As we near the end of the first half of the year, we are grateful for our accomplishments, but know that we still face many challenges as we recover from the Great East Japan Earthquake. When you consider the widespread, global effects of that natural disaster, it's easy to realize that we live in a very small world.

Despite the difficult year the industry faced in 2010, AWA actually finished strong. I am pleased to report that we have a solid foundation, a positive momentum, and a talented team to help drive us deep into 2011 with a firm focus on execution and cost control. The specific objectives I would like to achieve in 2011 include:

• Dedicated Pursuit of The Aisin Way
  The Aisin Way contains values and behavioral practices that all Aisin people are expected to share and observe in their work so as to understand and achieve Aisin’s corporate principles.
• Strengthening Local Management
  To realize our objectives for the future, we need to continue to grow local management in North America. We must also be patient and consistent in our efforts at improvement, local self-sufficiency, and reduced reliance on Aisin Seiki in Japan.
• Commitment to Lifetime Education and Development of Future Leaders
  Our most valuable resources are and have always been our human resources. Aisin is dependent on the talent of its team members, and the foundation of the company’s vitality will be achieved by its future leaders.
• Fostering Growth of Future Leaders
  It is the company's objective to provide each and every team member with opportunities to demonstrate his or her abilities
• Challenge to NAPs: Win Two Quality Awards
  Our existence depends on the trust of our customers and society. I am encouraged by our excellent history of winning customer awards which represent quality and excellence. Therefore, I wish to challenge our NAPs to demonstrate Aisin capabilities by winning at least two awards in 2011 from TEMA.

Yes, we expect that 2011 will be a challenging year, however, we are confident we have the right people, tools and processes to be successful. We must continue to improve our quality, product execution and control costs to maximize income. 

To be successful, we must remain committed to a future and a culture that emphasizes mutual trust, respect and communication. As your president, I will work hard to ensure that those ideals remain a part of our every day work environment. That is my personal commitment to you.

On behalf of the North American leadership team, thanks for your good work.

Respectfully,
Mike Saito    

Two months have passed since the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake. And, while many challenges remain, we are confident that we will make a full recovery.

We at Aisin Technical Center of America (ATC-A) are making good progress in our mission to lead the product development in our various local markets of the Americas. ATC-A was founded a short time ago and we now have a solid foundation to establish a strategic product development capability, localization and reinforcement for the Americas. 

ATC-A brings to the Aisin Group a critically important local expertise. As the economic situation continues to improve globally, but particularly in the markets we serve, our role is becoming more significant than ever. We relentlessly pursue our 2015 Vision to be technically independent & self-sufficient. This means that ATC-A takes on more local engineering responsibilities and works to increasingly manage the complete product lifecycle, thus making us a more nimble operation that can better engage and serve our customers. Our ambitious goal includes developing products that respond specifically to the needs of our customers in the North American market within the next two years.

This pursuit is only possible through a global team effort.  ATC-A receives continued support from our Japanese counterparts, but more importantly, we have assembled here a deep knowledge and skills base. Our staff represents the strong foundation that we work hard to reinforce everyday. 

Aisin Group's ultimate goal is to contribute to the enrichment of human life, for our associates by providing a work environment that offers various development opportunities and initiatives so that they can leave a positive legacy; for our customers through the offering of innovative, world class quality product line that delivers ever increasing value; and for our local communities by promoting, sponsoring and participating in various socially responsible activities  

In our brief history as an independent corporate citizen, ATC-A has fostered strong ties with our neighbors and local communities and will keep on further developing these relationships.

On behalf of all our associates here at ATC-A, thank you for your good work through the first half of the year.

Sincerely,
Takashi Aoyama