OMRON recognized with ‘Friends of ASEAN Award’ by ASEAN-BAC

OMRON Asia Pacific Pte Ltd has announced that it has received the ‘Friends of ASEAN Award’ at the ASEAN Business Awards (ABA) in Singapore. The awards were hosted by the ASEAN Business and Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) to recognize the most outstanding and successful ASEAN companies contributing to ASEAN’s economic growth and prosperity.

The ABAs are the first awards in the region of their kind and have the dual objectives of recognizing outstanding ASEAN enterprises and serving as a platform to spread information concerning the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) and regional integration. The Friends of ASEAN award specifically recognizes non-ASEAN owned enterprises that have demonstrated a continuous and increased commitment in growing their presence within ASEAN.

OMRON Asia Pacific President Mr. Yutaka Iitaka accepted the award at the awards gala dinner in the presence of Mdm Halimah Yacob, President of the Republic of Singapore, and Tun Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad, Prime Minister of Malaysia.

After receiving the prestigious award, Iitaka said: “At OMRON, we aim to be an active member of the ASEAN community by supporting the development and adoption of advanced innovations in the region, such as our Sensing & Control + Think technology. One of the ways we do that is collaborate with local partners and academic institutions and drive training and other talent development initiatives.”

“Staying true to our principle of achieving innovation driven by social needs, we are honored to be the first Japanese company to receive this award as we continue to innovate and provide support in the region that addresses specific social needs in ASEAN” he added.

OMRON has been an active ASEAN citizen since 1972 with its first calculator manufacturing facility set up in Singapore. The company has since expanded its operations and partner networks across all 10 ASEAN countries. It has continued to contribute to the growth and development of ASEAN economies through the key areas of artificial intelligence, automation, robotics and the Internet of Things (IoT). Production facilities in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam form key global production hubs for the key business areas of the company.

Additionally, OMRON has established automation centers, aimed at bringing cutting edge technology to users and fostering partnerships with academic institutions and government agencies, across Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand. Similar centers are currently planned for other ASEAN countries in the next five years.

The company’s healthcare business has also been working with local non-profit organizations to improve awareness of hypertension and heart disease in ASEAN communities. Such examples include partnerships with the Indian Society of Hypertension, Indian Medical Association, Indonesia Heart Foundation, Indonesian Society of Hypertension, the joint Philippines Government launch of its Barangay Health Program, and the donation of healthcare equipment. 

Significant investments have been made in the region recently, such as expansions into new manufacturing facilities in Indonesia and Vietnam in 2017, and special focus has been given to human capital growth and development in both direct and indirect employment. More than 80% of top managerial positions in ASEAN entities come from the local workforce. In Indonesia, 2% of OMRON’s workforce also includes people with disabilities – an achievement in excess of the legal 1% minimum and recognized by the International Labour Organisation and the Indonesian government.