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Kumar says , it ’ s about “ identified specific niches within these larger industries , where expertise built over the decades is needed ”. “ The best SMEs have established leading global positions in these critical components across many supply chains .” Shoei ’ s handcrafted hi-tech helmets with their ingenious satnav lens attachments and voice-controlled phones are now enjoying “ explosive sales growth ” in the US and Europe . Another example is Shima Seiki , which makes automated knitting machines . That company has perfected a “ whole garment machine ” whose software can convert a pattern into a complete piece of clothing in a single production run , saving time and manual labour and reducing the waste generated by stitching fabric pieces together . It ’ s a key advantage in the notoriously wasteful global apparel industry .
Vision for reinvention Another SME that has impressed Kumar is sportswear and accessories business Descente . To him , it ’ s a good example of a long-established business that had the vision to reinvent itself under new leadership and adapt to new market developments . The company has licences to sell European brands including Le Coq Sportif and Umbro in Asian countries such as Japan , South Korea and China . While domestic sports brands are still the favourite of Japanese customers , Descente has focused its efforts on China . “ The new management team has engineered a joint venture between Descente and one of China ’ s largest sporting goods companies , Anta Sports . Anta Sports is helping Descente expand its brand through its considerable reach across China and helping it with advertising and marketing as well .” Kumar recently returned from his first trip to Japan since the start of the pandemic , to recce and reconnect with the country ’ s SMEs . After two weeks in which he met roughly 40 companies , he is “ cautiously optimistic ” that their underlying strengths can resist macroeconomic conditions . And his main piece of advice
/ 20 / trustnet . com