[Circular Economy Project Dialogue Vol. 1] The First Step Toward a Circular Society. ASNOVA’s Vision for a Sustainable Growth Curve
- Circular Economy
- Circular Business
- circular economy
- New Project
BUSINESS
A place for challenge and growth. ASNOVA's human resource development as seen in the opening of Gifu Tajimi Center
ASNOVA is opening equipment center one after another all over the country.
The opening of this new equipment center not only aims to contribute to the local community and promote the sustainable growth of the organization, but also plays a role in human resource development and career development.
This time, we spoke to Mr. Hirotsugu Uchida, who is the head of the Chubu Area Manager and also serves as the center manager manager at Gifu Tajimi Center, the company's first company base in Gifu Prefecture, about the background to the store's opening and the details of its human resource development.
Text: Sayaka Mitsuda
Photo: Sho Kobayashi
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PROIFILE
- Hirotsugu Uchida
- Area Manager of Equipment Management Department at ASNOVA Co., Ltd. While also serving as center manager of the new equipment center, as qrea manager of the Chubu area he is responsible for the management of equipment center throughout the area.
Accumulating failures and challenges leads to the development of new candidates for center manager
Q. Please tell us the background to the opening of Gifu Tajimi Center and the characteristics of the Chubu area.
Uchida: We opened Gifu Tajimi Center in March 2024. Until now, there has not been an ASNOVA directly managed equipment center in Gifu Prefecture, so we expect that this will improve accessibility, especially for customers in areas east of Tajimi City.
In addition, since there are few competing companies in the vicinity, we believe that we can make a significant contribution to acquiring new customers in the Minami Shinshu area of Nagano Prefecture. As for regional characteristics, customers from Aichi Ichinomiya Center and Aichi Miyoshi Center have been dispersed to Gifu Tajimi Center, which has not only alleviated the business pressure at the existing centers, but also made things more convenient for customers.
Q. Please tell us about human resource development at Gifu Tajimi Center.
Uchida: I tell my employees to try anything, even if it means they might fail. In fact, I want to encourage them to make small mistakes. Otherwise, no one will try anything. As a company, we value this kind of corporate culture.
For example, ideas that lead to improvements in business operations, business efficiency, safety measures, and customer evaluations are proactively proposed. Taking on challenges without fear of failure is a good experience, and I think that accumulating such experiences will also lead to growth.
Enjoy the challenge. Human resource development supports the growth of the company.
Q. What is important to you as center manager?
Uchida: I will continue to take on new challenges as area manager and center manager. As center manager, I can produce the center by creating its characteristics while looking at the regional characteristics and thinking about how to improve the center's operations. I hope that by finding my job rewarding and enjoying it, my employees will also become interested in the job of center manager.
Q. What will be the role of center manager of ASNOVA's equipment center in the future?
Uchida: At ASNOVA, we want to develop human resources who can manage centers that can contribute to the local community and our customers. In particular, as we continue to open new stores, it is becoming increasingly urgent to develop people in charge of managing each center.
At Saitama Hasuda Center, one of ASNOVA's equipment center, we conduct center manager management training. Center manager management training involves directly visiting the environments of other centers, where employees can learn about on-site operations and yard maintenance, providing an easy-to-learn environment for employees aiming to become center manager. Another advantage is that the unification of the education system allows for standardization of the "quality" of center manager.
Furthermore, we are working to improve the environment at the center through the "Comfortable Project," a system in which employees themselves propose and create rewarding working environments, and through the promotion of operational efficiency through digitalization, with the aim of making the center work itself rewarding.
Anyone can have a chance, even if they are young, as long as they have experience, motivation, and are willing to accept advice. I hope that as we develop excellent center manager, they will become people who support the growth of ASNOVA.
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