http://www.nitori.co.jp/en/
Vision/Mission
To provide a comfortable and fulfilling life to people all over the world.
1,000 stores, \1 trillion in sales by 2022; and 3,000 stores, \3 trillion in sales by 2032.
Business Description
A consistent system from planning, manufacturing and import to the sale of furniture and interior merchandise (home furnishing products) mainly in Japan.
We offer products that can be totally coordinated by our customers at affordable prices.
“Used 300 days out of 365 days by 80% of the general public” – this is our concept and around 90% of our products are PB (private brands).
Head office: Sapporo, Hokkaido. Headquarter: Kita-ward, Tokyo.
As of the end of August, 2015, we have 364 stores in Japan. Our stores are located in every prefecture, resulting in expanding dominant areas throughout Japan.
Store locations abroad: 21 stores in Taiwan, 5 stores in the US, and 5 stores in China. Global total: 395 stores.
Background
History
1967: Established in Sapporo, Hokkaido, by Akio Nitori, the current chairman.
1989: Listed on Sapporo Stock Exchange.
1995: Established a furniture factory in Indonesia (Medan).
2002: Listed on the first section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
2003: Reached 100 stores, \100 B. in sales.
2004: Established a furniture factory in Vietnam (Hanoi).
2007: Opened first overseas store in Taiwan.
2009: Reached 200 stores.
2011: Opened first “Deco Home” store, a home fashion format without any furniture.
2013: Reached 300 stores. And the first “Aki-Home” stores opened in Orange County, California.
2014: Opened first store in China (Wuhan).
2015: Opened store in Ginza, Tokyo (Printemps Ginza).
Group Companies
Nitori Holdings Co., Ltd: Operating holding company.
Nitori Co., Ltd: Manufacturing, import and sale of furniture and interior merchandise (home furnishing products).
Home Logistics Co., Ltd: Logistics.
Nitori Furniture Co., Ltd (Vietnam and Indonesia): Furniture manufacturing.
Nitori Facility Co., Ltd: Insurance sales.
Others: Two domestic companies, nine overseas companies.
Our uniqueness
We are expanding our business learning from the American chain stores, aiming to “offer the affluence of Western homes, like in Europe and the US, to the Japanese people.”
From 1979, we added curtains, rugs, beddings, tableware and etc. to our assortment of merchandise, becoming the pioneer of the Japanese home furnishing industry.
Today, furniture covers 42% and other home furnishing products cover 58% of our sales. Using self-product procurement and logistics independent from a wholesaler or trading company enables us to minimize the cost and lower the prices.
Products/Services
90% of the products are self-developed (private brands), enabling unique products, and high quality lower priced products.
Markets
As of the end of August, 2015, we have 364 stores in Japan, 21 stores in Taiwan, 5 stores in the US, and 5 stores in China: global total of 395 stores.
Logistics bases: 89 bases
Industry
Number one company in Japanese furniture and home furnishing industry in terms of number of stores, amount of sales, and market capitalization.
Location
Head office is located in Sapporo, Hokkaido, where Nitori was established.
Headquarters are located in Kita-ward, Tokyo, contributing to the speedy implementation of the group's business strategy.
Our head office and headquarters have stores in their establishments so that we can perceive the changes in the market.
Competitive Advantages
Covering manufacturing-to-sales by ourselves allows us to respond promptly to the changes in the market environment.
High ratio of private-branded products is the factor that avoids similar competition from rival companies.
Financial Projection
Planned sales for FY2015: \445 billion.
Speeding up store openings in downtown, the areas that were left untouched, and expansion of electronic commerce.
Speeding up store openings in China.
Reorganization of logistics bases and market penetration of external logistics sales: supersized distribution center to be established in Saitama, in 2018.
Expansion of self-manufacturing factory: Second factory to be established in Vietnam, in 2018.
Company Goals & Objectives
Target: 1,000 stores by 2022 (700 stores in Japan, 300 stores overseas).
Procedure
Improvement of product development capabilities: Approach to self-procurement of raw materials, other materials and parts.
Rebuilding efficient distribution network.
Construction of format for small trading areas in Japan.
Establishment of marketing and store opening formats in China and the US.
Securing and developing human resources regarding the above mentioned aims.
Management
Resolution of each department’s drafts by the Board of Directors, and audited by the Board of Auditors.
Important policy decisions are resolved in the general meetings of shareholders.
We have two external directors and three external auditors.
Employees
Japan: 21,636 employees, including 3,976 regular employees.
Taiwan: 399 employees, including 271 regular employees.
The US: 166 employees, including 66 regular employees.
China: 229 employees, including 205 regular employees.
Indonesia: 1,187 employees, including 1,184 regular employees.
Vietnam: 3,319 employees, including 3,315 regular employees.
Others (Malaysia, India, Thailand): 129 employees, including 119 regular employees.
*As of the end of July.
Highlights
1972: Founder and Chairman Akio Nitori visited the US for the first time.
1978: Joined “Pegasus Club”, the chain store study group sponsored by Shunichi Atsumi.
