Ron Gifford's (boringly titled) Blog

Chances are that you've probably never heard of SMC Corporation, or if you have, you probably don't know much  about the company. So you might wonder why four of us spent half a day calling on SMC's executive leadership in Tokyo.

Let me tell you something: it was time well spent. 

First, a bit of background on the company: SMC is a $6 billion enterprise; founded 50 years ago in Japan, it now has 320 subsidiaries and affiliates in 50 countries around the world. The company is the world leader in pneumatic control technology -- high tech devices increasingly found in the automotive sector, medical diagnostic equipment, food processors, machine tools and thousands of other places.

While SMC has been in the Indianapolis area since the 1970's, the company broke ground three years ago in Noblesville to establish its North American headquarters, also known as the U.S. Technical Center.  The facility employs 130 engineers and numerous support personnel in an 800,000 square foot facility just off Exit 10 in Noblesville.

So that's why four of us -- Noblesville Mayor John Ditslear, city Economic Development director Kevin Kelly, Theresa Kulczak of the Japan America Society of Indiana, and me -- paid a courtesy call on SMC Chairman Yoshiyuki Takada, President Katsunori Maruyama, and Executive Managing Director Ikuji Usui at SMC's corporate headquarters in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo.

Mr. Takada founded the company 50 years ago; a distinguished and soft-spoken man, he's exactly who you'd expect central casting to cast as the senior executive of a leading Japanese company. His trip to the Noblesville facility groundbreaking three years ago was his last visit to the continental U.S., although we did learn he loves to take golf vacations on Oahu.  

The meeting went great, just about as you'd expect. Mayor Ditslear did an excellent job expressing the community's appreciation for the company's presence, and offered to be of additional assistance in helping the company grow and succeed. Through an interpreter, Mr. Takada expressed the company's thanks to the community for its support. Lots of small talk, pictures, hand shakes, etc.

And then the fun part began.

Our group piled into a company van and followed the execs to Zakura, a restaurant a couple miles away. Relieved of our shoes, we were ushered into a private tatami mat room to sit around the low table (fortunately, a leg well below the table meant we didn't have to sit cross-legged for two hours).

"Would you like Western-style food or traditional Japanese fare?" Takada-san asked.

Traditional Japanese style, we quickly replied. "How about a beer?" they asked.  Ah, yes: beer, the universal language. Didn't want to be rude and make our guests drink alone, so of course we said yes. 

And then the first dish appeared. The barbeque sauce nicely highlighted the rings of the octopus tentacles as they sat on the plates before us. For just a moment, I wondered if we might not have overstated our zeal for an authentic Japanese dining experience. But what the heck; there was no going back now. With a silent shout of "banzai!" I dove into the octopus with gusto.   Quite tasty, it turns out; tastes nothing at all like chicken, but was nonetheless very delectable.

Next up: a course of blowfish. Yes: the fish that can kill you if prepared improperly.  Hmm.  I made a quick risk assessment: Takada-san was going to eat the same thing as the rest of us. It would be very bad for business if the restaurant injured the chairman of a major Japanese corporation during lunch. So I figured they'd be careful. Turns out I was right. And guess what: the blowfish did kind of taste like chicken.

Two hours later we'd gone through sashimi (tuna and snapper); soba noodles with raw quail egg; spiced beef and vegetables; green tea ice cream and sherbet. More importantly, we'd spent two hours getting to know the top management of a growing company that has its eyes on additional opportunities around the world, any of which might bring more benefit to our region. Sitting on a half billion dollars in cash reserves and with an eye toward bargain shopping in this economy, SMC Corporation might well become much better known in our community in the coming years.

We concluded a wonderful meal with new friends, and made our way back to the company van.  Our parting image was of the distinguished Takada-san and his executive leadership team, lined up on the sidewalk, bowing as our minivan pulled away from the curb.  When was the last time you saw an American CEO do that after a business lunch with strangers?