Yazaki Samoa is to close its operation due to the change of business environment as withdrawal of its customers; however, as the result of and thanks to the strong backup of the Samoa Government, the warm understanding of the employees and local communities, and the sincere cares of Yazaki Corporation, today August 25, 2017, the closing ceremony of Yazaki Samoa is peacefully held.
Yazaki Corporation’s history in Samoa started in 1991 when it established a branch factory of Yazaki Australia, which was transformed into the standalone entity, Yazaki EDS Samoa Ltd in 1995. In 1991, initial production was carried out at temporary
leased sites which were church and school buildings. Full-scale operation began after the completion of Vaitele Factory in October 1992. At its peak in 1996, 3,800 people were engaged in the production of automotive wire harnesses.
Japan and Samoa differ greatly in terms of culture and industrial infrastructure, and the high quality and stable production that was ultimately realized in Samoa was achieved thanks to the dedicated efforts of both sides. We faced many hardship
s, including massive cyclones that temporarily shut down production in 1991 and 2012, but each time we overcame them by working together. Aside from production, we have also engaged in activities such as setting up garbage canisters in urban areas
and the donation of used books and young trees to local schools, in line with our desire to grow in step with Samoa and its
community.
In this way, Yazaki Samoa was able to grow and win numerous awards from its customers, among them realizing “zero customer complaints” for four consecutive years up to June 2017. These many brilliant achievements would not have been
realized without the steady efforts of the employees and the strong bonds forged with Samoan chiefs, the Samoan government, the Samoan people and ourcustomers. Unfortunately, as previously reported, due to changes in the business environment,
we had no choice but to announce the closure of Yazaki Samoa in October 2016. Since then we have sought to mitigate the impact of withdrawing on the society and economy of Samoa, and after considering how best to support the sustainable
growth of stakeholders in both countries, have decided to establish “Yazaki Kizuna (Bond) Foundation.” It was agreed upon with the Government of Samoa today that the following would serve as an outline to cooperate on establishing a fund.
1.Educational support through scholarships
We will provide scholarships to support the growth and development of the Samoan younger generation, who represent the future of Samoa.
2.Business support to create employment
We will foster the entrepreneurial spirit in Samoa and provide assistances to businesses which are expected to contribute to the development of Samoa. The foundation is targeted to be officially launched in January 2018, with its total equity of one billion yen.
