BUSINESS
ASNOVA's future is built on partnerships. The first "ASNOVA STATION Partners Association" was held.
ASNOVA is developing "ASNOVA STATION" to expand scaffolding rental services to areas where sales office and equipment center are out of reach. This means that ASNOVA's scaffolding materials can be rented to end users via partner companies. Companies that support this initiative are called "ASNOVA STATION Partners."
On Wednesday, February 7, 2024, the first ever ASNOVA STATION Partners Gathering was held at the Global Gate Convention Hall. The event was held to share the business's objectives and future visions and deepen ties between partner companies, and brought together 13 ASNOVA STATION partner companies from all over Japan, from Hokkaido to Okinawa. We look back on the friendly atmosphere of the event and share our impressions of the day and what we felt as partner companies, as told by partner companies Hayato Saito and Yoshihisa Ichikawa of Wakatobi Co., Ltd., and Hiroki Hasegawa of Yotsuya Co., Ltd.
Text: Sayaka Mitsuda
Photo: Sho Kobayashi
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- Hayato Saito
- Wakatobi Corporation. Representative Director. In Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture, the company is engaged in crane construction, rental and sale of temporary materials, painting and repair work of exterior walls and roofs, and material maintenance business.
- Yoshihisa Ichikawa
- Wakatobi Corporation. He serves as Managing Executive Officer and Business General Manager.
- Hiroki Hasegawa
- Yotsuya Corporation. Representative Director. In Kani City, Gifu Prefecture, we are engaged in temporary construction and scaffolding construction, cleaning of store buildings in high places, and installation of stages for entertainment related events.
A place for companies that share ASNOVA's vision to interact with each other
The goal of "ASNOVA STATION" is to create an environment where people can rent things "at any time, nearby, and with peace of mind." This is expected to revitalize local areas, bring new vitality to the industry, foster second careers, and promote sustainable initiatives.
We asked Hiroki Nakamura, Senior Manager of the STATION Division, about the background of the event.
Nakamura: We started our activities in October 2022, and in about a year, we have reached 10 partner companies. To mark this milestone, we held this event with the aim of strengthening our unity and deepening our bonds. We hope that our partner companies will be able to gain a renewed understanding of ASNOVA's efforts, while also enjoying connecting with like-minded partner companies.
We believe that the ASNOVA STATION business exists thanks to our partner companies, so we hope that this will be a meaningful time where we can respond thoroughly to your opinions.
Also, when I meet with you all like this, I feel a deep connection with each of you and the journey we have taken. I am very happy to have been able to connect with you through this relationship, and I hope that we can work together to tackle various social issues.
During the explanation of the background to the launch of ASNOVA STATION and the social significance of the business, the partner companies listened with serious expressions. In the Q&A session that followed, specific questions were asked, such as the high quality of the equipment center packaging method and the cost efficiency of material transportation, which was a valuable opportunity for ASNOVA to exchange opinions.
As part of the exchange, time was set aside for the exchange of business cards, and the partner companies enjoyed friendly conversation.
It's also an opportunity to reconsider the way our company operates. Supporting ASNOVA as a partner
Q. What made you decide to become a partner company of "ASNOVA STATION"?
Saito Hayato,Wakatobi Co., Ltd. (hereafter, company name and name omitted): When I heard about the project from ASNOVA, I intuitively thought, "This is something we have to do," and decided to join the project. Our own company had been working on the second careers of our craftsmen and training the next generation, and I thought that working with ASNOVA on the project would be beneficial for them as well.
It seems that our company was the first one to do so, and Nakamura-san was very grateful.
Hiroki Hasegawa of Yotsuya Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as company name and name omitted): I had met President Saito once before, and I thought that he had similar thoughts on work. I also had a sense of challenges in the second career of a craftsman, and my company had just had the opportunity to M&A scaffolding company in Hida Takayama, and the timing coincided with the story of ASNOVA STATION, so I decided to become a partner company with the feeling that I had no choice but to make a decision now.
Q. What was it like meeting other business owners?
Saito: Even though I have connections with other companies in the same industry within the prefecture, there are many companies outside the prefecture that I don't know and I don't have any opportunities to get to know them, so I was very happy. We talked candidly about the progress of our business and the difficulties we've faced.
Hasegawa: I also had very few opportunities to meet other business operators, so I was really looking forward to today. Our company only just joined the partnership in December 2023, so we still have a long way to go, and we were able to exchange various information with our senior business operators, which made for a very meaningful time.
Q. It has been a year since Wakatobi became a partner company. Please tell us how you feel now and the current state of the company.
Saito: Actually, I've been interested in the leasing business for about 20 years. It's a big deal that we've been able to do things that we couldn't do on our own scale by cooperating with ASNOVA.
In fact, it's been about a year, and I'm glad we did it. The added name value of ASNOVA has helped us promote ourselves, and if we had continued on the previous scale, we would have only been able to employ 2-3 craftsmen at the center, but now we can employ 7-8 people. We would like to eventually have a scale of more than 10 people, so we will continue to work hard.
Yoshihisa Ichikawa, Wakatobi Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as company name and name omitted): At first, we were in a state of fumbling, and we proceeded while exchanging opinions among employees. Since we are entrusted with ASNOVA's important scaffolding materials, we proceeded while exchanging opinions with the people in the field, such as how to manage the quantity and how to store it. As I did so, the awareness within the company changed, and I think my sense of responsibility became stronger than ever.
In addition, we have been packing scaffolding materials in our own way, but we learned a lot from watching ASNOVA's method. There were some things that I misunderstood as a good fit, so it was a good opportunity to review those basics.
Q. Yotsuya, you've only been with the company for a few months, but have you noticed any changes in your feelings or the situation of your company?
Hasegawa: Earlier this month, we were able to transfer some of our retired craftsmen to materials management.
Although it's still just one person, it was a big step for our company, and I hope that we will see more of this in the future.
I think that the level of awareness regarding rentals is also rising within our company. There is an excitement, and an atmosphere of "I'm going to work with even more motivation from now on."
Also, by establishing a new business pillar in rental, I think people feel that it is a company where they can work for a long time with peace of mind. I think that is because the "ASNOVA STATION" business is expected to be stable.
Q: What are your thoughts about the future?
Saito: First of all, I'm happy to have been chosen as an ASNOVA STATION partner, so I'll just do my best. With the help of ASNOVA, I'd like to see how far we can go beyond the framework of construction. I'd like to become the number one rental company in the local area.
Ichikawa: I hope we can partner with ASNOVA in various areas, not just rentals. For example, I think it would be interesting to cooperate more flexibly, taking advantage of our partnership, such as having our partner do things that ASNOVA can't do. I think it's a relationship where we can easily express our opinions to each other, so I hope we can create good results for both of us, rather than just benefiting from it.
Hasegawa: I think ASNOVA is a company that is at the forefront of the industry, such as its efforts to achieve the SDGs and the realization of a recycling-oriented society, so I hope that this kind of business will improve the image of the scaffolding industry. I would like to take this opportunity to get to know my other partners and do my best as one with those who sympathize with ASNOVA's thoughts.
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