Bridging ALCONIX and Investors—The Vision Behind Our IR Seminars—

A Young Employee’s Challenge

On December 8, 2024, central Hokkaido was transformed into a winter wonderland due to a cold wave and snowfall that had continued since the previous day. In such conditions, a young employee named H, from the Corporate Communications Department, arrived for the IR seminar to be held in Sapporo. H, who was born in Hiroshima, was visiting Hokkaido for only the second time in his life. He was shivering in the biting cold.

His mission was to enhance recognition of the ALCONIX Group through the seminar.

ALCONIX is celebrating its 25th anniversary since becoming independent through an MBO in 2021. In the Japanese market, which is home to many companies with long histories, ALCONIX is still a relatively young company, and the reality is that our name and business are not widely recognized. There were times when even our shareholders attending our seminars said, "I've heard the company name, but I'm not sure what kind of company it is."

Of course, various factors contribute to a company's recognition. It goes without saying that many "hidden gem" companies are part of Japan’s strengths. However, investors can only invest in companies they are aware of. That's why we want to raise awareness of our company. To achieve this, we are enhancing our regional IR activities more than ever as part of our Medium-Term Management Plan 2024.

We actively participate in IR seminars (especially those held in provincial/suburban areas) and are also trying to entrust practical work to our younger employees as much as possible. We want to provide them with experience while also welcoming their fresh perspectives. By doing so, we aim to expand our IR activities from a new angle.

Why Focus on Regional IR?

H explained the importance of ALCONIX's regional IR activities as follows.

H - ALCONIX's strategy is to have regional manufacturers join the group through M&A and grow with investments from us (ALCONIX headquarters). This includes the intention of investing in the region and growing together with the people.
　However, I think many Japanese people still hold a negative impression of M&A. There might also be the interpretation that the wealth generated in the region is being redirected to Tokyo. That's why we hope regional investors will invest in us and share in the fruits of our growth with us.
 

I see. However, it seems a bit idealistic and unrealistic. What do you think?

H - It may seem that way at first glance. However, I believe that the idea of "sharing the fruits of growth with everyone" is ALCONIX's fundamental stance.
　For example, ALCONIX's employee stock ownership plan is available to all group employees in Japan. This means that employees from both the headquarters and all domestic group locations can join.
　This initiative is intended to give each person who works hard in the field a sense of achievement in the form of dividends and capital gains. Also, it is believed that when employees experience an increase in their wealth as a result of their business contributions, they are more motivated to exercise their creativity in pursuit of higher enterprise value. This, in turn, revitalizes the whole group.
　Therefore, as part of our investment in human capital, the purchase incentive is set higher than that of other companies to increase participation in the stock ownership plan.
　We hope that regional investors will join us in supporting SMEs that contribute to regional revitalization and "Monozukuri (manufacturing) Japan," and share the results with us.

The Big Day is Here!

The next day, on the 9th, it was showtime! H arrived at the venue early and met with the seminar organizer. At 11 a.m., two members of his Department joined and began working with H.

An hour later, it seemed the work was done, let's take a look.

What is this booth set up at the venue?

H - It's an exhibit booth to introduce our company. We are displaying information about ALCONIX's products and shareholder benefits, which are of particular interest to investors. We haven’t set up such spaces often before, but since the organizer provided us with space this time, we set it up so people can see the actual items and gain a deeper understanding of our offerings.

Many visitors stopped by the exhibit booth and showed interest. Some people also asked ALCONIX staff various questions about the content.

At 1:30 p.m., President/CEO Teshirogi and CSO Suzuki, who were the speakers for the day, arrived. H carried on with the program as planned in the company’s pre-meetings. Finally, at 2:30 p.m., ALCONIX's presentation began!

About 80 investors gathered at the venue, closely watching the CEO and CSO’s presentations, evaluating whether they could connect with the company's strategies, plans, and the passion behind them. During the 50-minute session, they seemed to be assessing whether this company was worthy of receiving their valuable investments.

(The seminar can be watched in the Youtube video below. Available in Japanese.)

A Busy Backstage and ALCONIX’s Future

At 2:50 p.m., the presentations ended successfully.

The executives felt a sense of accomplishment as they observed the serious expressions of the audience and hurried back to Tokyo with a sigh of relief.

However, for the Department staff, the real work was just beginning. Quick dismantling is where the skills of the event staff are really tested.

H - Packing is the hardest part... It's especially tough because I'm clumsy.

The job isn't done until the items placed in the exhibit booth are returned to the warehouse. However, for H, who works indoors, the task of cleaning up large panels and signboards without getting them dirty seemed to be surprisingly time-consuming.

Just as the packing work was finally completed, an eerie vibrating sound came from the company cell phone. When he nervously answered the call, it was from the transportation company handling the display items. The news he received from the other end of the line was shocking.

Delivery Company - It seems the address on the delivery request was wrong, so it's difficult to pick it up now.

H felt a chill run down his spine, as if he were standing on an ice rink in Sapporo. He quickly negotiated with the delivery company, but ultimately, the pickup was delayed until the next day, and he had to ask the venue to store the items for an additional night.

The group, now fully focused on reflection, was hit by another emergency. On December 9, the day of the seminar, the JR Chitose Line experienced a power outage and a deer intrusion, which led to significant confusion in Sapporo's airport transportation.

The group left the venue at 5:30 p.m. and quickly got into a taxi to avoid missing their flight to Haneda around 8 p.m. In the taxi, H sighed deeply and muttered.

H - We managed to get through it for now, but... This time, it turned out to be the opposite of "all's well that ends well." There are still many things that we haven't been able to keep an eye on in this kind of event. I have a lot to reflect on about this.

The IR team of a listed company travels all over Japan. Behind the scenes, a raw and intense reality unfolds.

ALCONIX is celebrating the milestone of its 25th anniversary of MBO. For the company to enter a new stage of growth, strong support from investors and shareholders is essential. To achieve this, it is important for people to understand who we are, to believe in our growth story, and to share in our journey.

"ALCONIX is here." The ALCONIX Corporate Communications Department will continue to travel across the country, embodying this mission.

We will continue participating in IR seminars and events nationwide. We would be delighted if you could also join us, and we look forward to seeing you.