Exclusive Interview with
Tubular Products Business Unit GM Mr Toru Minami
“I do what I say…”
Mr Toru Minami
General Manager of Tubular Products Group
Sumitomo Corporation Asia & Oceania Pte. Ltd.
SCAO group’s tubular products business has been gradually recovering since the collapse of oil prices in 2014. On this road to recovery, what innovations has your BU been driving into the business to achieve success?
My assignment in SCAO Singapore started with the slogan of “Scrap & Rebuild” back in 2017. At that time, we had suffered heavily under a long recession in the oil and gas industry, mainly due to a sharp drop in crude oil price and various geopolitical factors.
What I am always telling our colleagues is, “Let’s control whatever we can as we can’t control the market itself.” What our business unit has done in the region is nothing special or innovative, but to continue the routine tenaciously such as close monitoring of our inventory position, timely collection of account receivables, analysis of market information and keeping cost-consciousness etc. As a result of our group’s continuous effort, our profitability has significantly improved in the last couple of years despite the difficult business environment.
That being said, it does not mean that we are fully satisfied with our position today. We need to cope with the unforeseeable future, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the global economy. We have to differentiate ourselves in terms of the value that we can create and provide to our clients in the industry. Today’s slogan for our group is “Transform ourselves and our business models”.
SC Tubular Solutions Brunei Sdn Bhd (SCTSB) gathering in Brunei
What do you think will be the major drivers and challenges of the tubular products industry? How can we make the best out of / overcome them?
The major drivers and challenges of the tubular products business relate to how we can cope with the new normal which can be described as buzzwords like ESG, SDG, Carbon Neutral, Energy Transition etc. To date, we have been adding value to the energy industry by providing quality products and services. However, simultaneously we will have to exercise social responsibility by contributing to the reduction of CO2 emission from our business or making utmost efforts to realise a Carbon Neutral society in the future.
We are now promoting various new products and software that should contribute to the reduction of CO2 emission from our clients’ activities in order to accomplish our mission.
What were you like when you were young? Anything impressed you the most?
I was extremely keen to travel when I was young. One striking moment during my teenage days was when I first arrived at the Singapore Changi Airport in transit to Australia back in 1986. I was extremely impressed with and surprised by the scale of the airport with 24-hour operation.
Our team “Sumitomo Dash“ won the softball tournament in 2009, Houston, TX, USA
Site visit to our tubular management operation in Barmer, Rajastan, India
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SNAPSHOT
I strongly believe in… the famous phrase “Heaven does not create one man above or below another man” by Yukichi Fukuzawa, a founder of Keio University. This means “All men are created equal”
I spend most of my time… jogging in the Singapore Botanic Gardens over the weekends
The food I crave most often is… Crispy Noodles with egg at Nam Kee Pau
One personal rule that I never break is… drinking every night
The thing that cheers me up whenever I think about is… Happy Hour with happy colleagues
One thing I really want but can’t afford yet is… to design and build my own house in my home town
If I could go back in time, I would… go back to Seattle in 2013, where I broke my collarbone in a rugby game (so that I could avoid the injury and continue to play…)
If I have enough money to live comfortably without having to work, I would move to Okinawa immediately, engage in agricultural activities and enjoy “Awamori” (Okinawan alcohol) all year long
