Toulouse-based WeAre Group is the result of a shared vision between five family-owned industrial companies from the aeronautics industry.
“Our goal was to create a leading, integrated and diversified industrial group with a global footprint able to meet all of our customers’ challenges,” said Philippe Riviere, CEO of WeAre International, the group’s international arm tasked with expanding activities overseas.
In March of this year, the company’s Asia-Pacific business grew further. The group merged with Japan’s Yamaichi Group — a world-class raw materials handler and precision molds and parts manufacturer serving the automotive, defense and rail industries.
Headed by Mike Teranishi, CEO of the newly formed WeAre Pacific, the company’s nine facilities in Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and Singapore focus on high-tech molds, detail parts and subassembly manufacturing for the medical, aeronautics and automotive industries.
“With partners such as Airbus, we are experts in the aerospace industry in France, while Yamaichi’s expertise lies in the automotive sector,” said Riviere. “The strengths of both groups allow us to diversify our capabilities and provide our customers with added value technologies and services.”
The company’s successful entry into the medical sector was achieved through the acquisition of Singapore’s Globaltronic Group.
Symbolic of the group’s commitment to the Asian region, the company renovated a four-story multipurpose building in Tokyo dedicated to industrial innovation and the further development of the group’s regional activities in April.
“The four floors of our building serve different functions,” said Riviere. “One area is for our administrative headquarters, the second is a “French Fab” that promotes technologies, industrial know-how and temporary exhibits open to the public. The third one is a “French Tech” incubator for niche startups and the rooftop area symbolizes that there is no limit to our relationship and what we can achieve together.”
The remarkable growth of the company in such a short period of time is testament to the strength of family-owned small and medium-sized enterprises with the right approach to doing business.
“Japan is a complex market, which is why we need to be there,” said Riviere. “Tokyo is similar to Paris’ role in Europe in that if you are truly committed to developing your business in Asia, it is necessary to be in Tokyo. Our vision is to create a long-term global footprint and perhaps, in the future, develop our business in North America once we have successfully affirmed our position in the dynamic Japanese market.”
