SWS now has 98 group companies in 28 nations worldwide to respond to customers' requests that we be able to supply high quality products at a reasonable price to major car manufacturers, regardless of their location. In addition, timely product development activities are required in the customers' development bases in various regions in the world. To meet these customers' requests, we have positively promoted the establishment of a global information system that supports the consistent global supply chain in the operations of all SWS groups; from design, procurement and production, to delivery. We have also established a global communication network, positively utilizing information utility to support global business expansion widely, flexibly, and effectively. For example, a teleconferencing system was introduced at 126 major bases of our more than 350 bases, and we hold 10,000 teleconferences throughout the year. The computer software development and support bases have currently been established in four locations: Noida in India, Pampanga in The Philippines, and Shanghai and Dalian in China. There are 750 IT personnel worldwide supporting the global progress of IT.

SWS established a a joint venture company (MSSL) in India in 1986. SWS has been cooperating with Motherson Group, our business partner in India, over the last 19 years, and has successfully expanded wiring harness business for automobiles through collaboration with MSSL. For example, MSSL was ranked in 61st place among "Companies with enhanced corporate values" in the magazine called "Business Today" in India. With this background of collaboration, we established MIND in 2000, which has been utilized as a central base for global IT support. India has a wealth of IT engineers with fluency in English, and the system of cooperation between industry, educational institutions and the administration in Japan and India is extremely good. Therefore the importance of India as an IT base will continue to increase.

MIND has been positively expanding their business. They develop and introduce the production management systems for SWS group companies worldwide, and partner companies in India. They also actively take orders from companies other than group companies. MIND acquired maturity level 5, the top level of the Capability Maturity Model (CMM), the evaluation model for global software development processes. Taking full advantage of the highest level of IT engineering, we plan to provide IT support for our groups, and expand our business. Specifically, we are creating more business from companies other than group companies, mainly in Europe and the United States, and actively take orders for embedded software.

Based on the mid and long-term business plan, MIND plans to invest a total of 550 million yen and obtain 20,000 m2 of land in the business district of the State of Uttar Pradesh (suburbs of New Delhi) where the current headquarters is located in a rented building. They will build a headquarters building with a floor area of 4,000 m2, fully equipped with a parking lot, and welfare facilities such as training rooms, and enhance the personnel. Completion date is targeted as the year 2007. They will also build another building on the same land to strengthen MIND as the global IT base of the SWS Group.