Nagase & Co., Ltd. is accelerating its pace of digging deep into the four key strategic segments based on its med-term three-year plan "WIT21." This spring, the company established a new framework consisting of thirteen divisions in parallel with each other, with the aim of enhancing its collaborative framework. The plan declares to turn the company into a business-proposal-oriented enterprise; "Our stance to emphasize partnership with customers will naturally help expand our value-added business characterized by fine chemicals and specialty chemicals," says Mr. Hiroshi Nagase, the President of Nagase & Co., Ltd.

WIT21, which was launched in the spring of 2003, defines electronics, life science, automotive and overseas operations as key strategic segments. In overseas operations, the focus is on expanding businesses in the Greater China region (including Hong Kong and Taiwan) and Southeast Asia. Especially in the China region, the company secured seven local corporations and eight representative offices, with the objective of reaching 150 billion yen in consolidated sales for fiscal 2006. Nagase is currently developing a network of production bases for formulated epoxy (Wuxi), urethane (Guangzhou and Ningbo), etc. targeted at electronics and automotive segments.

In the electronics segment, Nagase's emphasis is on materials of semiconductors and liquid crystal displays in Japan and Asia, while in the automotive segment, its priority is to execute overseas operations in response to automakers and components manufacturers expanding into the locality. On the other hand, in the life science segment, which is subdivided into pharmaceuticals, functional foods, cosmetics and household sectors, Nagase's challenge will be to demonstrate synergy effects between the sectors.

In the pharmaceuticals sector, Nagase places much importance on the cooperation between its producer of bulk and intermediates, Nagase ChemteX Corporation, and its research base, Nagase R&D Center. "We hope to fuse together organic synthesis and biotechnology, and enhance commissioned synthesis and the like," says Mr. Nagase.

(From The Chemical Daily)