2018_4q_omron_e

25/45 Enhancing Total Solution Capabilities (ATCs)

Next, I would like to talk about our Automation Technology Centers (ATCs). We are investing to enhance our capability to provide value to our customers. We are specifically increasing and upgrading our sales and sales engineering resources as well as expanding our investments in ATCs globally. We believe the ATCs provide a forum for us to help our customers address major challenges. OMRON’s ATCs are equipped with our latest equipment to demonstrate how we can improve our customers’ productivity. We focus on first helping our customers visualize and identify specific issues, before making kaizen proposals. Virtually every day, OMRON engineers at each of the ATCs are conducting consultations for customers. As of FY2016, we had 8 ATCs. We added 9 in FY2017, mainly in North America. We plan to add another 18 in FY2018, bringing the total to 35.We are selecting locations that will maximize access to the 4 focus industries. The ATCs are an indispensable function for OMRON given our focus on making solutions-based proposals. We believe our ATCs have proven to be highly effective; as such, we have decided to dramatically grow the network over this 2-year period. We hope to further promote collaborative activities with our customers going forward and will work to enhance our ability to provide customers with attractive solutions and support.