highlighted the background of IRIS OHYAMA and IRIS Korea¡¯s continued growth, as well as its vision, social responsibility, and community contribution activities as a global corporation.
left = Kentaro Ohyama, right = Akihiro Ohyama
Iris Group, a global manufacturing corporation,
Expanding business beyond home appliances and household goods
IRIS GROUP has established a 10-factories system in Japan that allows same-day delivery within a 300-kilometer radius. The Dalian (ÓÞÖ§) plant, the mother factory of IRIS Group, was established as a domestic base in China with several plants within the country and completed the Tianjin (ô¸òÐ) plant in 2021. In addition, a factory was completed in Pennsylvania, further strengthening the foundation for continuous production. Also in Europe, a French factory was completed in 2019 following the existing Dutch factory. On March 11, 2011, a plant in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, where IRIS Group is headquartered, was severely damaged by the Great East Japan Earthquake. Seeing a lot of support arriving in disaster areas from all over Japan, Iris Ohyama sought to change its management style. Under the slogan of the so-called ¡®Japan Solution,¡¯ a company representing disaster-stricken areas has begun a new business that solves various challenges Japan has. These days, IRIS Group is making meaningful results by entering into various fields such as LED lighting, rice refining, home appliances, mask, robotics, and air solution businesses.
Akihiro Ohyama, CEO of IRIS OHAYAMA, states that ¡°After suffering from a power shortage due to the Great East Japan Earthquake, we thought energy saving would be a big challenge for Japan, so we realized that the production system of LED lights. The ¡®Rice Refining Business¡¯ is striving to support an agricultural revival in disaster-stricken areas by expanding rice consumption based on the simple, convenient, and delicious by utilizing its own low-temperature recipe. The ¡°home appliance business¡± is contributing to the creation of demand for new home appliances in Osaka, based on the employment of skillful human resources. The ¡®mask businesses¡¯ has started producing masks in Japan along with China due to the pandemic situation and started local production of masks in the United States, France, and Korea. In addition, to resolve the shortage of manpower and respond to the demand for non-contact demand, it has launched a ¡°robotics business¡±. In May 2022, the Air Solution Project was started to address major problems in the current society such as infectious diseases. Japan"s first independent ion generation technology, aims to sterilize and clean surfaces such as floors and furniture as well as sterilize spaces in buildings by generating ions that survive for a long time. Also, it tries to provide a safe space by having a high effect on aerosol and contact infections."
In 2018, Ohyama"s eldest son, Akihiro Ohyama, became the CEO of IRIS OHYAMA. Chairman Kentaro Ohyama said, "We are looking forward to expanding our business by switching to online sales. Based on Akihiro¡¯s experience in overseeing overseas business, we are expecting him to strengthen global business capabilities and contribute to society from a new point of view."
Gain deep trust with the idea of
¡®User In¡¯ to relieve inconvenience from the perspective of consumers
During global financial and economic downturns such as global inflation, it is inevitable to reestablish a management marketing strategy for the survival of corporations. Thus, IRIS is releasing more than 1,000 new products every year, rapidly commercializing products that consumers need, increasing cost-effectiveness, and resulting in constant sales growth at the same time. Kentaro Ohyama said that ¡°the purpose of the corporation is to survive forever and establish a structure that can make profits in any environment of the times." This one sentence, specified in Article 1 of Iris Ohyama"s corporate ideology, deeply reflects the experience of the oil shock and contains the entrepreneurial spirit"s strong will to continue to make profits in the recession, not only during the economic boom.
Akihiro Ohyama, CEO of IRIS OHYAMA, claims that "Currently, Iris Group has developed more than 1,000 new products a year and is developing a wide production line for producing more than 25,000 products. We are making products with ideas that relieve inconvenience found in our daily lives. ¡®Product Out¡¯ is also developing new products with the idea of "User In". The idea of ¡®User In¡¯ is the ideology of Iris Group, and it is to create a product that solves inconvenience from the perspective of consumers. It does not just mean product development but aims to develop a society where consumers can live with confidence. With this user-in idea, we keep creating demand and reinventing the market by reducing unnecessary distribution processes in manufacturing and wholesale areas, such as manufacturing and distribution. The world"s first clear storage case and products that relieve inconvenience in life range from home appliances, LED lighting, food, and storage supplies. The "speed development method" is introduced in the background of such a wide range of production. At the New Product Development Conference held every Monday, all department heads related to the new product share information for improvement. The management is speeding up the development through simultaneously running together toward the goal of commercialization."
IRIS KOREA, establishing a stable supply system
by founding an automation production plant in Incheon
IRIS KOREA CO. (LTD) was founded in June 1988 in Insa-dong, Seoul, South Korea. In 2003, it established a distribution center in Gunpo and served as a logistics hub for wood furniture and interior goods produced by Iris Group"s Dalian plant in China. Along with the recent increasing trend in online sales, IRIS Korea"s sales are expected to be rise continuously.
In March 2017, Incheon Mayor named Jeong Bok Yoo visited IRIS OHYAMA"s Japanese headquarters in person and signed a letter of intent to attract investment. In June, Chairman Kentaro Ohyama visited Incheon and signed an MOU, and decided to build an IRIS Korea manufacturing facility in Songdo, Incheon. When IRIS OHYAMA, Japan"s largest household goods company, decided to invest in Korea, Yoo sent a congratulatory message, saying, "Chairman Kentaro Ohyama, a Korean-Japanese, is at the top of Japan in a manufacturing area, and IRIS Korea also hopes to take advantage of Incheon"s outstanding position." In 2019, IRIS Korea, which is preparing for the expansion of the home appliance business by completing the Incheon production plant with automation techniques, will be able to further strengthen its online shopping mall system through the two facilities: Gunpo Logistics Center and Incheon Plant. In addition, by creating an automatic warehouse that can accommodate 26,560 pallets, it is focusing on online shops and solidifying a supply system that responds to the needs of various customers.
picture = Amimoto Mitsuhiko IRIS KOREA Representative Executive President
Amimoto Mitsuhiko, CEO of IRIS Korea, stated, "IRIS Korea is selling E-Commerce, a large retail chain, focusing on plastic storage supplies, small home appliances, KF-certified masks, and B2C sales. From the idea of having a plant in the distribution center, we have a manufacturing line to meet various needs in Korea. In plastic manufacturing, the automation of production lines using robots is implemented. By creating a system that can change the line flexibly, we quickly make high-quality products. Products that automatically take place from production to packaging for 70% of the total, and we will set a price that will satisfy our customers more. And our company designed the mold to reduce transportation costs based on production efficiency. In addition, KF-certified masks, the main products, that satisfy all domestic certification standards, can be produced more than 250 million sheets a year. In the future, we will continue to supply high-quality masks through a production system that can produce them stably."
Taking a step toward Korean consumers
through Corporate Social Responsibility and Contribution
IRIS Korea is also paying attention to various activities for community contribution by emphasizing corporate social responsibility through IRIS Group"s management philosophy ¡®User In¡¯. IRIS Korea participated in sharing for low-income families. Also, they donated daily household items to the Miral Welfare Foundation, and masks to children"s welfare facilities and the Seoul Homeless Facility Association. It also provides pet supplies to abandoned animal shelters and delivers circulators to victims of typhoons, showing warmth to the local community.
IRIS Korea explained it will focus on the B2C-based household goods business that can satisfy Korean consumers but will also actively participate in the B2C and B2G business areas to become a central part of the Korean economy. To this end, Amimoto Mitsuhiko, CEO of IRIS Korea, invited officials from Incheon Metropolitan City to the company to explain the business directions and goals. In addition, they discussed ways of joint projects that can contribute to the Korean economy as well as establishing a wide-ranging network with the Incheon Metropolitan Government and the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority.
At the meeting, Mitsuhiko Amimoto said, "IRIS Korea is seeking to develop into a local corporation that contributes more to Korea by inheriting the management philosophy of its founder Kentaro Ohyama. I would like to thank the Incheon Metropolitan Government and the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority for administratively cooperating with IRIS Korea to settle well in Songdo, the international city." Jun Ho Jeon, special advisor for external cooperation said "The appointment of Amimoto Mitsuhiko will be a turning point in time for the new era of global IRIS Group, and we deeply appreciate the investment in Incheon City last time, and we will have deep sympathy and interest in the project that Amimoto Mitsuhiko is planning,".
As such, IRIS Group, which wants to take a step closer to Korean consumers through efforts for the economic and social development of Korea, is looking forward to a new leap forward. Finally, Amimoto Mitsuhiko, CEO of IRIS Korea, delivers a New Year"s greeting and pledge to the readers of Weekly People.
Amimoto Mitsuhiko, CEO of IRIS Korea, said, "Last year, the economy was very difficult due to global inflation, exchange rate fluctuations, and changes in consumer trends. If management judgment is delayed, it will be left behind by economic change. Since we cannot grow without active management, we are going to solve the management challenges through connection with the headquarters. Also, through the global vision, I hope all the executives and employees of IRIS Korea will become one and overcome these difficulties. This year marks IRIS Korea"s 35th anniversary. It has a long history, but I don"t think I"ve told Koreans the merits of IRIS Group yet. The strength of IRIS Group is user-in management, and we maintained our ideology. We can continue to solve people"s difficulties and change their lives to abundance. We are sure that IRIS can contribute to the region and society by responding quickly to changes in the times and making the future better. This year, we plan to move forward with IRIS Korea"s products so that Korean consumers can have a more comfortable life. Please keep watching IRIS Group and IRIS Korea¡¯s progress. I wish you a happy new year. Thank you."
Photos, Provided by IRIS Group (IRIS GROUP)
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