Message from the President Feb.2007

I A newly published book will shortly be distributed to all employees. The title is When Professional Engineers Run and Jump--Ten Hurdles, published by Gentosha. The book was a collaborative effort between nine Meitec engineers, one engineer from Meitec Fielders, and the professional athlete Dai Tamesue. At first glance, it may not seem that engineers and athletes have anything in common, but when the value judgment of “professional” is factored in there are an amazing number of shared points, as a single read will reveal. The book has several aims. The first is to convey to as many people as possible the pride in their position and work felt by Meitec engineers and all employees. The second is to make the world even more aware of the unrivaled position of Meitec as an “organization of professionals.”

Beginning in the summer of last year, a number of legal violations were revealed in the manufacturing outsource industry, several of which were widely reported in the media. Meitec, of course, complies strictly with all laws, and our main business is engineer placement rather than manufacturing outsourcing. However, few people distinguish between outsourcing and personnel placement, or draw a clear line between manufacturing and technology development, and to the general observer they often appear to be the same industry. Given the nature of the relationship between Meitec and its clients, our stance toward compliance has won increasing appreciation, and we’ve received frequent requests to fill the vacancies left by the outsourcing and personnel placement firms charged with violations of the law. In terms of marketing, the impact has been positive for us, rather than negative. On the hiring front, however, we’re bracing for a major backlash, especially in the overheating new graduate market. I’m also concerned that Meitec Group employees may be viewed by their friends and relatives as being part of the same industry, and a similar company.


This year Meitec, as the leading company in the industry, is preparing for the establishment of a new industry organization. This effort aims to ensure the soundness of the entire industry. While outsourcing directed at the manufacturing industry has grown rapidly, areas exist that are still not yet mature, and some companies don’t comply with all laws. This situation not only diminishes the image of the entire industry, it’s also a huge loss for the manufacturing industry in general. The first step toward ensuring the soundness of the industry, I believe, is providing peace of mind and trustworthiness to its most important stakeholders, clients and employees. So long as clients are unsure which outsourcing company to use, the industry is unsound. So long as potential employees are uncertain which outsourcing company will respect their basic rights as workers, the industry is unsound. We hope to achieve a situation in which, where one of the outsourcing companies in this industry organization is concerned, clients and job seekers will be able to feel peace of mind, and trust the company. Repeated discussions have already been held among numerous publicly listed companies in the industry, and the organization’s approach is the same as our corporate philosophy of “mutual growth and prosperity.” It’s also my desire that through these efforts more people will realize that there are many engineers in this industry who take pride in being professionals.