Mitsui & Co. Principal Investments Acquires Stake in Sakakibara, a Leading Non-Ferrous Metal Trading Company in the Chubu Region

Mitsui & Co. Principal Investments Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President & CEO: Nobuyuki Goto; hereinafter "MCPI") is pleased to announce its capital participation in Sakakibara Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture; President & CEO: Hidehiko Sugiyama; hereinafter "Sakakibara") through an investment limited partnership it operates. This participation aims to support Sakakibara's business succession and promote its further growth.

Overview of Sakakibara Co., Ltd.

Founded in 1935, Sakakibara is a specialized non-ferrous metal trading company that sells materials such as brass products, aluminum, and stainless steel to manufacturing customers across a wide range of industrial sectors, including automotive, air conditioning, gas appliances, and housing equipment. Prioritizing trust, the company provides comprehensive support in terms of stable supply, quality, and cost. Furthermore, by processing and delivering materials to meet customer-specific sizes using its own facilities, Sakakibara contributes to shorter lead times and cost reductions, making it an indispensable infrastructure that plays a central role in the distribution of manufacturing in the region.

MCPI's Support Policy

Business succession has become an urgent issue for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Japan recently. MCPI views Sakakibara's long-cultivated customer base, procurement network, and supply know-how as a "manufacturing infrastructure" that must be protected. By combining these with the Mitsui & Co. Group's network, industry knowledge, management improvement know-how, and human resources, MCPI will support Sakakibara's "second founding through business succession." Through this capital participation, MCPI will act as a collaborative partner, building new pillars of growth upon the foundation of trust established by the founding family. By leveraging the Mitsui & Co. Group's extensive commercial and logistics channels, and by dispatching directors and providing on-site personnel support, MCPI will support Sakakibara's sustainable growth through measures such as (1) expanding its customer base and strengthening its supply chain, (2) inheriting the management know-how built by the founding family and strengthening its management base, and (3) promoting growth strategies including M&A.

MCPI aims to create a society where SMEs supporting regional economies can continue to shine without halting their progress due to business succession challenges such as the absence of successors. We will integrate the "comprehensive capabilities" and "management improvement expertise" of the Mitsui & Co. Group and MCPI to propose flexible succession models that align with the aspirations of owner-managers.

We invite business owners facing business succession challenges, those considering capital policies for further growth, and M&A advisors to consult with us. We respect the history of each company and provide optimal solutions to create a future together.

Contact Information
Mitsui & Co. Principal Investments Ltd.

Contact: Nakamura
TEL: 080-6285-5055
E-mail: Hiron.Nakamura@mitsui.com

Contact: Kitamura
TEL: 080-5162-1530
E-mail: Mit.Kitamura@mitsui.com

Contact: Takemasa

TEL: 090-8437-5103

E-mail: T.Takemasa@mitsui.com