Hiroyuki Konuma, SATO's New CEO, Shares his Thoughts on his First Day

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Our New CEO Shares his Thoughts on his First Day

As previously announced, I was appointed president and CEO of SATO Holdings Corporation, effective 1 April 2023.

The SATO Group streamlines business processes through "tagging," by linking people and things with identification technologies. Since the launch of the hand labeler in 1962, we have consistently been involved in helping our customers identify and track things using tagging methods of the times — from price tags to barcodes and two-dimensional codes, RFID and real-time location systems.

Tagging is not something we do sitting behind a desk. We have to consider the best media in accordance with the material and shape and size of the object we need to track, and then determine how to attach the identifier or the information transmitter. We need to consider how to read the information within the on-site operation, and when to send the data to IT systems.

At SATO, our strength lies in our ability to provide optimal solutions combining printers, labels, technologies, and add-on services. We do this with a deep understanding of our customers' worksite operations, from retail to manufacturing, food, logistics, and health care.

The solutions we build for individual pain points help us develop solutions for industries and society as a whole, addressing growing global concerns such as labour shortages, food and health security and environmental degradation. With technological advances, we can create ever more data points via tagging, beyond just simple attributes to real-time location, temperature and other conditions. I want us to be an organization that is always essential in an ever-changing world by adding value through our expertise in tagging across multiple sectors and industries.

In SATO, we have a precept: “Rejoice in change.” Looking ahead to our 100th anniversary in 2040, I want our employees to think independently and take the initiative to drive innovation continually. To realise our potential, I will foster a corporate culture where initiating changes and taking challenges are more welcomed than ever, and employees can feel fulfilled in their work.

I am grateful for all your continued support as we co-create a better world.