In this episode PBEC is joined by Father and Son President Yasuhiro Kunieda and Eita Kunieda of Suzuran Medical Inc a Japanese family business established for over180 years in the manufacturing of cotton products such as cotton bedding, sanitary, childcare, hygiene and cosmetic lines.
We talk to Eita about the challenges faced in their supply chains during covid, with majority of production taking place within Mainland China. Rising costs and shifts in consumer purchasing from in shops to online. How this has taken over bricks and mortar distribution in a short space of time. How the group is adjusting to tackle these changing trends but also climate change and reducing their carbon footprint in the processing of their products. Many exciting initiatives are shared and the groups future strategy in the region. A fascinating insight at first-hand with a leading manufacturer from Japan in their relevant field of cotton goods. This compliments are provided an example interview of the many that were conducted to reach our conclusions of the recently published PBEC Chartering a New Course in Asia Pacific trade report together with Monash University Malaysia and KPMG Int’l.