Lifestyle & Forest Products Division News & Topics
Support for Growth
Comprehensive alliance with VINATEX (Vietnam)
In apparel, footwear, household goods and other lifestyle-related products, the division has a well-established OEM production framework enabling low cost, timely and stable delivery of high-added-value products. These advantages have earned a high level of trust for the division from our customers around the world, and are supporting its growth.
To cope with rising costs in China, the division’s largest production site, particularly for labor and raw materials, we are seeking to develop additional production bases in other countries such as Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. As part of this effort, we entered a strategic alliance during the year ended March 31, 2012 with VINATEX, Vietnam’s largest textile company, and are expanding transactions in uniforms, shirts, and other apparel.
Pulp manufacturing business at TEL (Indonesia)
The Forest Products Division(as of 2012) is developing a robust value chain through operating companies in and outside of Japan including afforestation and wood chip companies, manufacturers of pulp, paper and containerboard, and distributors of paper and paperboard. Equipped with manufacturing functions that create value beyond simple trading, the Forest Products Division boasts the largest transaction volume among Japanese trading companies in the area of pulp and paper.
The division holds the largest forested area abroad among Japanese companies, aimed at ensuring renewable wood resources. We are also actively involved in environmentally conscious businesses, such as trading of wastepaper and wood chips for biomass fuel and commercialization of recycled carbon paper.
Major Projects During SG-12
Expansion of overseas sales of lifestyle-related merchandise
Strategic alliance with Shangtex Holding (Group) Corporation
The Lifestyle Division(as of 2012) has launched initiatives targeting overseas sales of lifestyle-related merchandise in China and other growth markets, leveraging its strategic alliance with Shangtex Holding (Group) Corporation, China’s largest comprehensive textile company.
Investment in containerboard business of GSPP
GS Paper & Packaging Sdn. Bhd. (GSPP)
The Forest Products Division(as of 2012) began its business participation in GS Paper & Packing Sdn. Bhd. (GSPP), Malaysia’s largest containerboard manufacturer in August 2010, and has made it fully operational in production and sales. The division will aggressively develop business going forward, particularly in Asia, where definite growth is anticipated.
