society through the rebranding?
We will continue to develop our business more deeply and widely under the purport of "Supporting Japan and its manufacturing industry through trade. We will continue to develop our business more deeply and widely. We will challenge new areas such as field engineering and trading, and aim to be the one and only. We want to be a company that makes society feel that they can trust SEALS with their business.
To the people who will create the future together
Who would you like to see at SEALS?
What I am looking for most is "brightness" and "hard work," not special talents.
SEALS offers an environment in which you can be active on the world stage. We welcome those who believe in their own potential and are willing to open up the future.
What role would you like your colleagues to play in creating SEALS in 5 or 10 years' time?
We want our colleagues at SEALS to become the world's best specialists and the world's best managers.
Of course, this will not happen immediately. However, as you continue to take on challenges, you will grow as a person. I believe that this growth will create the future of the company and give back to society.
What kind of future can you envision by joining SEALS?
SEALS is not a large company, but it has overseas offices and offers a diverse range of experiences.Through job rotations, you can hone your expertise from a variety of perspectives, and you can also experience overseas work and business trips. Because we are a small company, the scope of growth for each of us is large, and depending on the challenges you take on, you can greatly expand your future. We believe that your experience here will surely become an asset in your life.
