Chapter 5 (2006-2009) | HISTORY | 50 Years of Nidec Group | History

SCROLL

2006

INDEX

1973-1977

1978-1988

1989-2000

2001-2005

2006
2007
2008
2009

2010-2014

2015-2018

2019-2023

2006

Jan.

The company launches a work and production efficiency reform with the goal of eliminating overtime work by 2020.

Feb.

Nidec Automobile Motor (Zhejiang) Corp., a locally incorporated company, is established in China.

Jun.

Corporate Strategy Office, a department specializing in M&A, is newly established in the company.

Dec.

Nidec Motors & Actuators is established after the acquisition of the motor and actuator business of Valeo S.A., a French company.

2007

Feb.

The company acquires Singaporean company Brilliant Manufacturing Ltd.

Apr.

The company launches the UltraFlo Series, a new brand of cooling fans.

Nidec Acquires Japan Servo Co., Ltd. as a Subsidiary.

Japan Servo Company Building

Apr.

Nidec Adopts the Corporate Slogan “All for Dreams.”

All For Dreams

Nov.

Gliders equipped with Nidec motors participate in the Japan Radio Control Power Glider Championship (F5B) for the first time, and dominate the top three places.

2008

Apr.

CSR Promotion Office is established, and the Office establishes a CSR Charter.

Dec.

Tottori Technical Center merges with Shiga Technical Center.

2009

Jan.

Nidec Launches the “WPR (Double Profit Ratio Project)” Campaign.

WPR

May

Nagano Technical Center Is Relocated to Komagane and the New Building Opens.

Nagano Technical Center

Sep.

Nidec Techno Motor Holdings Corporation is established, and Nidec Shibaura Corporation and Nidec Power Motor Corporation are placed under its management.

Nov.

Shiga Technical Center opens its new main building.

Go to Chapter 6 (2010-2014)

Nidec Acquires Japan Servo Co., Ltd. as a Subsidiary.

In April 2007, Japan Servo Co., Ltd., a company listed on the Second Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, became a consolidated subsidiary after Nidec completed a tender offer (TOB) for the company. The company, a subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., had been producing a variety of small motors, including servo motors that are indispensable for controlling robots and other equipment, but had posted losses for two consecutive fiscal years since the fiscal year ended March 31, 2006. Nagamori embarked on a restructuring plan, saying, “We are going to work on this as if it were the culmination of our restructuring efforts to date.” He visited the company every week to talk with employees, checked each workplace to ascertain the current situation, and explored the reasons for the poor performance in order to formulate and implement measures to deal with the situation. In addition, a cost-cutting department was established to instill cost-consciousness. As a result of these efforts, the company returned to profitability without having to restructure, and one year later, in the fiscal year ended March 2008, it achieved record profits for the first time in 24 fiscal years and changed its name to Nidec Servo Corporation (now Nidec Advanced Motor Corporation) in October of the same year.

Nidec Adopts the Corporate Slogan “All for Dreams.”

In June 2006, the company established the Corporate Strategy Office as a department specializing in M&A, and strengthened its foundation for global expansion with the acquisition of the motor and actuator business of Valeo S.A. of France (2006) and Brilliant Manufacturing Ltd. of Singapore (2007).

In order to unite the Nidec Group’s ever-expanding group companies, on April 1, 2007 it established the corporate slogan “All for dreams” along with its Corporate Statement. Nidec reaffirmed that all group employees in Japan and overseas will work together to enhance corporate value and create a structure that will enable it to overcome the competition, and that the group will always pursue challenges, growth, and strength, and develop corporate activities for the sake of the dreams of its stakeholders.

Nidec Launches the “WPR (Double Profit Ratio Project)” Campaign.

In September 2008, a once in a century recession hit companies around the world, triggered by the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers, Inc. The effects of this recession began to be felt in the company in the second half of fiscal 2008, and most of its divisions experienced a rapid downturn in business performance.

In response to this situation, Nagamori launched the Double Profit Ratio (WPR) campaign in January 2009. The goal was to remain profitable even when sales were half of their peak level, to reach the original profit ratio when sales recovered by 75%, and to double the peak profit ratio when sales recovered to their peak level. He personally drafted a manual containing his management philosophy and specific methods for making improvements, and distributed it to all managers to instill his philosophy and ensure that improvements were thoroughly implemented. The effects were immediately apparent, and in fiscal 2009, the company’s performance had improved. Since then, the company has continued to launch WPR campaigns each time it faces a crisis, with successful results.

Nagano Technical Center Is Relocated to Komagane and the New Building Opens.

In May 2009, the Nagano Technical Center was relocated and expanded. This center was established in April 1997 as a development hub for spindle motors for HDDs, the company’s mainstay product, following the absorption of Nidec’s subsidiary Nagano Nidec Corporation (formerly Sankyo Seiki Mfg. Co., Ltd.). The facility was previously located in Tagiri, Iijimamachi, in the city of Komagane, but in 2009 it was relocated and expanded along the Chuo Expressway in Akaho Nakayamahara, also in Komagane, a more convenient location. The site area is approximately 16,800 m², almost double the size of the previous center. It is a two-story reinforced concrete building with one basement level, equipped with one of the largest clean rooms in Japan, and is capable of performing everything from basic research to prototype development in response to the needs of HDD manufacturers. The company employed approximately 280 people at the time of its establishment, but has hired 50 to 70 new employees each year, mainly engineers and researchers, in anticipation of growing demand.

Relaunching M&A and Development of Growth Strategy under Adversity

2006

2007

2008

2009

Nidec Acquires Japan Servo Co., Ltd. as a Subsidiary.

Nidec Adopts the Corporate Slogan “All for Dreams.”

Nidec Launches the “WPR (Double Profit Ratio Project)” Campaign.

Nagano Technical Center Is Relocated to Komagane and the New Building Opens.

Relaunching M&A and
Development of Growth Strategy
under Adversity