artron

Founded in 1947, Toa Electric Co., Ltd. is an electronic components trading company.
In 2017, to mark its 70th anniversary, AXHUM provided comprehensive support across a range of initiatives—from the development of a new corporate philosophy and the creation and launch of the corporate brand artron, to the strategic redefinition of its business domains into five new business units.

To introduce the new corporate brand, an all-employee launch event was held, followed by the design and development of various brand touchpoints, including the corporate website. AXHUM also supported the creation of the artron way—a set of behavioural principles for employees—and has continued to assist in internal branding initiatives such as intranet-based communications and engagement activities to ensure brand adoption across the organisation.

Mission

In an era where the relevance of trading companies was increasingly being questioned, Toa Electric began to re-examine its unique strengths and the expectations of its clients. Through extensive stakeholder interviews—including customers, executives, and employees—and a series of workshops, the company sought to redefine the role of a trading company in today’s world and explore the value it could offer beyond conventional models.

Solution

Based on the insights gained through interviews and workshops, AXHUM developed a new corporate concept. In addition to its function as a trading company with a strong global network, Toa Electric also possessed its own manufacturing facilities. This unique combination enabled the company to deliver optimal solutions to support the product development goals of its key clients—primarily domestic manufacturers. This redefined role was crystallised in the core concept: “Realising Monodzukuri Around the World.”

This concept was then integrated into the corporate philosophy and defined as the company’s new vision. The term “Monodzukuri”—intentionally written in Roman letters—was used to express the company's commitment to helping elevate Japan’s distinctive approach to manufacturing onto the global stage.
To support the launch of five restructured business units, AXHUM created and implemented a new corporate brand. This included naming the new brand, designing its visual identity, and introducing it during a company-wide event celebrating the 70th anniversary. AXHUM directed the launch event and produced a reveal video, helping to create a shared moment of transformation for employees and executives alike.

Following the brand launch, all touchpoints were renewed to reflect the new brand identity. From business cards and the corporate website to company brochures, signage at the head office and branch offices, and the design of showrooms, AXHUM oversaw the development of communication tools and spatial design to embody and express the world of the artron brand.

Further, to bring the new vision to life, changes in employee behaviour were essential. To support this, AXHUM developed the “artron way” through department-specific and cross-functional workshops—clarifying how each team could embody the brand and philosophy in their daily operations. The resulting examples and practices were shared via the company’s intranet, encouraging knowledge-sharing and engagement. This internal initiative continues to serve as a platform for employees to reflect on and deepen their understanding of the new brand.