September 14, 2004
Asahi Medical Co., Ltd.
Asahi Kasei Pharma Corporation
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Asahi Medical Co., Ltd. to be renamed Asahi Kasei Medical Co., Ltd.
Identification as a key business unit of the Asahi Kasei Group |
Asahi Medical Co., Ltd. ("Asahi Medical") will adopt the new name Asahi Kasei Medical Co., Ltd. effective 1 October 2004, to further the recognition and awareness in both domestic and overseas markets of its identity as part of the Asahi Kasei Group.
Within the Asahi Kasei Group, Asahi Medical has long been recognized as one of its key business units. Its role in the current and future development and growth of the Group is defined by its designation as the Group's main business unit for medical devices, and by its position as a key subsidiary of Asahi Kasei Pharma Corporation, the Group's core operating company for pharmaceutical and medical products – a high-priority sector under the Group's Ishin 05 midrange strategic initiative for current and future development and growth.
The new name will better identify Asahi Medical, both domestically and overseas, as a Group member and the key role it holds for the Group. It will also mark its entry into the fourth decade of operations, since its founding in July 1974. Three of its overseas subsidiaries will also adopt the new appellation on October 1: Asahi Medical GmbH, its wholly-owned subsidiary in Germany, will become Asahi Kasei Medical Europe GmbH; Nikkiso Asahi Medical Korea Co., Ltd., its joint venture in Korea in which it holds a 50% interest, will become Nikkiso Asahi Kasei Medical Korea Co., Ltd.; and Asahi Medical Hangzhou Co., Ltd., its recently established wholly-owned subsidiary in China, will become Asahi Kasei Medical Hangzhou Co., Ltd.
As part of its growth into a core Group business for medical devices, Asahi Medical is planning to expand the production capacity for its APS™ hemodialyzers, or artificial kidneys, in several stages to thirty million per year by 2010 from the current annual capacity of ten million. The APS™ is a polysulfone hollow-fiber hemodialyzer, the main type produced by Asahi Medical. A two-part expansion is already underway at its APS™ hollow-fiber spinning plant at Nobeoka, to double the capacity from the current volume equivalent to ten million hemodiaylzers: construction begun in January 2004 will bring an additional four-million equivalent on-stream in November 2004; and construction scheduled to begin in November 2004 will add a further six-million equivalent.
This continuing capacity expansion, together with proven leadership in research and development dedicated to heightening hemodialyzer performance and quality and bettering the quality of life for hemodialysis patients, will in the years ahead expand and strengthen the position of Asahi Medical as the leading hemodialyzer manufacturer in Japan, and one of the world's largest.
| Asahi Medical Co., Ltd. |
| President |
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Kenji Nakamae |
| Establishment |
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July 24, 1974 |
| Paid-in capital |
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¥800,000,000, by Asahi Kasei Pharma Corporation |
| Head Office |
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9-1, Kanda Mitoshirocho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-8482,
Japan |
| Employees |
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Approx. 1,600 as of August 2004 |
| Plants |
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Hollow-fiber membrane production |
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Japan: |
Nobeoka City, Miyazaki Prefecture |
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Hemodialyzer and other device assembly |
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Japan: |
Oita City, Oita Prefecture |
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China: |
Hangzhou City; currently under construction by Asahi Medical
Hangzhou Co., Ltd. |
| Sales |
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¥38,900,000,000 for year ended 31 March 2004 |
| Primary products |
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APS™ Hemodialyzers
Sepacell™ leukocyte-reduction filters
Cellsorba™ leukocytapheresis columns for treatment of ulcerative
colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, and other disorders |
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