30 Fastest Growing Companies in Asia 2019 30 Fastest Growing Companies in Asia 2019 | Page 9

third-party organizations, and we
also underwent customer audits
and have implemented corrective
measures. Also, in addition to asking
our business partners to abide
by the “RBA Code of Conduct,” we
continuously conduct compliance
surveys and provide feedback. We
obtained a “Silver” certification
from EcoVadis, a supply chain
CSR evaluation organization, in its
assessment of our initiatives with
regards to the environment, society,
ethics, and our supply chain.
What will you do for market
expansion? How do you
position the US in that?
We believe that the demand for
highly reliable precious metal
materials will continue to rise due
to increasing efforts to prevent
worst-case scenarios, such as the
highly accurate LIDAR technology,
considered a core technology
for automated cars, and the
highly integrated state-of-the-
art semiconductors found in IoT
devices. Even against this backdrop,
the United States is the most
important market. It has many global
manufacturers of consumer products
and many bases for the development
of cutting-edge technology. Going
forward, we will focus on the United
States as an industry-leading market
on a global scale for its aeronautical
and space development market,
where reliability is emphasized and
funds are plentiful; its automobile
industry, which is on the cusp of a
major technological turning point;
and its medical field, where demand
is anticipated for precious metal
materials for use in devices and
surgical tools.
As we are a producer of materials,
we would like to begin planning from
the initial stages of development. At
TANAKA Kikinzoku International
(America), we will establish a
marketing role in addition to its
function as a business location,
and we will propose effective
uses for precious metals for new
markets, including industry-
academia and venture
corporations, starting from
the new product idea stage.
We are also working on the
development of “precious
metal precursors for CVD/
ALD” for use in platinum,
iridium, and other thin
film formations to meet the
Isao HIRANO
market demand.
Director & Senior Corporate Officer
SR
Isao HIRANO, Director & Senior Corporate
Officer (Global Marketing / R&D Division)
of TANAKA Precious Metals
Isao Hirano first began working for the company
in the Sales Department. In 2001, he became manager
of the Seoul branch after which, in 2006, he became
head of the Western Japan Headquarters. Later, he was
appointed managing director for distributors while
he simultaneously was sales director for the entire
Asian region including the ASEAN region as head of
the Asian Sales Headquarters. Following positions
overseeing operations in the U.S. and Europe, in 2011 he
established the R&D-Marketing Division directly under
the leadership of the former president. He also held the
positions of Head Office managing director and division
chief. From 2012 he has been head of the Development
Division, overseeing unified management of both the
Marketing and Technology Divisions. Under the slogan
“Mastering Precious Metals,” we will actively work to tackle
environmental issues, energy policy, and environmental
pollution policy through research and development
focused on precious metals as well as business activities
that provide a stable supply thereof.
DECEMBER 2019
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