Samco Inc. welcomed a group of Executive MBA (EMBA) students and faculty from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) to its headquarters in Kyoto as part of the VCU EMBA program’s Global Challenge trip on April 17th, 2026. A total of 21 students and 4 faculty and staff members participated in the visit, which formed part of the program’s international study tour in Japan.
The visit provided participants with an overview of Samco’s history, from its founding in a small garage to its development into a global semiconductor equipment manufacturer. Students were also introduced to the semiconductor industry and gained insight into where Samco’s technologies fit within the manufacturing process.
The program included a tour of Samco’s production facilities and the company’s museum, where the original garage has been preserved. This offered participants a firsthand look at both the company’s manufacturing environment and its origins.
During the visit, Samco Chairman and Founder Dr. Osamu Tsuji delivered a talk on management philosophy, focusing on the characteristics of Japanese—and particularly Kyoto—business practices. He emphasized the importance of building and maintaining long-term relationships, continuous learning and self-development, and contributing to society and the broader community. Drawing from historical business figures such as Shimadzu Genzo of Shimadzu Corporation and Thomas J. Watson Sr. of IBM, Dr. Tsuji shared the principles that have shaped Samco’s growth and management approach.
The session concluded with an active Q&A, during which participants engaged with Dr. Tsuji on topics including leadership challenges, decision-making, and how management perspectives evolve over time.
Through this visit, participants gained a deeper understanding of how Japanese business philosophies and values are applied within a high-technology manufacturing environment, and how these approaches contribute to long-term global competitiveness.
About Samco Inc.
Samco Inc. (TSE: 6387) stands for Semiconductor And Materials Company, is a leading manufacturer of processing equipment for the semiconductor and related industries. Founded in Kyoto, Japan in 1979 by Osamu Tsuji, Samco has nearly five decades of experience and has installed more than 5,000 systems worldwide. Its equipment and thin film technologies are widely adopted in the fabrication of semiconductor devices, including SiC/GaN power and RF devices, GaAs VCSELs, InP Laser Diodes, MEMS, BAW/SAW Filters, advanced packaging, and emerging quantum and photonic devices.
Learn more at https://www.samcointl.com/about/
About Virginia Commonwealth University EMBA Program
The Executive MBA (EMBA) program at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) brings together experienced professionals from a range of industries seeking to enhance their leadership and strategic decision-making skills. The program includes global experiential learning components, such as international study tours, where participants engage with companies and institutions to examine business practices in different cultural and economic environments.
For more information, visit https://business.vcu.edu/graduate-programs/executive-mba/.
Company Contacts:
TSUCHIHASHI, Atsushi
Public Relations
Phone: 81-75-621-7841
E-mail: tsuchihashi@samco.co.jp
DUNCAN, Megan
Public Relations
E-mail: megan.duncan@samco.co.jp