Toyama-based IAAZAJ Holdings Strengthens Contract Knit Production by Welcoming Suzuknit, Expanding New Consultations with One-Stop Proposals

IAAZAJ Holdings Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: 11 Aoshima, Shogawa-machi, Tonami City, Toyama Prefecture 932-0398; Representative: Hiroshi Oda; hereinafter: IAAZAJ Holdings) has welcomed Suzuknit Co., Ltd. (Location: 197-1 Nojiri, Nanto City, Toyama Prefecture; Representative: Kiyoshi Kawabe; hereinafter: Suzuknit) into its group to strengthen its contract manufacturing system (order and production system) in the knitwear domain.

Unlike conventional M&A that "complements missing functions," this is the first overlapping function M&A for our group aimed at "further strengthening" our existing flat knitting functions. With Suzuknit's cultivated "thorough quality" and "detailed responsiveness" at its core, we will collaborate with our group's core function of dyeing and processing (Daiichi Amimono, AZ), and promote a "proposal-driven" manufacturing system that bundles everything from knitting to dyeing, processing, and sewing.

Background and Positioning

The textile industry has a highly fragmented division of labor for each process, and the structure where "work comes if you just wait" no longer exists as it did in the past.

Oda: "Work doesn't come just by sitting and waiting. Our company is trying to solve this issue by creating a one-stop system through M&A."

Kawabe: "While Suzuknit has been operating from an OEM standpoint (BtoB) up to now, that alone simply doesn't fit the times anymore. Even while remaining compact, we need to proceed by making new proposals alongside providing one-stop services."

Based on manufacturing in Toyama, this initiative aims to strengthen the "system" that generates value by bundling processes and reducing the coordination burden that easily arises in a fragmented structure. In a way that also aligns with the "development of the prefectural textile industry" advocated by the Toyama Prefecture Textile Association, we will proceed with creating a system that anticipates the circulation of technology and human resources as a production region.

Aims of this Initiative

Oda: "This M&A with Suzuknit is our first M&A that overlaps with existing functions. The primary aims are to further strengthen knitwear and to boost order and production volumes."

Our company will expand its coverage range in the knitwear domain and establish a system that can respond to the challenges of our business partners with a "proposal-driven" approach.

Promise to Business Partners: "Same as Before" and "Better than Ever"

M&A is a phase where anxieties such as "Will the conditions change?", "Will the point of contact change?", or "Will quality and delivery times fluctuate?" easily arise. IAAZAJ Holdings will first ensure "same as before" as a prerequisite, and then create "better than ever" through our system and response.

Oda: "We want to continue make-to-order production as before, while providing better services, better manufacturing, and better responses than ever before."

Through the collaboration of our group, we aim to expand the options for process design, increase the reproducibility of quality standards and delivery times even in mass production phases, and aim for a system that business partners can entrust with peace of mind.

Kawabe: "Rather than a transaction, we want to make it an 'initiative' as much as possible."

Aligning objectives for each project, clarifying the division of roles, and proceeding with an "accompanying" approach centered on continuity and quality—that is the common policy of both companies.

Value Provided by this Initiative

・Reduction of coordination hours: Bundling and proposing everything from knitting to processing and sewing reduces the burden of communication and arrangement between processes.

・Stability of quality and supply: Increasing the reproducibility of quality standards and delivery times even in mass production phases, leading to a system that can be trusted with peace of mind.

・Expansion of proposal scope: Expanding the coverage range in the knitwear domain, accompanying clients in a proposal-driven manner from specification consultation to prototyping and mass production.

Suzuknit's Strengths

Kawabe: "Suzuknit's strengths are thorough quality and detailed responsiveness. The DNA of being able to respond sincerely is present on the shop floor. We want to pass these good qualities on to the next step."

With this shop floor capability as its core, IAAZAJ Holdings will refine the meticulousness of finalizing specifications and perspectives on quality into a system, expanding "trusted manufacturing" that directly links to solving business partners' challenges.

Background of Joining the Group

Mr. Kawabe stated that he had been considering M&A for several years, against the backdrop of the company's 50th anniversary and the challenge of having no successor. He explained that a major factor in this decision was his strong desire to maintain the employment of 31 employees and create a sustainable environment.

Consultations We Want to Increase in the Future

IAAZAJ Holdings welcomes the following types of consultations in the knitwear domain:

・OEM/ODM of knit products (from specification consultation to prototyping and mass production)

・Projects that emphasize quality standards and require detailed responses

・Projects seeking to reduce coordination burdens across multiple processes (e.g., wanting to bundle knitting, processing, and sewing)

Oda: "It would be interesting if we could increasingly put products out into the world where white fabric knitted by us is processed by us with techniques only we can do, cut and sewn, and shipped out completely as a finished product. We are aiming for a format where everything made entirely by our company is deployed under other brands."

Kawabe: "There is an abundance of things in the world, but I feel there are surprisingly few things that people 'truly want.'

That is exactly why we want to aim for manufacturing that properly satisfies customers' requests and desires through high quality and profound technology. To achieve this, it is important to 'select' materials, processing, and production techniques (knitting, sewing, seamless, etc.) and 'combine' them optimally. If there is a system that can handle everything from knitting to dyeing, processing, and sewing in a one-stop manner, we can step into consideration and verification to that extent. We believe this will also result in the pursuit of added value."