Since its foundation in 2003, Sumitomo Corporation Global Metals Group has pursued its mission of creating new value through the steel business and contributing to the realization of a sustainable and prosperous society, guided by a spirit of enterprise amid dynamically evolving global markets. Within Sumitomo Corporation’s steel business—built upon a long-standing foundation of history and trust—we have been responsible for the formulation and execution of business strategies, and in 2018, we succeeded to the majority of these operations.

Our business is based on a principle has been a part of Sumitomo’s business philosophy for more than 400 years: “Benefit self and benefit others. Private and public interests are one and the same.” With the management resources of the Sumitomo Corporation Group and our advanced expertise as a specialized trading company as our core competences, we have expanded our network of trust at the global level and achieved steady growth.

While the realization of carbon neutrality and a circular economy is a shared social challenge across all industries, decarbonization is an especially critical issue for the steel industry. As a steel-specialized trading company operating at the heart of this sector, we believe that addressing these challenges and fulfilling our role is part of our mission. By fully utilizing the comprehensive resources of the Sumitomo Corporation Group, we are committed to contributing to the construction of a more sustainable society.

In recent years, rapid technological innovation, the diversification of values and preferences, and the increasing prominence of geopolitical risks have brought about unprecedented speed and intensity of change in the global environment surrounding us. Amid such uncertainty, our customers’ challenges and needs have become increasingly complex and diverse, creating broader opportunities for us to contribute to their resolution. We view these changes as opportunities and will continue to enhance our corporate value in order to be of greater service in a wide range of situations.

While valuing and nurturing the businesses we have built together with our customers, business partners, and all other stakeholders, we will continue to take on further challenges each day, aiming for transformation and our next stage of significant growth.

We appreciate your continued support and guidance.

Koji Fukushima　President and CEO