The 115th Anniversary Ceremony of the NiKKi Fron Group

   

The 115th anniversary ceremony of the NiKKi Fron Group was held at the Saihoku-kan Hotel in Nagano City on April 15, 2011. During the ceremony, we expressed our deep appreciation to the past in order to move into the future with our renewed commitment, and a quest to take on new challenges.

   

Thanks to your help, we marked our 115th anniversary. Since 1896 when we started our business as a hemp wholesaler, we have been developing and shifting our business in various fields, consistently focusing on materials. We deeply appreciate your continuous help and assistance; without the efforts of great predecessors and those who have been supporting us, our current success could not have been achieved.

   

At the ceremony, Mr. Fumikatsu Tokiwa, the former chairman of Kao Corporation and the current chairman of the Japan Association of MONO Innovation, agave the kaynote lecture titled, "Monodzukuri-no-chikara: Mono, Hito, Tamashii-no-tsunagari," or "the powerof craftsmanship: the ties among things, human beings, and spirits." In his lecture, he shared his idea with us: we should see things through our eyes and our minds to make the move and step forward so that we can cope with changes of the times, and it is important for us to make new challenges without sticking to existing means. He also mentioned that monodzukuri needs not only technologies, but  also understanding. He said that some goods cannot be purchased, even if they are made in the spirit of monodzukuri, however, adding services to goods makes them better address the public needs.

   

His lecture and advice were extremely helpful to, and supportive of, us since we are a company that has been creating and taking on new challenges.

   

   

In addition, Kasuga, president of NiKKi Fron, made a presentation to summarize that 115-year history of  NiKKi Fron, and to show the new business models. In his presentation titled, "Atarashii-jidai-wo-kirihiraku NiKKi Fron Group-no-chosen," or "The challenges of the NiKKi Fron Group to create a new age," he explained the transition of the group over the past five years and the new business plan for the coming three years.

   

   

For the up-coming 120th anniversary, the NIKKi Fron Group is now conducting our business based upon the new structure of our company, where the management department has been enhanced, with a lot of advice from outside experts. While strengthening our existing business bases, we are also seeking to establish a new core business as a next generation company. We continue to carefully and vigorously move forward to establish and develop our unique and new businesses, only frounded in NiKKi Fron, with strengthning our original brands and our research and development, which have a long history of specializing in materials.

   

(From right)

*Mr. Atsushi Komiyama

The president of Matsusho Gakuen, the former president of Shinshu University; the heavyweight of education and human development, which is necessary for craftsmanship in Nagano Prefecture

*Kasuga, presidnet of NiKKi Fron

*Mr. Fumikatsu Tokiwa

The former chairman of Kao Corporation and the chairman of Japan Association of MONO Innovation; the heavyweight of craftsmanship in Japan

*Mr. Haruhiro Imizu

The president of the Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun LTD.