Sumitomo Corporation Invests in Social Interior,
a Furniture Ordering Platform Provider- Promoting DX for Analog Operations in the Furniture Industry -

Sumitomo Corporation (Head Office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director, President and Chief Executive Officer: Shingo Ueno) has invested in and concluded a capital and business alliance agreement with Social Interior Inc. (Head Office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Ken Machino, hereinafter "Social Interior"), a company that offers a furniture and fixture ordering platform, office construction support, and furniture and appliance subscription service.

Social Interior provides a one-stop furniture and fixture ordering and supply platform for corporations called the Business Management Cloud. This platform handles everything from furniture and fixture selection to estimates and ordering. The company also offers office construction support for corporations and operates a furniture and appliance subscription service for consumers called Subsclife ("subscription life").

The furniture industry is still heavily reliant on analog processes, such as selecting furniture from paper catalogs and obtaining quotes from multiple manufacturers. Social Interior's Business Management Cloud platform aims to address these challenges by digitizing these processes.

Since launching the TV shopping business Shop Channel in 1996, Sumitomo Corporation has developed global mail-order and e-commerce businesses for daily necessities and indirect materials across multiple media platforms. The company is also involved in the real estate business, including office buildings, commercial facilities, residences, and hotels.

Through this capital and business alliance, Sumitomo Corporation will promote the enhanced use and expansion of Business Management Cloud in the furniture industry by leveraging its customer base and operational expertise acquired through mail-order and e-commerce businesses, as well as its vast real estate network. Sumitomo Corporation will also collaborate with Sumisho Interior International, a Sumitomo Corporation Group company working in interior design, space creation, and furniture and flooring material sales, to promote sales collaboration and joint procurement.

Sumitomo Corporation Group and Social Interior will continue to develop this furniture ordering platform to accelerate digital transformation (DX) in the furniture industry.

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