A newly constructed coating manufacturing plant was completed at our consolidated subsidiary, Chugoku Paints B.V. The new factory operates almost entirely unmanned throughout the entire coating manufacturing process. This automation enables production in an enclosed space, which is expected to reduce the emission of hazardous substances, improve the work environment, and increase productivity, among other effects.

On May 25, 2017, Chugoku Marine Paints, Ltd. celebrated its 100th anniversary. To commemorate this milestone, a two-part (morning and afternoon) commemorative ceremony was held in the form of a cruise party on Tokyo Bay, where executives and employees of the Chugoku Marine Paints, Ltd. Group gathered from around the world to deepen their exchanges. For the 100th anniversary, a commemorative logo design contest was held for employees, and a total of 249 designs were submitted. The winning design was used as the 100th anniversary commemorative logo on business cards, brochures, and other materials at that time.

In Myanmar, Chugoku-TOA Paints (Myanmar), Ltd. was established in 2019 through a joint venture with TOA-Chugoku Paints Co., Ltd. in Thailand, and a new production base was newly constructed in the Thilawa Special Economic Zone near Yangon. The purpose was to build a stable local supply system to meet the demand for marine coatings and heavy-duty anti-corrosive coatings in the rapidly growing country and surrounding regions. This factory has been in operation since around 2020. It is currently operated as a consolidated subsidiary of the Chugoku Marine Paints, Ltd. Group.

Through our core subsidiary in Europe, Chugoku Paints B.V. (hereinafter “CPBV”), we acquired Italo Belge Colori S.r.l. (hereinafter “ITB”), an Italian coating manufacturing company, and made it into a subsidiary. In recent years, as our group’s coating sales have expanded within Europe, the production volume at CPBV’s factory in the Netherlands, the only production base in the region, has also been on an upward trend. Through this acquisition, ITB’s factory became an additional production base for us, allowing us to expand our production capacity and shorten delivery times in Europe, and we anticipate an accompanying increase in sales volume.

To consolidate our office, which had been previously divided across two floors, into a single floor, and to invigorate internal communication and improve operational efficiency, we relocated our Tokyo Head Office from Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku to Toranomon, Minato-ku. Environmentally friendly design and initiatives, such as a building-wide introduction of 100% renewable energy power, have been implemented at the new location, Toranomon Hills Station Tower.