SEMUI – Our Company’s Philosophy
In 1922, the three young men who had established a small research company called GC Chemical Research Laboratory in Ikebukuro, Tokyo, introduced their first product, Standard Cement. However, it proved a flop in the marketplace. This experience proved a great learning experience for the three men, who realized the importance of thinking from the customer’s standpoint. As a reminder of their initial failure, the three designated February 11 – the date of the first product’s launch – as the anniversary of the company.
After the unsuccessful launch, the founder, Kiyoshi NAKAO, introduced the corporate philosophy of SEMUI. The word SEMUI comes from the teachings of Kwannon Bodhisattva, who is revered in Hokekyo Buddhism. Put simply, SEMUI is an umbrella term that combines selflessness, pure objectivity, charity, and great wisdom.
For GC, SEMUI takes the following meaning: ‘True products are made for the good of others, not for our own sake’, and ‘an action for the benefit of a user will never fail to make us happy’. GC is convinced that if Associates adopt the spirit of SEMUI, they increase their motivation and have more energy. In this sense, the Associates work together in a community, and together they strive towards the manufacture of products that create value and satisfy customers.