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Tamura Corporation was founded as a small radio shop, the Tamura Radio Store, in the Tokyo town of Okubo Hyakunin-cho in 1924.
The founder of our company, Tokumatsu Tamura, was born in Matsue, Shimane Prefecture, in 1886. After graduating from high school, he became a newspaper reporter, but traveled to the United States of America alone at age 20 to pursue his interest in that nation's advanced science and technology. He possessed a true frontier spirit, working through the day and attending night school where he mastered mechanical engineering. On returning to Japan, Tokumatsu noticed the potential of radio in his home country, where broadcasting was still only at an experimental stage, and established the Tamura Radio Store.
Business first consisted mainly of sales, assembly and repair of foreign-made audio products and components, but the company soon succeeded in developing a transformer based on information obtained from overseas and set about developing and fabricating its own components. In 1939, Tamura Corporation was established, marking the transition from “town radio store” to “electronic components manufacturer.” At the time,Tokumatsu expressed the conviction that persists within Tamura even today: “We don't have to be a big corporation. But we must aim for world-class excellence in every single product we make.” |
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The advent of the postwar period of high economic growth signified a major turning point for Tamura. The first Japan-made transistor radio went on sale in 1955, spurring us to introduce ways to mass-produce components for consumer products, focusing on small-size transformers. It was a bold decision to make as up until that point we had mainly been conducting highly varied, low-volume production for government and other public offices. We knew, however, that a company could not survive without an identity and was constantly in need of effective ways to stay ahead of its competitors by having its strengths and unique qualities asserted. The market for televisions, tape recorders and other household electronic appliances grew rapidly, leading to a surge in demand for transformers. Introducing a mass production system early on enabled us to meet this swelling demand, establishing a foundation for future growth.
After I became President in 1960, we tried to modernize our corporate management. At the same time, we really began to diversify, branching out into a number of different business fields, including electro-chemical materials and information equipment. From the late 60s and early 70s we started expanding overseas, setting up production centers in locations such as Taiwan and Malaysia. Our reorganization of domestic and overseas operations continued as we sought to adapt to the emergence of new forms of electronics and changing market composition. Bases were established in US and European markets.
Even in those days, we were constantly concerned about adhering to the Tamura policy of being not “number one,” but the “one and only.” |
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While providing the best products in the world, Tokumatsu pursued the management ideal of rewarding employees with the best treatment in Japan. In addition to compensation, the company supported the development of employees in all manner of ways, for example creating opportunities for younger employees to study electrical engineering through evening classes.
Tamura advocates “establishing one's identity through work” as one of its Corporate Mottos. Nowadays a company, as well as the people working there, must radiate some sort of individuality in order to stay ahead of the competition. Employees need to do more than just drift through a day at work. We want them to act independently, take the initiative, and in doing so discover a sense of joy and meaning.
In our expansion overseas, too, our basic policy has been to entrust operations to local employees. I remember our first recruitment examination in Malaysia as though it was yesterday because I was amazed when almost 2,000 people applied for a total of 200 jobs. At first, overseas operations were continually trial-and-error affairs, as cultural differences and many other problems had to be overcome. But as I have tirelessly stated, real manufacturing is impossible if employees do not understand that the company they're working for belongs to them.
You could say that our efforts here at Tamura to foster personnel who are both interested in their work and able to act on their own initiative have helped the company in its ongoing quest to create new technological value. I believe there is a connection between corporate growth and employees' sense of fulfillment in their jobs. If employees find satisfaction in working for the company then it is only natural that company will grow. |
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Competition in our industry continues to intensify as various nations in Asia undergo rapid economic development. In order to survive, companies are under increasing pressure to establish themselves as entities that provide considerable value to society. The fulfillment of corporate social responsibility through environmental and other considerations that befit the day and age will undoubtedly grow in importance.
By constantly acknowledging the company's roots in contributing to society through the provision of products and technologies of exceptional quality, Tamura will continue to chart its way as “your one and only company.”
Interview conducted on June 15, 2007 |
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(C) TAMURA Corporation, All rights reserved. |
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