Page 103 - Packaging News Magazine Nov-Dec2020
P. 103

                   PROFILE | PKN 60 YEARS SPECIAL
103
 SMC Australia
             In the Japanese culture, 60 is a significant milestone and an occasion for festivities. It is customary to celebrate what is known as Kanreki. The tradition symbolises
rebirth and marks having completed the full 60 year cycle of the lunar calendar. The anniver- sary is a time to renew connections and look ahead to the next stage of life. PKN has been part of the SMC Corporation journey since the beginning and is an intrinsic part of the SMC history and our success.
SMC Corporation celebrated its own Kanreki in 2019. The company has a rich his- tory, growing from humble beginnings in Tokyo to a global powerhouse in automation and pneumatics, and was listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange in 1989.
Wayne Driver, managing director of SMC Australia and New Zealand, says that the close involvement over the years of the company founder, Mr. Yoshiyuki Takada gives one an indication of the real passion the people at SMC have for what they do. “There is a drive and dedication which makes them feel – ‘the job is never done!’ There is always room to improve and keep evolving.”
It is this kind of innovation and search for continuous improvement that has seen SMC voted for three consecutive years as one of the most innovative global companies by lead- ing business magazine, Forbes. The company is also listed in the Forbes Global 2000 as one of the world’s largest public companies.
SMC Australia was the first subsidiary out- side Japan and the start of the corporation’s international roll-out across the globe. Established in Australia in 1967, it became the blueprint for SMC offices across the world.
SMC Australia was the first subsidiary outside Japan and the start of the corporation’s international roll-out across the globe.”
SMC’s first office and manufacturing facility in Australia which was set up in Rydalmere.
Today SMC can be found in 83 countries, with nearly 21,000 employees globally. The com- pany offers 12,000 products in 700,000 varia- tions and this is always evolving.
The Australian operation was initially located in Petersham but relocated to Rydalmere to commence local manufacturing. However, by the 1980s the business required larger
premises, which prompted the acquisition of a property in Castle Hill. This remains the site of the Australian HQ today and now occupies 80,0000 square metres of land, housing manu- facturing, warehousing, engineering, sales, safety, and quality divisions and the adminis- trative head office.
Wayne has been involved with the business for 30 years. He earned his stripes through various roles, including a two year traineeship in Japan, a seven year stint as GM MD of New Zealand, and now he is MD heading up both the Australian and New Zealand operations.
Today SMC prides itself of having 40 per cent global market share and in excess of 50 per cent in Australia. “This is achieved because SMC is totally customer-centric. We believe that people buy from people and the whole reason we exist is to provide our customers with products and solutions which make their operations run more efficiently,” Wayne says.
“As a local manufacturer ourselves, we are passionate about supporting local manufactur- ing and helping our customers to remain com- petitive and operational, even in challenging times,” he says. SMC maintains a significant stockholding nationally across six warehouses, ensuring delivery of components and automa- tion solutions to a diverse customer base.
“SMC is more than pneumatics. We assist customers to get where they want to be in terms of their factory automation, digitisation goals, energy saving targets and ultimately lowering operating costs,” Wayne says.
“We are here to assure customers that we will walk the road with them every step of the way and for us it is always about partnerships.”
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