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Cos moIns t r ume nt sA GLOBAL EV PARTNER

T

he world’s third-largest economy, Japan is a huge success story, withan affluent and stable domestic market and a range of world-leading
multinationals testament to its strengths as a home to business.
Japan’s success has been built on its high-value manufacturing,with value-added industry accounting for around 20% of GDP, according
to the World Bank.
The country’s reputation for high-quality manufacturing is founded onrigorous standards, upheld by companies such as Cosmo Instruments, aglobal leader in air leak and flow testing.
“Our philosophy is to accompany the client as much as possible, so thatthey can contribute to society,” says Tomoyuki Furuse, Cosmo Instruments’president. “It is a mutual partnership between the client, society and us.”As the market for electrical vehicles grows, Cosmo sees growing opportunities to support international partners in the segment. Not only is there
a commercial opportunity; the company is committed to supporting thedevelopment of a better society, and the cultivation of a greener businessecosystem. As the EV sector evolves, Furuse sees his company building
its presence in the after-sales market, working with original equipment
manufacturers from around the world. It can build on a long history ofworking with some of the world’s leading automakers, including Toyotaand Hyundai.
“We value and support our clients’ products and their commitment toAnds
Cor porat ion
A SKINCARE INNOVATOR

P

rivate consumption and investment have led the way in Japan’s robust
economic recovery from the global recession of 2020, according to theInternational Monetary Fund, which forecast that the country’s current
account is expected to achieve a 2.9% surplus in 2023.
The Fund noted that “industrial production recovered strongly” in the summerof 2022 – vitally important as manufacturing is a key element in propelling thecountry to its position as the world’s third-largest economy. Cosmetics producer
Ands Corporation is a proud standard-bearer in its sector, epitomising Japanesemanufacturers’ model of innovation, consumer-focus, and rigorous product testing.
“We have unique, top-quality skincare technology,” says Ands Corporationpresident Masayoshi Yamada. “Six years ago, we decided that in order to survive asa company, that sells high-functional products, we need to be able to prove it. Our
unique evaluation test enables relative evaluation of skin care functionality, which
enhances our competitive edge.”
The company started as a contract manufacturer, but is now an “ODM”, that is,manufacturing its own products. Ands Corporation’s 3D skin product model is abreakthrough in the industry, allowing benchmarking of how effective products
are. It can be used to test functionality requested by partners/clients.
Until twelve years ago, Ands charted a stable but somewhat inward-looking
course; but then the company started thinking more radically, and shifting thecorporate mindset towards more dynamic long-term growth as its starting point.
This entailed a renewed focus on customers and employees, as well as enhancing marketing strategy and technology – the latter being of primary importancequality,” says Furuse. “We are acompany which gives back tosociety, and we are satisfied when
we see our clients’ products succeeding.”
Cosmo is a proud familybusiness, having been started by
Furuse’s father in 1970; Furusesenior took a hands-on approach,known as “gemba” in Japanese –Tomoyuki Furuse
that is, on the spot, ensuring thatPresident
there was sufficient manpowerand capacity to deliver. Fifty years
on, ensuring quality is still at theheart of the business. Tomoyuki Furuse emphasises his company’s “holocracy”, which gives autonomy to department heads and other employees,
while allowing swift decision-making. The model has proved successful– Cosmo has a presence in 13 countries, with 24 sales and service centres.
The company’s international presence has long roots, dating back tointernational expansion in the 1980s, when it started establishing service
centres around the world, including in the US. Throughout, it can relyon the strengths of its home market – one of the world’s most innovative
economies.
“Japan’s brand deserves to be on the global stage,” says Furuse.
“Although Japan is a market with a declining population, we have manysmall- and medium-sized family businesses with good purposes and excellent technologies and resources here in Japan.
I would like to see these Japanese businesses use their strengths to play
an active role and succeed in the world. We already have resources, weembrace new technologies, but we have the foundation - that makes thedifference.”

to customers. Importantly, it also
embraced a shift to a more global
mindset.
Ands’s evidence-based
approach has strengthened its
global competitiveness, and puts
it in an enviable position vis-à-vis
international partners. The company
is open to forging future partnerships based on strategic fit.
“We’re in a unique position toMasayoshi Yamadaprove our technology, and can supPresident
ply our brand,” says Yamada. Since
we can create a brand concept sothat we can propose consistent
formulation development from design. There are a lot of different ways in which wecan form partnerships. We are developing our own ODM, and we are in a uniqueposition to approach companies that want to quantitatively confirm the functionality of prescriptions that want to build brand concepts, and make benchmarks andrelative comparisons.
We have the know-how to prove high performance formulas, and that makes
us a great partner.”Ands Corporation has invested heavily in its manufacturing capacity as it looks
globally. Yamada says that skincare products are judged on three criteria: functionality, safety, and how they are perceived. On each, Ands performs strongly. The
company has an intimate understanding of what consumers want, and places anemphasis on functionality and filling the crucial mid-price range and above.
In addition, lip balm cream top-class production volume in Japan.
Skincare technology is particularly advanced in Japan, with Japanese companies winning multiple awards in the field. These successes underline the country’s
approach to business.
“Doing business with Japanese partners is very easy,” says Yamada. “Japanesetechnology is very high quality, and businesspeople are honest. We have a uniquevalue proposition.”