A prominent economic powerhouse in the Asia Pacific region, Indonesia has a vibrant automotive sector. Various factors, including the rich pool of young talents, government initiatives to boost the manufacturing sector, and growing demand for EVs and SUVs, have helped the country become one of the largest automotive producers globally. Established in 1973, PT. Mitsubishi Krama Yudha Motors and Manufacturing (PT. MKM) is one of the oldest and largest automotive component manufacturing firms in Indonesia. A subsidiary of the Mitsubishi Group, the firm, over the years, has experienced massive growth, further solidifying its position in the country’s automotive history. At the helm of the firm’s overall operation is Takahiro Saito, an accomplished business leader and the President of the Board of Directors.
An industry leader with over 35 years of extensive industry experience, Takahiro was a part of Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation (MFTBC) for over three decades, working in various leadership and senior leadership positions. In 2019, he was appointed as the President of the Board of Directors at PT. MKM by the business group. Under his inspiring leadership, the firm could tackle the business crisis successfully during the pandemic, which was extremely challenging, especially for the automotive sector globally.
Sailing through the Pandemic & Beyond
With an organizational history spanning over five decades, PT. MKM has experienced many highs and lows throughout the years, with the pandemic being the toughest one. The firm faced a significant drop in operations during the pandemic, posing a severe challenge. As the President, Takahiro Saito decided to implement a strategic transition to help the firm recover. "We decided to let go of many permanent employees through early retirement programs. Instead, we opted for more contractual employees. This shift resulted in a 50 percent reduction in permanent staff, creating a leaner organization".
Using this lean organization, Takahiro has driven the
company to realize several new business opportunities and pursue new product development initiatives within PT. MKM. "This strategic move not only increased our flexibility in production volume but also positioned PT. MKM as a more competitive company in the market", adds Takahiro.
Unlocking Potential by Embracing Challenges
A visionary with attention to detail, Takahiro’s leadership style, according to his colleagues and team, can be best explained as a right mix between the Top-down and Bottom-up approach. Apart from mentoring and guiding his team, he is also a great learner and has always been open to ideas and suggestions from the team. A tough taskmaster, he also believes in pushing his team to get the best out of them. “There is no fun without taking risks. I always motivate my team to compete, think outside the box, and innovate. At the same time, in case of failures, I use my extensive industry experience to guide them”, explains Takahiro.
Embracing Advanced Automation to Achieve Operational Efficiency
One of the most unique milestones that PT. MKM has achieved under Takahiro’s leadership is advanced automation. To make up for the loss due to the reduction in the number of full-time employees, the firm opted for machinery replacements or robots for performing tasks. Many handling robots are assigned across various parts of the production, including three robots in the press line, one in the rear axle housing, and many more. The firm has an efficient warehouse management system. To drive further innovation, PT. MKM has established a TechLab facility, focused on accelerating automation and digitalization efforts across the company. This comprehensive approach ensures that PT. MKM remains a leader in manufacturing technology.
You can never achieve your true potential or even success without taking risks
PT. MKM also has an advanced condition health monitoring system, where the machine's health is monitored precisely for all failures and abnormalities. This early-stage detection helps the maintenance team provide early-stage support for any expected tool breakdown beforehand.
Commitment to Environmental Sustainability
Under Takahiro's leadership, PT. MKM has transformed itself into one of the biggest promoters of environmental sustainability. On its 50th anniversary, the firm took a pledge to convert some of its energy consumption to solar energy. By 2023, the firm had already set up solar photovoltaic cells. All the energy consumptions are monitored live through an energy monitoring display system. Even compressors are shut down when there is no production. A lot of importance has been given to wastewater treatment, with the organization's infrastructure comprising a lot of green zones. Apart from that, PT. MKM has already achieved its goal of eight percent carbon reduction and aims to increase it to 32 percent by 2030.
Takahiro Saito, President
An accomplished automotive industry leader with over 35 years of extensive industry experience, Since 2019, he has been the President of the Board of Directors at Jakarta-based leading automotive component manufacturing firm PT. MKM, guiding the firm through the pandemic successfully while achieving further success through process automation and innovation.
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