F-tech Inc. Business Report FY2012
Business Highlights
Financial Overview |
(in millions of JPY) |
FY ended Mar. 31, 2012 | FY ended Mar. 31, 2011 | Rate of Change (%) | Factors | |
Sales | 130,609 | 137,706 | (5.2) | -Performance in all areas was significantly lower year-on-year due to the impact that the Great East Japan Earthquake, the flooding in Thailand, and negative currency translation had on the Company's business. |
Operating income | 4,712 | 7,832 | (39.8) | |
Ordinary income | 4,342 | 7,362 | (41.0) | |
Net income | 1,657 | 3,050 | (45.7) |
Performance by Region
<Japan>-As a result of a recovery in Japan at the end of the fiscal year, there was an increase in new-vehicles produced by its customers, driven by the reintroduction of tax and sales incentives for eco-cars. The increase, however, was not enough to offset the larger negative impact that had already taken a toll on business, caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake, the flooding in Thailand, the decrease in production volumes at its major customers, and a higher fixed-cost operating expense ratio due to operating business at lower capacity. As a result, performance fell year-on-year. Operating revenue was 41,941 million yen, a 7.8% year-on-year decrease. Operating profit, which dramatically fell, was 105 million yen, a 91.3% year-on-year decrease.
<North America>
-Business recovered after having been severely impacted by the fall in production volumes at its major customers because of the Great East Japan Earthquake and the flooding in Thailand. In fact, production volumes returned to normal levels by the end of the fiscal year. However, due to negative currency translation, operating revenue fell by 3.0% year-on-year to 61,730 million yen, and operating profit fell 19.0% year-on-year to 3,084 million yen.
<Asia>
-Production volumes at its major customers were lower because of the impact on operations caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake and the flooding in Thailand. As a result of negative currency translation also, operating revenue fell by 5.5% year-on-year to 26,937 million yen, and operating profit fell 42.5% year-on-year to 1,665 million yen.
Contracts
-The Company began producing products for Honda's new "Fit Shuttle", "N-Box", and "CR-V".-The Company won an order from GM for sub-frames and suspension arms, which are to be delivered to the OEM's operations worldwide.
New Company
<China>-The Company is planning to locate an R&D subsidiary in Guangzhou in December, its first development base in China to engineer technologies for the Chinese automotive market. The aim of the establishment is to respond to increased requirements made by local car manufacturers to receive technical assistance from Japanese parts suppliers. Many requests have been made by Chinese companies, which have no affiliation with any particular group, while aiming to improve their product quality and technologies. The addition of the local development office is expected to open up the company's business opportunities in the country by meeting such requests, including joint development of structural parts in the chassis systems, which are the company's expertise. The Guangzhou facility will initially have 16 engineers, adding 10 people each year to ensure the workforce of 50 to 60 over the next 4 to 5 years. F-Tech is willing to increase the headcount further if necessary. The new facility will be established at the Guangzhou High-Tech Industrial Development Zone on December 1, 2011 with a capital of approximately 200 million yen. The project is subject to an approval by the Chinese authorities. (From an article in the Nikkan Jidosha Shimbun on November 10, 2011)
Awards
-For two years in a row, the Company won the Quality Award and Environmental Award from Honda.-The Company's subsidiary, F&P America Mfg., Inc., won an Quality Award and Excellence in Delivery Award from Honda De Mexico S.A. De C.V.
>>>Financial Forecast for the Next Fiscal Year (Sales, Operating Income etc.)
R&D
R&D Expenditure |
(in millions of JPY) |
FY ended Mar. 31, 2012 | FY ended Mar. 31, 2011 | FY ended Mar. 31, 2010 | |
Overall | 1,840 | 1,697 | 1,495 |
R&D Structure
-Haga Technical Center is in charge of product design and development, research on materials and product performance tests.-The Haga Technical Center is in charge of product design and development, as well as research on materials and product performance tests.
-The Haga Technical Center was so severely damaged by the Great East Japan Earthquake that R&D activities could not be sustained for a while. However, the damaged facility was once again restored and now serves again as a research center. A new hydro-forming technology, which is one of the core areas of expertise of the Company, was developed as the first R&D achievement at the facility, with the Company deciding to apply it to produce new products, as it works to strengthen its future technologies.
R&D Achievements
-The Company continued winning orders for new business to supply sub-frames that are lighter, have higher performance, and cost less, for Honda's new "Fit Shuttle", "N-Box", and "CR-V".-As a result of GM's high appraisal of the Company's technology capable of making lighter weight products, the Company won an order for sub-frames and suspension arms for delivery to the OEM's operations worldwide.
Technology licensing-out Agreement |
(As of Mar. 31, 2012) |
Partners | Country | Type of Support | Contract Period |
Cheng Yu Industry Co., Ltd. | Taiwan | Technical support dealing with manufacturing and sales | Dec. 21, 1994-Dec. 20, 1999 Yearly automatic renewal from then on |
Tallent Automotive Ltd. | UK | Technical support dealing with manufacturing and sales | Jun. 7, 1996- Jun. 6, 2009 Yearly automatic renewal from then on |
Progressive Tools & Components (P) Ltd. | India | Technical support dealing with manufacturing and sales | Nov. 29, 1996- now under way |
YPS Limited | Turkey | Technical support dealing with manufacturing and sales | Apr. 1, 2000-Mar. 31, 2005 Annual automatic renewal from then on |
SMC Co. Ltd. | South Korea | Technical support dealing with manufacturing and sales | Apr. 4, 2006-Apr. 3, 2011 (Annual automatic renewal from then on) |
Cosma do brasil | Brasil | Technical support dealing with manufacturing and sales | Sep. 27, 2005-Sep. 26, 2012 Will continue indefinitely until production of the product subject to receiving the technical support ceases. |
Coskunoz A.S. | Turkey | Technical support dealing with manufacturing and sales | Nov. 1, 2007-Oct. 31, 2012 Will continue indefinitely until production of the product subject to receiving the technical support ceases. |
Formex Mexico, S.A. de C.V. | Mexico | Technical support dealing with manufacturing and sales | Aug. 30, 2010-Aug. 29, 2015 Will continue indefinitely until production of the product subject to receiving the technical support ceases. |
Technology licensing-in Agreement |
(As of Mar. 31, 2012) |
Partners | Country | Company name | Type of support | Details | Contract period |
F-Tech F&P Mfg Inc. F&P America Mfg Inc. |
UK | TI Corporate Services Limited (Variform, Inc.) | Automotive components | Technological support dealing with pipe forming | Oct. 20, 1994- Oct. 20, 2023 |
Investment Activities
Investment Expenditure |
(in millions of JPY) |
FY ended Mar. 31, 2012 | FY ended Mar. 31, 2011 | FY ended Mar. 31, 2010 | |
Investment Expenditure |
7,873 |
5,095 |
3,177 |
Planned Capital Investments
Company Name Location |
Segment | Planned investment (in million yen) |
Start | Completion | Increased capacity after completion |
F-Tech: Kuki Plant, etc. (Saitama, Japan) |
Businesses related to automotive components | 1,696 | Apr. 2012 | Mar. 2013 | Facility expansion in line with launch of a new model |
F-Tech Zhongshan Inc. | Businesses related to automotive components | 1,401 | Jan. 2012 | Dec. 2012 | Facility expansion in line with launch of a new model |
F&P Mfg., Inc. | Businesses related to automotive components | 1,469 | Apr. 2012 | Mar. 2013 | Facility expansion in line with launch of a new model |
F&P America Mfg., Inc. (Ohio, USA) |
Businesses related to automotive components | 2,123 | Apr. 2012 | Mar. 2013 | Facility expansion in line with launch of a new model |