Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Behind every successful digital transformation in manufacturing is an uncomfortable truth. Technology alone doesn't deliver results.
The real difference comes down to who can implement it, scale it and make it stick. In this episode of Control Alt Manufacturing, we explore why system integrators may be the most important and most overlooked force in industrial automation. This is Control Alt Manufacturing.
[00:00:30] Speaker B: Foreign.
[00:00:37] Speaker A: Hello. Hello, hello everybody. Welcome back to the Control Alt Manufacturing podcast sponsored by Mitsubishi Electric Iconics Digital Solutions. Resetting and rethinking manufacturing.
Stephanie, you and I are in the same room.
[00:00:51] Speaker B: This is weird.
[00:00:52] Speaker A: This never happens.
We're very close to each other right now.
We also are very excited because we are doing this podcast live at the csia a conference in Baltimore, which is why we are in the same place at the same time. And so we have guests coming in to talk to us, which we are really very, very excited about. So as always, I am one of your hosts, Gary Cohen.
[00:01:15] Speaker B: And I am Stephanie Neal. And I'm so happy to be here live in Baltimore at csia. And like Gary said, I know the background is a little bare. This is not a hostage situation.
We are in a conference room and we have our guest with us on the other camera. So let me introduce our guest today. Tak Tarui is Vice President Global Business Development at Mitsubishi Electric Iconics Digital Solutions. He focuses on building and scaling partner led growth, including the global system integrator ecosystem to help accelerate customer outcomes and enable repeatable delivery. Born in Sheban, Tak moved to the US at age 15 on a sports scholarship to pursue competitive ski racing.
[00:01:59] Speaker A: This is mainly what I want to talk about, by the way.
[00:02:01] Speaker B: Yeah, we're going to talk about that. With 25 years in industrial automation whose experience spans sensors, machine vision, robotics, testing equipment and capital equipment, including global key account leadership for automotive customers and business development work with smartphone brands in Silicon Valley.
[00:02:16] Speaker A: Tak, we are super happy to have you on. Come on in.
And there he is. I have to say, we are all in fact in the same room. He's just, he's over there.
We can wave to each other. Hello Doc, how are you?
[00:02:30] Speaker C: I'm doing good, thank you. How are you guys doing?
[00:02:33] Speaker A: Well, very excited to be here at the conference and to actually be able to do this in person. So.
And you're our first victim here in this in person podcast. So thanks for coming on.
[00:02:43] Speaker C: No, no problem. I'm really excited to be here.
[00:02:46] Speaker A: Before we kind of dig into the program here, tell us a little bit about your personal journey and what brought you to this role with Mitsubishi Electric Iconics Digital Solutions.
[00:02:56] Speaker C: Sure. Well, I can talk 10 minutes about ski racing, but maybe.
[00:03:00] Speaker A: Oh, actually, let's talk about ski racing. This I want to know about.
[00:03:03] Speaker B: Yeah, let's.
[00:03:04] Speaker C: Well, maybe just a few seconds. How I came to this country. I came to this country when I was 15, no English alone, and I had a ski scholarship to compete in international circuit Alpa Spin. So that was probably the best thing that happened in my life. But at the same time it was the toughest time in my life. But that experience taught me how to appreciate different diversities and also it shaped me the value I have today to try to act as a bridge, to bring the different stakeholders different views, to create more value for the society.
[00:03:41] Speaker A: And you were downhill skiing?
[00:03:43] Speaker C: I was. I was.
[00:03:44] Speaker A: Huh. That sounds like fun. How far did you get? You skied in college and that was it?
[00:03:49] Speaker C: No, I was competing in something called the FIS Faceta International as a circuit and obviously I wanted to make World cup in Olympic and make my parents and friends and sibling proud in Japan. But now I got as far as North American cup, which is two steps below the World Cup. But I had the best time. I'm glad I did it. I wouldn't change it for anything.
[00:04:11] Speaker B: But it must be boring when you go skiing with friends and family now because you're this competitor.
[00:04:17] Speaker C: Well, don't say it because my friends are listening.
No, skiing is always great. So yeah, leave it at that.
[00:04:26] Speaker A: All right, let's talk about the serious stuff. So, as I said, tell us a little bit about your personal journey and what brought you to the role you're in now.
[00:04:33] Speaker C: Excellent. So Stephanie, thanks for covering my background. As she said, I've been in industry automation for 25 years and with Mitsubishi Electric about 20 years. And I touched basically everything in automation, industrial sensors, machine visions, engineering projects, and with Mitsubishi Electric PLCs, HMI Servo, Industrial Robotics, CNC Systems and so on. But over the years I got gravitated towards software, digital business and partner led growth. Because my experience, I know for sure the best technologies only creates value when it's implemented well.
So today at Mitsubishi Electric, Iconics Digital Solution for short midas, I lead global business development and one of my focuses is to drive the partner led growth strategy. And particularly here I'm here to strengthen our SI ecosystem.
[00:05:30] Speaker A: Fantastic. You worked in your career across cultures, across organizations. How has it shaped the way that you view the system integrator ecosystem?
[00:05:39] Speaker C: Well, I think it taught me two things. And those two things are the most important thing that we tell ourselves. And even internally, I tell my team stakeholders all the time. It's a trust and clarity.
Trust and clarity can always be the complexity.
So we are ultimately, through this SI program, we are trying to develop this trusting relationship with SI and the clarity on how we support the system integrators because this way they can comfortably confidently develop their systems on our platform.
[00:06:10] Speaker B: And so when we talk about Mitsubishi Electric Iconics digital solutions, otherwise known as Midas. Right, we can say that talk.
[00:06:20] Speaker C: Yes, it can.
[00:06:21] Speaker B: Okay, so how is Midas changing as part of Mitsubishi Electric's broader digital strategy? And why does that matter for integrators?
[00:06:29] Speaker C: Well, that's a great question. Thank you, Stephanie. There's definitely a big shift in Midas.
Mitsubishi Electric is increasingly seeing us as not only a product line, but one of the strategy or the growth engine for their global digital business expansion.
Part of my journey with Mitsubishi Electric was I was leading a couple of the working groups for post acquisition of iconics 2019.
One of the lessons we learned through that time was platform only scales with repeatable integration.
So let me insert just a little bit about our product genesis. When we released version 11, we wanted to be the thoughts behind this product. We wanted this platform to become most data capable platform out there with a strong security posture. So this way, coupled with our enhanced SI program I'm about to launch, coupled with the great capable product as I can build their applications on the platform.
[00:07:35] Speaker B: And so related to that from your perspective, why are system integrators such an essential part of delivering successful industrial and
[00:07:42] Speaker A: digital transformation, which is super important here as we all are all at the CSIA conference this week.
[00:07:48] Speaker C: Yeah, of course.
Well, we all know purchasing a software, whether that's on prem or a SaaS application sits on the cloud or even AI, AI platform or AI features that can live in application.
It's not just buying a piece of software like that. It's a digital transmission system integrators. They design system that runs day to day.
So if you want to scale a digital business, you need capable system integrators. So our mission is to enable those system integrators through our program so that they can address those needs in the market.
[00:08:28] Speaker A: What are the biggest changes in this Midus system integrator program and why was now the right time to make those changes?
[00:08:34] Speaker C: Well, I can streamline, simplify down to four key changes.
One is the tier simplification, two sales enablement and third is a certification slash training batch. For now I want to call and fourth and least, this is a global program that we are deploying through Mitsubishi Electric Factory automation business offices around the world.
Why now? Because customer wants to achieve more with data and the system design complexity is rising. So for us it's now never to try to make our system integrated program better so that we are actually enabling the system integrator so they are scaling their business.
[00:09:19] Speaker A: So let's start with the tier model. So what is improved about the new Standard Elite and Diamond Elite structure that you guys offer?
[00:09:27] Speaker C: Well, before I talk about that, let me add a context to how I name the highest tier Diamond Elite.
I don't know if you know, but Mitsubishi Electric logo has a three diamond and the word Mitsubishi literally means it's three diamonds. So you know, if you go back to Mitsubishi origin, how we started, we are one of the the first corporation ever existed in Japan and that later became a large conglomerate and Mitsubishi Electric, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and with all the other Mitsubishi companies kind of spun off from that conglomerate and we exist today. So for me to use this diamond water in the highest tier, it means a little bit to us. So back to the tier simplification. What we are trying to accomplish with this is not just the label but we want to make a progressive path for the si. Obviously the pre sales support, sales engagement and all the benefits that SI gets will get increased as the tier goes higher. But also we are trying to develop a credibility with industry and SI's customers to say SI has a higher tier and hopefully that means something to them as a part of the credibility.
[00:10:40] Speaker B: So what you're trying to, you're trying to build some level of individual credentials that might raise the bar for capability, consistency and customer confidence. Is, is that.
[00:10:51] Speaker C: Exactly, Exactly.
Previously we had a different tier system that was a little bit confusing. So by simplifying it and making sure it's very clear how we support each tier and what it means when SI partners are quoting their projects to their customers. Hopefully we are developing some credential in the market that hey, this SI has the Diamond Elite certification versus the middle and so on and so forth.
[00:11:18] Speaker B: And talk, what does stronger sales engagement and partner visibility actually look like for an si Working with Midas.
[00:11:25] Speaker C: Yeah, very good. So this is one of the exciting changes that we are making.
What the thought behind this is that we are making a commitment to say we want to be active, to work with SI and helping them to win more project. Obviously when we are welcomed into the conversation through a defined clear pre sales engagement account planning and also coordinated sales collaborations and lead sharing where it's appropriate, all those benefits will come in a different tier system. But ultimately we are trying to develop a trusting relationship with SI long term so that we go in together, win or lose.
[00:12:11] Speaker A: That makes sense. This is obviously a new program. If I am a newer and independent system integrator and I'm listening to this, why should I consider joining this program now? What does it have to offer for me?
[00:12:22] Speaker C: Well, first off, you kind of sold the carrying Mitsubishi Electric brand as authorized system integrator. We are globally recognized brand, so I hope this means something to you. But secondly, with the robust SI program and coupled with a capable product, we hope that we can let the new SIS or new partners to ramp up and then with the stronger sales engagement, we can help them to land a few projects with our product.
In addition to that, where it makes sense, we can offer our internal qualified professional services so that we can help to help you to do the all the architecture designs and so on so that you are taking the right few steps with our product when we have new opportunities together.
[00:13:15] Speaker A: Obviously we're all here at the CSIA conference in Baltimore.
Why is it important for you to be here at this conference and building these sorts of relationships with system integrators?
[00:13:26] Speaker C: Well, one of the biggest reasons that I wanted to be at the CSIA conference this year is because I want to feel the SI community. I want to talk to those people that are actually integrating the systems into the actual value for the customers. So of course we want to develop partner relationship, but it takes time. It takes time to build up a trust relationship. But the first place we want to do is to have the conversation and let them know that we are committed to make the SI program better for them.
[00:13:56] Speaker A: So what's next for this program and where should our listeners go if they want to learn more or apply?
[00:14:02] Speaker C: Yeah, so we're going to be gearing up to launch this program in the next couple months. So please visit our website and learn more in early part of June. And of course please apply online.
If you have a specific question, you can contact us through SI program.
I'm sorry siprogrameconics.com and let me say this before we adjourn. We are investing in SI ecosystem. You guys are turning driving the digital transformation.
So let's get conversation started.
[00:14:39] Speaker A: Fantastic. All right, wait. But I have one really important question to ask you. Do you still ski a lot? And where is your favorite place to go if you do?
[00:14:47] Speaker C: Oh my God, that's a loaded question. How many more minutes I have?
[00:14:50] Speaker A: Oh, it's all the time you need.
[00:14:51] Speaker C: We'll talk forever about this so, you know, I ski race for 20 years, ever since I was born in Japan. I was ski racing since I was 4 and I skied almost 250 days, 300 days when I was very active. That's a days a year I was on the snow. But nowadays I ski maybe once or twice a year. But when I do go skiing, I go to very interesting place. Last year I took my business school friends to. I didn't take it. One of my friends coordinated. We went to St Anton, Austria. That is a beautiful European Alps and a great ski area. Really large.
Of course, I'm not as young as to enjoy the uplift, but other students, my friends, did. And this year I just came back from a ski trip from Nagano. We had a winter Olympic years ago in Nagano and it was excellent experience. So there's many places that we can enjoy skiing still today.
[00:15:45] Speaker B: So with, you know, with these ski trips though, is this like, do you ever do the extreme skiing? Like I've had friends who they, they're dropped at the top of the mountain from a helicopter.
[00:15:56] Speaker C: Oh, no, no, I don't do that. I stay inbound. I don't go upbound. But maybe someday, maybe next time, maybe take. I can coordinate a helicopter to go to the top of the mountain and ski down where nobody did. That'll be beautiful.
[00:16:10] Speaker B: And you can bring all your system integrator partners.
[00:16:12] Speaker C: Oh yeah, that'll be interesting. I'll think about that. Thank you, Stephanie.
[00:16:16] Speaker A: And, and look, if you want to have another ski trip and bring more people from, from your, from school, we're both Northwestern alums, so you could bring me too. We could just pretend like we were at school together.
[00:16:27] Speaker C: Hey, that's a good idea. So I'll make sure that I contact you when I plan next time.
[00:16:32] Speaker A: Perfect.
Such a pleasure to have you here.
Thanks for coming on live and in person here at the CSIA conference and absolutely a pleasure to talk to you.
[00:16:42] Speaker C: Yeah, likewise. Thank you. Thanks for having me today.
[00:16:45] Speaker A: Absolutely.
[00:16:45] Speaker B: Thank you.
[00:16:46] Speaker A: There we go, Stephanie. Our first live podcast at the CSIA conference here in Baltimore. Again sponsored by Mitsubishi Electric Iconics Digital Solutions. Much easier to say Midas. I like that.
What'd you think?
[00:17:00] Speaker B: I thought it was great. I mean, it's so wonderful to, you know, to talk, talk with talk and find out what the program that's happening around system integrators. It also just sort of reinforces what we talk about all the time on this podcast, that system integrators are really important to the ecosystem and to the technology. And to the growth of the of the industry as a whole.
[00:17:22] Speaker A: Well, it's like what we talked about at the beginning. It's technology is fantastic and it's changing everything, technology and AI. But you need to have smart who know how to implement it, who know how to make it work. And that's I think why we've always gravitated towards system integrators and seems to be the same thing that Midas is doing too. So fun conversation, great conversation. Are we going to wrap it up? I mean, we're live. Do you have a new live goodbye or are we going to go with the same thing?
[00:17:51] Speaker B: I don't have a new live goodbye. I'm just going to have to say have a wicked good day.
[00:17:56] Speaker A: Thanks everybody.
[00:18:10] Speaker C: You're not just integrating, you're shaping what's next. Deliver smarter systems faster.
Genesis from Mitsubishi Electric Iconics Digital Solutions.
A program built for SI growth, enablement, support, collaboration.
Let's start the conversation.
Learn more at iconics.com si.
