Hisaka Works' new Konoike plant

Hisaka Works held an observation tour and party after the completion of the new Konoike plant (2-1-48, Higashi-konoikecho, Higashi Osaka) on May 30. The new plant, with an area of 29,452m2, a total site area of 56,464m2 and building area of 19,139m2, will concentrate the production of three divisions which are Heat Exchangers (PHE, BHE), Lifestyle Industries (food, liquids, medical and dyeing and finishing devices) and Valve divisions.

Hisaka Works, dealing with dyeing and finishing machinery, has experienced a drop in sales and operating profit have been in decline from fiscal 1992 to 2002 due to the flagging Japanese dyeing industry, but has put the brakes on the lower business performance by coming up with a mid-term management plan " From survival to winning" for 2002 to 2004. It has achieved fiscal 2005 to 2007's mid-term management plan "The second start-up period - winning," reaching record-high sales of 29.2 billion yen (up by 17.3% from the previous year) and operating profit of 4.6 billion yen (up by 25.2%) in fiscal 2007 owing to a large growth in sales of heat exchangers. The company will aim to reach 35 billion yen in sales and 6.1 billion yen in operating profit in fiscal 2010, with the mid-term management plan "The second start-up period - further progress" for fiscal 2008 to 2010.

The dyeing and finishing machinery division is currently working on the development of a supercritical washer for washing protective clothing in nuclear power plants. It has made commercially viable a new circular rapid jet dyeing machine with a high-temperature waste-water washing system using PHE technology, and will soon start its promotion.