Automotive Division

Division Strategy
Strengths of the Division
Global Operations
Business Overview
Organization
Latest Information

The Automotive Division engages in automotive wholesale and retail in both growing and mature markets worldwide. The division is also involved in auto financing and other automotive-related service businesses.

Division Strategy

We will strengthen the functions in automobile sales as a core business, build business bases in new fields, and ultimately contribute to a prosperous mobility society.

Hideo Hatada

Managing Executive Officer, COO
Automotive Division

The automotive industry is in the midst of a complex structural transformation driven by the rise of EVs, digitalization, and the evolution of mobility services, as well as external factors such as growing geopolitical risks and supply chain restructuring. As the industry undergoes fundamental structural changes, it is increasingly important that we maintain a clear understanding of the current moment while honing our ability to forecast future changes. Our mission during this critical turning point is to identify and execute “winning strategies” that align with the division’s strengths by locating key business opportunities and identifying the optimal areas to allocate our resources.

Over the years, the Automotive Division has developed businesses rooted in local communities around the world through its initiatives in auto sales, dealership operations, auto financing, and after-sales services. We possess longstanding partnerships built on trust, a diverse workforce, and strong business foundations in each region, and these invaluable assets form the basis of our competitive advantage.

Looking ahead, we will continue to strengthen this foundation while working to enhance our organizational capabilities in investment, risk management, and digital innovation in order to develop a portfolio that is resilient to changes in the business environment. At the same time, we believe that all value creation begins with our employees working on the front lines of business, and we will come together with Sojitz Group companies and our partners in each region to further cultivate the skills of these front-line teams and enhance our ability to take actions for organizational growth. Going forward, we will continue to collaborate closely with our partners around the world to pursue strategies for growth over the medium to long term as we proactively create new value and achieve sustainable growth.

Strengths of the Division

Track record spanning over 50 years of operations in more than 50 countries

Locally based sales and marketing force
Diverse human resources and global business management strategy

Optimal frameworks and meticulous attention to detail
Optimization by implementing best practices
Capabilities of
investment
execution and business
development

Experience and insights gained through extensive fieldwork
Business asset portfolio that includes expansion into new business areas

Global Operations

Business Map

Distributor Business：Sojitz de Puerto Rico Corporation (Puerto Rico)

Distributor Business：Silaba Motors S.A. (Panama)

Dealership Business：Dutton Group (Australia)

Business Overview

■ Distributor Business

Sojitz is expanding its distributor business in growth markets including Asia and Latin America. We are engaged in business including the sale of Hyundai vehicles in Puerto Rico, the sale of Kia and Mazda vehicles in Panama, and the assembly and sale of Hyundai vehicles in Pakistan. We plan to develop operations for selling competitive automobile brands in promising markets boasting robust demand.

■ Dealership Business

We are expanding our authorized dealership business for premium brand vehicles, in which we anticipate stable demand in countries including Japan, the United States, and Brazil. In addition, we are working to strengthen used vehicle sales and after-sales services while incorporating digital technologies to enhance productivity. We have also engaged in the wholesale and retail used car business in Australia. We are also involved in an auto sales business that leverages fintech services to provide financing options to consumers who are unable to obtain traditional auto loans in order to expand sales reach.

■ Auto-Financing Business

Sojitz is developing the Autofinanciamiento business in Mexico. Autofinanciamiento, or self-financing, refers to a system in which potential buyers pool funds as a group, purchasing a vehicle monthly through a raffle system. All group members are able to purchase a vehicle at a determined step in the process, and each buyer pays off their remaining balance individually. This system provides an opportunity for potential buyers who are not able to receive a standard auto loan to purchase new vehicles.

■ Service Business

Sojitz is developing a parts quality assurance business, with a customer base that includes automobile and automobile parts manufacturers. Furthermore, in response to the changing times, we are working to build new business models leveraging virtual reality (VR) and other technologies. We aim to utilize digital tools and take a data-driven approach to our commercial practices in the used car industry, and we are providing services and creating new venues for transaction that offer greater convenience to both buyers and sellers of used cars.