Vision/Mission
Through constant and close communication with growers at agricultural sites, we are always paying attention to growers’ needs and requests. Agro-Kanesho’s Sales & Technical Promotion staff provides not only knowledge and information regarding pests on agricultural produce, agrochemicals and their usage techniques, but also advice regarding agricultural business management. We exchange information concerning agricultural issues with growers to discover better solutions.
Business Description
Background
While demand for agrochemicals was ever increasing under the post-World War II governmental policy to increase food production, the supply of agrochemicals inevitably had to rely on imports and shortages of supply continued. Dishonest dealers took advantage of such a situation, selling fake agrochemicals.
Agro-Kanesho’s founder, who was furious about such dishonesty, was concerned that growers would suffer and eventually become extinct if such dishonest dealers were left unchallenged and decided to operate a business to handle agrochemicals to contribute in a significant way to growers, thereby initiating the Company.
The Company’s early business was promoted under a policy to import high-quality agrochemicals, which resulted in many offers from major manufacturers overseas. The Company was selling imported products as they were. However, if the Company continued selling imported products only, the founder thought that Agro-Kanesho would remain a mere importer. Later, the Research & Development Division and the Production Division were created to produce agrochemicals that the Company could develop on its own and deliver to growers. Furthermore, to disseminate and sell agrochemicals to growers, it was deemed critical to provide growers with technical guidance regarding the use of those agrochemicals. The Company therefore adopted the T (Technical)･C (Commercial)･A (Advisor) system of what was then Philips-Duphar B.V., a company in the Netherlands. Education was provided to nurture Technical Commercial Advisors (TCAs)—employees capable of technical promotion and sales activities and such TCAs were deployed at sales offices nationwide. This system has developed into the Company’s current Sales & Technical Promotion activities, which have been disseminated throughout Japan.
Products/Services
Agro-Kanesho’s product line consists of agrochemicals, home & garden use agrochemicals and special liquid fertilizers. Most of the Company’s products are used for horticultural fields such as fruits, vegetables and flowers.
Ratio of products by use (Consolidated sales)
Markets
Japan:
All around Japan.
Overseas:
All over the world (Resistrated countries for agrochemicals)
Industry
Production and sales of agrochemicals, agrochemicals for home & garden and fertilizers.
Location
Headquarters:
4-2-19, Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0052, Japan
6 branches and 9 sales offices in Japan
Overseas companies (Subsidiary):
Kanesho Soil Treatment SPRL/BVBA (Belgium)
AGRO-KANESHO KOREA CO., LTD. (Korea)
Overseas office:
AGRO-KANESHO Europe office (Germany)
Tokorozawa Research Center:
Simoyasumatu, Tokorozawa-city, Saitama-pref.
Yuki Research Center:
Yuki, Yuki-city, Ibaraki-pref.
Ibaraki Factory:
Yuki, Yuki-city, Ibaraki-pref.
Competitive Advantages
It is difficult to compete with large enterprises in terms of sales volume. However, the Company’s competitive edge is in niche and specialized markets.
Agro-Kanesho targets fruit and vegetable markets rather than field crops.
We pursue business in the soil treatment market in which the Company has a high market share and competitiveness.
We are focused on wholesaler/dealer channels rather than the ZEN-NOH channel.
Financial Projection
Net sales is 14.3 billion yen as of Dec. 31, 2016.
Company Goals & Objectives
In fiscal 2015, Agro-Kanesho formulated a three-year medium-term management plan for the period ending December 31, 2018, with target net sales of ¥17.1 billion and operating profit of ¥2.3 billion in 2018. In fiscal 2015, the Company also formulated a long-term management plan covering 10 years ending December 31, 2025. Net sales in the plan’s final year are planned to be ¥30.0 billion.
Management
President: Hironori Kushibiki
Senior Managing Director: Tomohiro Inoue
Managing Director: Norio Ichino
Directors:
Fumio Takaishi, Kiyoshi Kanase, Jun Goto, Yukinobu Kaibe
Outside Director:
Motoharu Fujikura, Hirokazu Iwasaki
Employees
Non-consolidated : 234 (as end of Dec.,2016)
Consolidated : 242 (as end of Dec.,2016)
Highlights
1951 Founded in Tokyo
1968 Launched Mogeton
1980 Launched Basamid
1999 Launched Kanemite
Established European Branch Office in Germany
2000 Listed on the second section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange
2003 Acquired global business right of Basamid & D-D from BASF
Established Kanesho Soil Treatment in Belgium, JV with Mitsui & Co.
2010 Launched Nemakick as a novel nematicide
2012 Purchased Yuki Research Center from Bayer CropScience
Opened AGRO-KANESHO KOREA
2013 Started up Ibaraki Factory in Yuki Research Center
2014 Upgraded to the first section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange as of Sep19
Purchased Pay-Off business from BASF
2016 Purchased OFF-Ⅱ business from BASF
