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- Commendation Ceremony to be Held to Honor the Winners of the "Vibrant HABATAKU Small and Medium Enterprises 300 Program"
Commendation Ceremony to be Held to Honor the Winners of the "Vibrant HABATAKU Small and Medium Enterprises 300 Program"
March 13, 2024
The Small and Medium Enterprise Agency (SMEA) selected the winners of the Vibrant HABATAKU Small and Medium Enterprises 300 program. The selected SMEs are role models that are expected to not only take on business changes and new businesses to the needs of the transforming economic and social structures but also to contribute to the growth of both the regional economy and the Japanese economy. As part of this program, on March 14 (Thur.), 2024, SMEA will hold a commendation ceremony to honor the winners.
At the ceremony, Mr. Saito Ken, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, presented five representatives of the winners with a certificate of gratitude.
※HABATAKU：The "300 Small and Medium-Sized Businesses in Japan" program recognizes small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that are taking on the challenge of business innovation and new businesses in response to changes in economic and social structures, and that can be expected to contribute to the growth of the local and Japanese economies.
1. Outline of the ceremony
Date and time：March 14 (Thur.), 2024; 17:15 to 18:30
Venue：METI (Address: 1-3-1 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo)
2. Overview of the five representative winners
Category of Business Reconstruction and Productivity Improvement
Taking advantage of vegetables that do not meet standards, leading to the success in vitalizing the regional area and creating new added value
ISLE Co., Ltd. is a company engaging in the development, manufacturing, and sales of “Vegheet” series, edible sheets made of vegetables. Recognizing the current situation in which out-of-standard vegetables are left discarded, the company has conducted research and development on ways to utilize out-of-standard vegetables for more than 20 years, finally commercializing the products. As consumers inside and outside Japan have recognized the new value of the “Vegheet” series products, the company is expanding the business of the products.
Category of Overseas Business Development
Brushing-up of the company’s unique strong points by experiencing global competition with overseas companies, leading to the realization of growth
Yamamoto Manufacturing Inc. is a manufacturer exclusively for industrial washing machines. The company advanced the in-house development of its products and succeeded in in-house manufacturing of almost all of its products. This contributed to building a development and production system that meets users’ diverse needs, and this has established the company’s ability to smoothly supply replacement parts. As seen in the fact that overseas customers have evaluated the products by calling them “forever machines” as the customers can use them for a long time due to their durability and supply of replacement parts, the company is providing unique value to its customers.
Category of Green Transformation (GX)
Environment control taking advantage of energy saving, electrification, and carbon recycling, leading to the success in GX promotion
SEIWA Co., Ltd. is a manufacturer of equipment for horticultural facilities. Aiming to realize profitable agriculture, the company engages in the development of equipment for environment control inside greenhouses. It provides products that strike a balance between high production volume and enhanced efficiency in resource use and takes the initiative in technological development, e.g., energy saving, and the dissemination of smart agricultural technology across manufacturing floors.
Category of Digital Transformation (DX)
Provision of a digitally-enabled cloud service, leading to the success in the deployment of business to the distribution of agricultural products
VEGEKUL, Inc. is a fruit and vegetable wholesaler with its business base in Ota Ward, Tokyo, where the major road network is located, and running business upholding the goal of “Becoming Asia’s leading greengrocer.” The company advanced web-marketing and the use of IT tools, built an operation system for order receiving and placing, and advanced DX. This helped the company to realize a quick response to requests from customers.
Category of Investments in Human Resources and Environmental Improvement
Proactive employment of people with disabilities, contributing to the regional economy as a company willing to accept diverse human resources
MORITA Co., Ltd. is a company engaging in sales of industrial machinery, machine tools, and other equipment, and in product manufacturing of resin molded parts. In recent years, the company has been expanding its business to the field of aircraft and also started the direct business of car door mirrors with automobile manufacturers, showing the outstanding technical skills as its strong point. Moreover, based on the awareness that people with disabilities are those who have unique abilities, the company has been employing such people and providing them with opportunities to play a leading role, thereby achieving a contribution to the regional area as a company willing to accept diverse human resources.
The selection was strictly made by a committee of external experts led by Dr. Numagami Tsuyoshi, Director of the committee (Professor, Institute for Business and Finance, Waseda University), from among candidates respectively recommended by the following bodies: National Federation of Small Business Associations; The Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (including overseas Japanese chambers of commerce and Industry); Central Federation of Societies of Commerce and Industry; Japan Finance Corporation; The Shoko Chukin Bank, Ltd. ; Organization for Small & Medium Enterprises and Regional Innovation, JAPAN; Japan External Trade Organization; Japan International Cooperation Agency; Japan Bank for International Cooperation; The National Association of Shinkin Banks; National Central Society of Credit Cooperatives; National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology; and Regional Bureaus of Economy, Trade and Industry (including recommendations by Japanese embassies and consulates abroad).